The long-hitting Garrigus has had full PGA Tour status since 2007 but in 2017-18 notched just one top-10 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and fell outside the top 125 in FedExCup points. His putting has always been below average, but he also saw a decline in his overall strokes gained: tee-to-green numbers, which ultimately was the root cause for not automatically retaining his card. Given his history of good play, expect Garrigus to play solidly in his opportunities in 2018-19 and return to posting a minimum of $800,000 in earnings.
Entering the month of July, Garrigus has little hope of retaining his card for the upcoming season, but a spectacular run of three top-10s in three weeks, put him right back inside the top-125. The run started at the Barbasol Championship and continued onto the RBC Canadian Open and finally to the Barracuda Championship. It's not exactly the two Opens and the Masters, but there were enough points earned, to get inside the top-125. Garrigus' prospects for this season however do not look great as he's been at or near this level for quite some time now. He'll likely struggle to keep his card again this season and as such, he's not a good salary cap option this season.
Garrigus peaked in 2012 when he posted four runner-up finishes on his way to over $3 million in earnings. His play since 2012 has left a lot to be desired however. In the four years since, Garrigus has failed to even crack the top-3 in any event and he's peaked at just over $1 million in earnings. He's been on the PGA Tour since 2006 and his 2012 season sticks-out because he's never had a season approaching those heights before or since. With that in mind, he's not a good salary cap option this season. In drafts, he'll go in the 10th-round or later.
Garrigus appears to be locked into at least $1 million in earnings every year, but less than $2 million. He did have one year where he blew right past the $2 million mark and ended the season with over $3 million in earnings, but that was just one year -- out of nine that he's spent on the PGA Tour. With that said, he could be considered in salary cap leagues because he's shown the ability to earn over $3 million, but odds are he'll end up where he's been the majority of his career, between $1 and $2 million. In draft leagues he should be taken around the 10th round.
Garrigus had eight top-25s in 2013, but only two top-10s. Not bad for a player in this range, but considering he's only a year removed from a $3 million season, 2013 was quite the let down. The good news is, he started to play better as the season wore on and he's already earned three top-25s in four events during the 2013-2014 season. He's not quite a must-have in salary cap leagues, but he's close. In draft leagues he should go in the 40-50 range.
Last season was full of surprise for Garrigus. First, he more than doubled his previous years' earnings while topping $3 million in the process. More surprising, perhaps, was he did so without a single victory. To accomplish that feat, Garrigus had to play extremely well throughout the year, which he did, finishing runner-up four times. One could take that as a negative - an inability to finish - but Garrigus is no stranger to winning on the PGA TOUR; he simply had a tough time closing last year. But Garrigus made such a huge jump in earnings last season, it's hard to imagine he can do it again this year. He will probably regress a bit this year, which makes him a poor selection in salary cap leagues. In draft leagues, he should go late in the third round or early in the fourth round.
Garrigus is a high-end player, meaning he'll play extremely well every so often, but most often he'll let you down. That's fine, there's more than one way to make money on the PGA Tour. Just be aware that there will be long droughts. Last season, he finished runner-up at the season-opening event and went into hibernation for sixth months, finally coming out at the U.S. Open where he surprised everyone and finished third. That's what you get with Garrigus, though. He's good enough that you have to keep him in your lineup, even when he's missed four straight cuts. But he's probably not worth the price in salary leagues as he'd have to show up more often or at the exact right time to improve significantly on his 2011 number. In draft leagues, Garrigus should go in the seventh round.
Garrigus won in his final start on the PGA TOUR last season, and that win saved his playing privileges for the upcoming season. Prior to that victory, Garrigus was destined for Q-School. Now he can relax for a while. The question is whether this win will inspire improved play this season. Considering he's just 33, there's reason to think Garrigus, who led the PGA TOUR in driving distance last season, is still improving. However, because he set a career high in earnings last year, it doesn't make much sense to select him at that high of a number this season. In mid-February, Garrigus withdrew from the final round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am citing high blood pressure problems.
Garrigus finshed 127th on the money list in 2009 and did not qualify for the PGA Tour at Q School. Garrigus will be relegated to conditional status and will play in approximately 18 events and will have a tough time accumulating enough money to make the top 125 in 2010. Full status rookies with upside will be more valuable in 2010.
Robert Garrigus is a long bomber that you don't hear much about. Since joining the tour in 2006, he's finished third and fourth on the tour in driving distance, and just like Bubba Watson, he can't hit a fairway. The difference between Watson and Garrigus is that Watson improved his putting from year one to year two. Garrigus must also show improvement with the flat stick before he can be considered a good selection.
