Top 100 TOUR Players to Watch in 2010: No. 99

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Dec. 8, 2009

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Regular Season Rank	142
Playoff Rank	142
Bonus Money	32,000

He teased us last year with that tie for second at the U.S. Open. We'll get to see what kind of staying power Ricky Barnes has when he returns for his sophomore season in '10. Barnes, who shared the 2003 Ben Hogan Award as the nation's top collegian with Hunter Mahan, spent five years on the Nationwide Tour before earning his card last season. Had it not been for that runner-up finish at Bethpage, it would have been a quick trip up to the big leagues, too, since Barnes finished 120th on the money list. His best finish, aside from the U.S. Open, was two ties for 47th. Barnes got a reprieve, though, thanks to that big check from the USGA, and he'll have time to work on his temperament, putting (he ranked 180th) and driving accuracy (152nd).


It took Ricky a long time to get to the PGA TOUR. Seven years between the U.S. Amateur Championship and his rookie season. It wasn't a great year but it was certainly one to build on for next year.

Barnes ranked second on TOUR in proximity to pin from approach shots between 175-200 yards. He averaged 28 feet, 8 inches in his 143 attempts in 2009.

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