Golf Draft Kit: 2017-18 Top Rookies

Aaron Wise
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $1,100,000

The former NCAA champion from the University of Oregon has already enjoyed several levels of success as a professional, securing both his first Web.com victory and PGA Tour top-10 during his 2016-2017 campaign. He first gained momentum with a T10 finish at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open back in November, but the highlight of his summer came at the Air Capital Classic in June where he fired back-to-back 62s in his first two rounds and led wire-to-wire. Despite ranking just 72nd in terms of ball striking on the Web.com Tour, Wise could be in line for one of the more successful PGA Tour careers out of this year's class of rookies.

Beau Hossler
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $1,000,000

Many remember Hossler as the 17-year-old sensation who finished T29 at the 2012 U.S. Open and went on to become a standout at the University of Texas. He now has the chance to become a staple on the PGA Tour after securing his card thanks to a top-25 finish on the Web.com's regular season money list in 2017. Hossler also made 4 of 8 cuts at the PGA level during his 2017 campaign, ranging from the Farmers Insurance Open to the Travelers Championship. He missed just 3 of 14 cuts on the Web.com Tour this past season, while also posting two runner-up finishes. It wouldn't be a surprise to see Hossler make some noise as a 22-year-old rookie given his natural talent and experience in the spotlight.

Sam Ryder
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $950,000

A dominant, eight-stroke victory at the Web.com's Pinnacle Bank Championship in July combined with four additional top-five finishes vaulted Ryder up to No. 2 on the 2017 money list, thus earning a PGA Tour card for the first time in his career. Through 23 events on the Web.com Tour this past season, Ryder made 16 cuts to go along with 10 top-25s, but missed the cut on his biggest stage at the U.S. Open after earning medalist honors with a 62 at his sectional qualifier. The 27-year-old won't have experience on his side, but harnesses enough game to compete at the next level as a rookie, having ranked first in total driving and third in ball striking on the Web.com Tour.

Austin Cook
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $825,000

Cook originally busted onto the professional golf scene in 2015 when he made 6 of 7 cuts on the PGA Tour while notching a pair of top-10s in the process, but was unable to earn full status until finishing 15th in the Web.com's 2017 regular season money list. His most recent campaign was highlighted by a stretch that included results of T7-T2-T7 from the LECOM Health Challenge through the Pinnacle Bank Championship in July. Cook also ranked an impressive eighth in ball striking and 14th in total driving on the Web.com Tour.

Brandon Harkins
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $725,000

The long-hitting 31-year-old proved to also be proficient with the flat stick, ranking 11th in driving distance, 12th in putting average and eighth in birdie average on the Web.com Tour this past season. He made 15 of 24 cuts while posting a pair of top-threes and six top-25, ultimately finishing at 21st on the regular season money list. Harkins had never earned a PGA Tour card until this point, though he did place T59 at the 2016 U.S. Open.

Adam Schenk
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $700,000

Through two generally successful seasons on the Web.com Tour, Schenk racked up just over $400K in 48 total events, but ultimately earned his PGA Tour card for the first time thanks to his win at the Lincoln Land Charity Championship in late June. That victory came during one of the best stretches so far throughout his professional career, finishing top-five in four straight events. Schenk's long game appears to be of PGA Tour caliber after ranking top-20 in both total driving and ball striking on the Web.com, while he also finished top-40 in terms of scrambling.

Xinjun Zhang
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $675,000

Despite missing 10 of 23 cuts and withdrawing during another start, Zhang's pair of runner-up finishes were enough of a boost to place him inside the top-25 of the Web.com's regular season money list. Zhang ranked 33rd in GIR percentage and 51st in birdie average, though he didn't excel in one specific category throughout the season. He also posted an impressive T21 at the WGC-HSBC Champions event in late October, despite carding a final-round 76.

Talor Gooch
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $625,000

Gooch appeared to simply be going through the motions throughout a majority of the Web.com season as he placed top-five just once in his first 16 starts, but a runner-up finish at the Price Cutter Charity Championship in August preceded his first career victory at the News Sentinel Open. He earned over $170K during these two weeks alone, boosting him into position to become a rookie on the PGA Tour as he finished sixth on the Web.com's regular season money list. Gooch also made the cut at the 2017 U.S. Open, but a final-round 80 resulted in a second-to-last place finish among those who made the weekend.

Conrad Shindler
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $625,000

Shindler won the Rex Hospital in June of his maiden campaign on the Web.com Tour, which ultimately led him to finish inside the top-25 of the regular season money list as he posted three additional top-10 results as well. The 29-year-old's last start on the PGA Tour came in 2016 at the AT&T Byron Nelson where he made the cut, but ultimately fell into a tie for 75th. He ranked 10th in putting average, 40th in scrambling and 65th in GIR percentage this past season on the Web.com Tour, while he remains unlikely to carry much fantasy relevance throughout his upcoming rookie campaign.

Stephan Jaeger
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $600,000

After missing four cuts in his first six starts to begin the 2017 Web.com season, Jaeger won two of his next three events before making the cut at the U.S. Open in June. The German would eventually come back to earth, however, finishing top-15 just once throughout his last 11 events while missing four cuts during that span as well. Jaeger's mid-season surge was still impressive enough to land him at fifth on the regular season money list, earning a PGA tour card for the first time in his career.

Zecheng Dou
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $600,000

At just 20 years old, Dou becomes the first Chinese player ever to earn a PGA Tour card after finishing 16th on the Web.com's regular season money list. A win at the Digital Ally Open made this all possible, given the fact he missed 10 of 24 cuts and only notched five top-25s throughout his 2017 campaign. It's difficult to predict much success as a rookie for the 20-year-old, although he did rank eighth in birdie average and 23rd in putting average at the Web.com level. Dou also finished T40 at the 2017 WGC-HSBC Champions event.

Andrew Yun
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $575,000

Yun finished third-or-better in just one of his first 48 career Web.com events, but did so on four separate occassions throughout his 2017 campaign. Racking up $222,856 in earnings was enough to qualify for a PGA Tour card as he positioned himself in 13th on the regular season money list. Yun, a 26-year-old out of Stanford University, has never appeared in a PGA Tour event so expectations should be somewhat limited right away, especially given the fact he ranked 102nd in terms of GIR percentage this past season.

Matt Atkins
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $550,000

Following a stretch of five missed cuts throughout his first six starts during the 2017 Web.com season, Atkins came out of nowhere to win the El Bosque Mexico Championship and ultimately finish top-25 on the regular season money list at No. 19. That marked his only top-five finish in 24 events, though he was able to add two other top-10s. Atkins ranked just 98th in ball striking and 62nd in birdie average, so his expectations as a rookie should be tempered. He was able to make the cut during his lone start on the PGA Tour, finishing T72 at the Sanderson Farms Championship.

Ben Silverman
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $550,000

Silverman missed 11 of 16 cuts during a disappointing 2016 Web.com campaign, but finally broke through with a win at the 2017 Price Cutter Charity Championship to earn his PGA Tour card after finishing 10th in the Web.com's regular season money list. He ranked top-25 on the Web.com Tour in birdie average and GIR percentage, despite placing outside of the top-60 in terms of total driving. There could be a learning curve for Silverman out of the gate as a rookie, having appeared in just one PGA Tour event during his career when he missed the cut at the RBC Canadian Open in 2014.

Lanto Griffin
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $550,000

Griffin's 2017 campaign got off to an extremely sluggish start with seven missed cuts in his first 11 events, but he bounced back tremendously with a win at the Nashville Golf Open in early July to salvage his season and earn a PGA Tour card for the first time in his career. Accuracy woes off the tee marked Griffin's Achilles' heal throughout the year, though he was still able to rank 14th in birdie average thanks to a hot putter. Griffin has appeared in just two PGA events during his career, missing the cut during both starts back in 2011.

Denny McCarthy
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $525,000

Earning a PGA Tour card via the Web.com Tour Finals, McCarthy is set to become a rookie at the next level after making 18 of 23 cuts on the Web.com during 2017. He failed to record any top-three finishes through two seasons on the Web.com Tour, however, so McCarthy's upside may remain limited. McCarthy ranked second in putting average and 21st in birdie average this past season, but was just 128th in terms of GIR percentage.

Nate Lashley
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $500,000

Lashley first appeared on the Web.com Tour way back when in 2006, but at the age of 34 years old, he's finally earned a coveted PGA Tour card after finishing 11th on the Web.com's 2017 regular season money list. This was essentially made possibly by a win at the Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship in May, while he also posted top-25s in just over half of his starts throughout the season. He ranked a dismal 107th in total driving and 83rd in ball striking, but made up for it with an impressive short game as he was third in scrambling.

Roberto Diaz
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $475,000

At just 5-foot-6, Diaz's lack of power could turn into a problem at the PGA Tour level against much better competition at more difficult venues, so he'll look to finish near the top-35 in terms of both putting average and scrambling as he did on the Web.com Tour in order to have much of a chance at elevating his potential fantasy value. Diaz posted two top-three finishes during his 2017 campaign on the Web.com, finishing in 25th on the regular season money list and earning his PGA Tour card for the first time. The 30-year-old Mexican also finished T67 at the WGC-Mexico Championship, but missed the cut at both the OHL Classic and U.S. Open.

Ethan Tracy
2017-18 Projected Earnings: $400,00

Despite missing an unimpressive 15 of 24 cuts during the 2017 Web.com season, Tracy was still able to earn his first PGA Tour card thanks to a win at the Club Colombia Championship in February. That marked his only top-10 of the season and he added just two other top-25s. He's made just one cut since the beginning of July, so don't expect Tracy to find much success at the next level as he figures to remain silent in terms of fantasy relevance.