Brendan Steele carded a 16-under-par 68-64-70-70 — 272 at the CareerBuilders Challenge in La Quinta this past week, earning a tie for 6th place. The Idyllwild native garnered his third top-10 finish in only five tournaments entered this early season. He posted 20 birdies against only four bogeys in this tournament, going bogey free in both his second and fourth rounds.

Brendan was in the hunt for the lead at La Quinta from the second round on. At one point, he held second place. Although he putted well all week, on Friday his putts dropped, while Sunday most lipped out or otherwise missed by only inches. Such are the vagaries of golf.

Brendan picked up 95 FedExCup points, bringing his season total to 743, 4th on the FedExCup points list. He also earned more than $200,000, bringing this season’s official money earnings to more than $1.5 million. His career official earnings now exceed $10 million, early in his seventh season on the PGA Tour.

Brendan plays again this week in the $6.7 million Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in La Jolla. He tees off Thursday at 9:20 a.m. PST from No. 1 South Course and Friday at 10:20 a.m. PST from No. 10 North Course.

Jack can be reached at jack@towncrier.com.