Justin Rose is the best ball striker on tour. Here’s the data that proves it | Golf News and Tour Information [Video]

BOSTON — Who’s the best ball-striker on the PGA Tour?

That question gets debated often — at least a few times annually — and the answer usually depends on who you ask. Some people look at accuracy stats. Others at distance figures. Some just size it up themselves using the proverbial “eyeball test.”

Lucius Riccio, a professor at Columbia University, takes a slightly different approach.

Speaking Friday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Riccio presented his findings from a paper he had been working on entitled “Quantifying Long Approach Ball Striking.” His research involved analyzing every shot hit on tour in 2012 on a par 4 from between 150 and 225 yards.

The verdict? Justin Rose came out ahead among his peers, his greens-in-regulation percentage regressing at a far slower pace from further away relative to fellow competitors on tour. Lee Westwood, however, hit it closer than anyone else …