Yearly Ball Striking Leaders on PGA Tour
The definition the tour provides for this stat is this: "Ball Striking is computed by totaling a player's rank in both Total Driving and Greens in Regulation." So Ball Striking is a composite stat: a golfer's ranks in two other statistical categories (Total Driving and GIR) are added together to create that golfer's Ball Striking "value." If a golfer ranks seventh in Total Driving and 13th in Greens in Regulation, then his Ball Striking value is 20. The lower that value, the higher he will rank in the category.
For example, in 2024 Scottie Scheffler's Ball Striking "value" was five, so you know he ranked at or very near the top of the two component stats (Total Driving, Greens in Regulation).
The lowest possible Ball Striking value is two, which requires ranking first in both Total Driving and GIR. In the history of the PGA Tour Ball Striking statistic, five golfers have recorded a value of two: Henrik Stenson in 2015, Tiger Woods in 2000, David Duval in 1999, Hal Sutton in 1998 and Bruce Lietzke in 1991.
The List: PGA Tour Yearly Ball Striking Leaders
The number that follows the golfer's name is his Ball Striking "value." The numbers in parentheses are his Total Driving rank and GIR rank, in that order (if you see "2/3" in parentheses, the golfer ranked second that year in Total Driving and third in GIR).
2024 — Scottie Scheffler, 5 (2/3)
2023 — Ludvig Aberg, 4 (1/3)
2022 — Jon Rahm, 4 (1/3)
2021 — Jon Rahm, 4 (1/2)
2020 — Corey Conners, 14 (8/6)
2019 — Paul Casey, 7 (3/4)
2018 — Sam Ryder, 12 (10/2)
2017 — Kyle Stanley, 4 (2/2)
2016 — Lucas Glover, 3 (2/1)
2015 — Henrik Stenson, 2 (1/1)
2014 — Henrik Stenson, 10 (2/8)
2013 — Graham DeLaet, 4 (1/3)
2012 — Boo Weekley, 6 (1/5)
2011 — Boo Weekley, 5 (4/1)
2010 — Charles Warren, 5 (1/4)
2009 — Jonathan Byrd, 3 (1/2)
2008 — Joe Durant, 8 (7/1)
2007 — Cameron Beckman, 10 (6/4)
2006 — Joe Durant, 12 (6/6)
2005 — Kenny Perry, 5 (2/3)
2004 — Joe Durant, 6 (5/1)
2003 — Chad Campbell, 8 (4/4)
2002 — Chris Smith, 5 (2/3)
2001 — Charles Howell III, 5 (3/2)
2000 — Tiger Woods, 2 (1/1)
1999 — David Duval, 2 (1/1)
1998 — Hal Sutton, 2 (1/1)
1997 — Hal Sutton, 5 (2/3)
1996 — David Duval, 12 (1/11)
1995 — Grant Waite, 9 (5/4)
1994 — Bill Glasson, 3 (2/1)
1993 — Fuzzy Zoeller, 5 (4/1)
1992 — Paul Azinger, 17 (12/5)
1991 — Bruce Lietzke, 2 (1/1)
1990 — Tim Simpson, 14 (8/6)
1989 — Hal Sutton, 12 (5/7)
1988 — Chip Beck, 11 (2/9)
1987 — Bruce Lietzke, 5 (3/2)
So far, Joe Durant and Hal Sutton are the only golfers to lead this statistical category at least three different years.
Related articles:
- PGA Tour driving distance leaders by year
- Driving accuracy leaders on PGA Tour by year
- PGA Tour annual GIR leaders
PGATour.com. Stats, Ball Striking, https://www.pgatour.com/stats/detail/158.
