Brandt Snedeker finished second to Phil Mickelson at the Waste Management Phoenix Open this weekend.  He also was runner-up last week at the Farmers Insurance Open won by Tiger Woods.  In two weeks he had two runner-ups to two legends of golf, pretty good stuff for a young player.

In four starts thus far in 2013 he has three top-10 finishes.  He posted a third place finish in the first event of the year at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

Snedeker won the 2012 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January but saved his best golf for the FedEx Cup Playoffs.  He was runner-up at the Barclays and finished in sixth place at the Deutsche Bank.  He ended the year by winning the Tour Championship and the $10 million that goes along with the FedEx Cup Trophy.

His consistently high finishes this year move him up to No. 1 in the 2013 FedEx Cup race and he climbs up to No. 6 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Injuries in 2011 put him at the bottom of the Ryder Cup Team list, but his strong play throughout the year last year forced Captain Davis Love to pick Snedeker for the 2012 Ryder Cup Team.

In 2012 he was ranked No. 108 on the PGA Tour with an average driving distance of 288 yards.  He was ranked No. 106 in driving accuracy and No. 126 in greens in regulation.

Around the greens is where Snedeker makes his money.  He was No. 1 in Strokes Gained Putting.  If you are looking at a statistic that is a barometer of success on the tour Strokes Gained Putting is the gold standard.

He turned professional in 2004 and spent two years on the Web.com tour. He was honored with the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2007, his first full year on the tour.

Bottom line is that Snedeker is not the best off the tee but his short game and putting skills always make him a factor whenever he is in the field.

The confidence that he has gained with his strong play in 2012 and this year is a predictor of major championships in his near future.