If I learned anything from 2010, it is that when it comes to golf I should expect the unexpected. I expected the legend Tiger Woods to dominate 2010; instead he trudged through a difficult season winless. This proves that even the most mentally tough guys can’t always block everything out. I’ve discussed this Tiger thing to no end, and now that he is a so-called changed man and that now that 2011 is on the horizon, I think it’s time to turn the page and focus on his golf and not the scandal.
Speaking of his golf…he starts the season in a position he hasn’t been in for almost 6 years! As the #2 ranked player in the world. As the 2011 season kicks into gear Englishman Lee Westwood sits atop the World Golf Rankings. As mentioned Tiger is #2, ahead of #3 Martin Kaymer, #4 Phil Mickelson and #5 Jim Furyk who is coming off one of his best seasons as the reigning Fedex Cup owner.
If there was a second thing I have learned from 2010, is that there has never been more high-powered parity on the Tour. From the Tour Vets (see Furyk), the Long-Ballers (see Bubba Watson), the Young Guns (see Fowler / McIlroy / Ishikawa), the Stars (see Tiger), to the Euro-Invasion (see Poulter / Fisher / McDowell / Quiros / Kaymer) there are so many players that can win any tournament, at any place, at any time. And for me, that beats the days of Tiger domination. But I’m not your casual viewer!
Here are my champion picks for the main tournaments of 2011:
Accenture Match Play – Graeme McDowell. The reigning US Open champion will kick start his season in style defeating a field of 64 in the desert. The cardigan clad Northern Irishman just came off a huge comeback playoff victory over Tiger at the Chevron, and that’s enough for me. If you can beat the big guy in a playoff, you can win the match play.
Runner up: Francesco Molonari
CA Championship – Charl Schwartzel. I’m not really sure why I’m picking the long hitting South African, but I guess they just fall into order: Els, Goosen, Immelman, Clark, Oosthuizen and now Schwartzel. Why not right? He had a very good showing at Doral last year and he’s primed to do it again.
Runner up: Matt Kuchar
The Masters – Tiger Woods. Can you really ever bet against this guy at Augusta? 2010 was a nightmare for him and he still found a way to muster a T4 finish after taking a near 6-month leave of absence from competitive golf. This guy knows the echoes amongst the magnolias and lob lollys as well as anyone and will harness that for his 5th Green Jacket and a welcome back (but won’t be his first win of 2011).
Runner up: Phil Mickelson
The Players – Zach Johnson. This guy has been one of the most consistent players over the past 5 years and it’s about time to add another big time title to his 2007 Green Jacket. With recent winners like Tim Clark, Fred Funk, Stephen Ames and Hal Sutton; Sawgrass isn’t just for the long ballers. Johnson’s accurate game and early season success leads to a win in the season’s deepest field.
Runner up: Martin Kaymer
US Open – Hunter Mahan. He was one of my 2010 up and comers and he did not disappoint. He had two victories (Scottsdale and Akron), the second of which was a WGC event where he dominated. I like him at Congressional because of what he did there at the ’08 AT&T National. He fired a third round 64 en-route to a top five finish and he’s even better now as a two time Ryder Cupper.
Runner up: Dustin Johnson
The Open Championship – Martin Laird. As the world’s oldest tournament moves to the South shores of England at Royal St. Georges it will usher in another…Scottish champion? Yes with all of the talented and heralded Englishmen in the field it will be a Scot who rises to the top. Forget Westwood, Poulter, Casey, Fisher, Donald and Rose; the Open will produce another unlikely hero.
Runner up: Rhys Davies and Tiger Woods
Bridgestone Invitational – Justin Rose. Rosey will finish the career sweep in Ohio by tackling the tight fairways of Firsestone after his ’10 victory at Jack’s place. You can never go wrong with Tiger in Akron, but last year’s performance has left him shaken at the place he had once dominated. The once upstart and now veteran Rose will cash in with his biggest career win.
Runner up: Tiger Woods
PGA Championship – Rory McIlroy or Rickie Fowler or Ryo Ishikawa. The Shootout in Atlanta as I will call it. Picture a 4-hole playoff between three of the golf world’s young guns. One with long curly locks hanging out the back of his cap another dressed head to toe in neon orange Puma gear, and the third with spiked up hair a visor and tight white trousers. Imagine the birdiefest that would ensue from there. It blows my mind so much right now that I can’t pick a winner…but I guess I’ll say Ishikawa.
Runner up: Rory McIlroy & Rickie Fowler…4th Nick Watney.
Tour Championship – Phil Mickelson. I can’t have an entire season without ‘Lefty’ winning a fairly significant tournament, I figured I’d hedge my bet with one of the season’s smallest fields and pencil him in at the final Fedex Cup event edging Tiger by a stroke. I have no explanation why aside from what I said above, and feel I don’t need one as this is my blog and I do what I want!
Runner up: Tiger Woods
Fedex Cup – Tiger Woods. ‘The Striped One’ will clinch his 2nd Fedex Cup with his runner-up finish in Atlanta at the Tour Championship. He will take command of the standings after the Masters and will ride it out throughout the summer until the Standings are reset. A win in Chicagoland at Cog Hill and a 2nd place in the season’s final tournament and he will lock up the coveted Fedex Cup.
Runner up: Zach Johnson
President’s Cup – USA. The Stars and Stripes will make the trip out to Melbourne Australia and dominate like they should. Europe may have their number right now, but I’ll take my chances with the US against a not so cohesive rest of the world bunch. It won’t be as decisive as Harding Park in ’09, but it will be enough to retain. Stars and Stripes by 2.5 points.
Individual Awards:
Player of the Year – Tiger Woods. By season’s end Eldrick will be back where he is supposed to be. He may not be as dominant as his earlier years, but he will find a way to win relatively consistent, and it will be enough to surpass Westy to reclaim his rightful spot at the top of the World Rankings. He will inch closer to the Golden Bear with yet another Green Jacket, but still will have a ways to go. The Fedex Cup will be a great cherry on top of a bounce back season.
Q-School Rookie of the Year – Gary Woodland. The 2010 graduate class of PGA Q-School is chock full of PGA veterans. From semi-successful journeyman like Billy Mayfair, Brandt Jobe, Paul Stankowski, and Kent Jones; to younger established players like James Driscoll, Richard S. Johnson, and Jarrod Lyle. It was very difficult for me to come up with a youngster rookie worthy of the ROY. I picked Woodland as he had been semi-exempt in the past and is coming off of a season ravaged with injury. If he can stay healthy look for a big season from him. Others to watch: Ben Martin (US Am runner up), Kyle Stanley, William McGirt and Korean Bi-o Kim.
Comeback Player – Tiger Woods. If he is successful as I think he will be, it’s going to be tough to not name Tiger. In a year of personal turmoil and professional ineptitude (for his standards) he will rise to the top with a Tiger-esque season. Others to watch: Anthony Kim coming off of a injury riddled 2010, Sergio Garcia who needs to get the focus back, and Rory Sabbatini who has dipped significantly in the World Rankings.
Falling Star – Stewart Cink. 2010 wasn’t great for the Twitter star Stewart Cink, and I don’t think 2011 will be any better. If Vijay Singh was the apparent loser of 2010 Cink will be in the running this season. He has yet to crack the winner circle since his Claret Jug winning performance at Turnberry, and will have a second straight dreadful season at the majors. Others to watch: Angel Cabrera has sneaky made it halfway to the career slam, but won’t get any closer in 2011. Look for the long in the tooth ‘El Poto’ to take a dive in the World Rankings. ***Please note: I selected Furyk as one to watch fall in 2010 and he won the Fedex Cup, so it’s not exactly the kiss of death.
The Next Big Step – Ryo Ishikawa. This Japanese teenager sensation has taken the golf world by storm with his long hitting and incredibly seasoned game. His predicted win at the PGA Championship will give him his first major and obviously jump him into the next category of upper echelon of professional golfers. Others to watch: My predicted winner in Sandwich UK Martin Laird, the combination of the two flamboyant youngsters Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler, and although he will not make a big impact on the PGA Tour look for Welshman Rhys Davies to take a huge step in the European Order of Merit.
2011 should be a great year in the world of golf…and I can’t wait ‘til Kapalua.
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