The Loop

Boo! Weekley's putting is downright scary

October 31, 2012

Boo Weekley is probably best known for wearing camouflage on the course and doing the "Bull Dance" from the movie "Happy Gilmore" during the U.S.'s upset win at the 2008 Ryder Cup. But unfortunately for the colorful golfer, his claim to fame this season isn't anything to smile about.

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It only seems fitting to mention Boo on Halloween and even more appropriate to point out his frighteningly-bad putting stats. With one fall series event left on the PGA Tour schedule -- the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic Nov. 8-11 -- Weekley checks in at 189 out of 190 in the tour's most comprehensive putting metric: strokes gained-putting.

Of the players ranked, only Kyle Thompson is worse and his 36 measured rounds (to Weekley's 55) isn't really a fair sample size to compare. Of anyone playing as many rounds as Weekley on tour this year in which this stat was documented, Kyle Stanley is the closest when it comes to putting futility, and even he has an average that's nearly half a shot better per round.

So how has Weekley managed to earn $683,259 -- a figure that places him just inside the all-important top 125 on the money list -- thus far in 2012? Attribute it to a season of Ben Hogan-like ball-striking for the 39-year-old. Weekley ranks first on tour in total driving, T-4 in greens in regulation and first in overall ball-striking. Who are Nos. 2-5 you might ask? Just a few guys named Jason Dufner, Lee Westwood, Hunter Mahan and Justin Rose.

Amazingly, Weekley ranked first in ball-striking last year as well to go along with 186th in strokes gained-putting. Without top 10s at the Puerto Rico Open and RBC Heritage (the site of his two career PGA Tour wins) to buoy him, though, Weekley made less than $300,000 in 23 events.

The stats reveal that this isn't a new trend, however. Since the tour started keeping track of strokes gained-putting in 2007, Weekley has never finished better than 161st. Weekley probably isn't a big fan of that stat, but if you also have your doubts, just know that his best "traditional" putting stat this year is putting from 20-25' -- where he ranks 134th. Come to think of it, Happy Gilmore (Think: "Just taaaap it in") wasn't known for his touch on the greens, either. . .

Alex Myers is a GolfDigest.com contributing editor.

(Photo by Getty Images)