This is part one of a three-part series detailing 10 things to watch in golf this season.
1. PLAYERS AT A CROSSROADS
These players find themselves at a pivotal point in their careers:
Anthony Kim — Is the party over (literally and figuratively)? The player whom Robert Allenby accused of staying out late and partying the night before their Presidents Cup singles match took a step back in 2009, falling from sixth to 39th on the money list. It’s far too early to panic, but Kim could use a strong bounce-back season.
Padraig Harrington — Was 2008 an aberration, or can Paddy win more majors? He seemed to right the ship as 2009 wore on, but the 2010 season will be the ultimate test for his round of swing changes.
Sergio Garcia — The PGA Tour still has hopes for Garcia, ranking him fifth in their preseason rundown. But why? He hasn’t won since the 2008 Players Championship; he had only three top-10s in 2009; and when last seen in a major, Garcia was missing the cut at the PGA. Frankly, we’re growing weary of propping him up. It’s time for him to show us something.
Camilo Villegas — Like Kim, Villegas took a step back in 2009, and as with Kim, we’re willing to give him a mulligan. After all, he made 18 cuts in 21 tournaments. But the novelty has worn off, and it’s time to produce.
2. PLAYERS ON THE RISE
Rory McIlroy — The youngster from Northern Ireland finished second in the European Tour’s Order of Merit in only his second season and had three top-10s and seven top-25s on this side of the pond. He made the cut in all four major championships, including a tie for third at the PGA Championship and a tie for 10th at the U.S. Open. He is 20 years old, possessing the brashness of youth and the skills to back it up. He’s definitely the real deal and should contend for at least one major in 2010.
Martin Kaymer — Though McIlroy gets more attention, Kaymer, a 25-year-old from Germany, had an equally solid 2009 season. Kaymer had two victories in Europe — one more than McIlroy — and seven top-10s. His performance in the majors wasn’t as impressive, but he should change that in 2010.
Michelle Wie — In her 66th start on the LPGA Tour, the 20-year old finally won an event, capturing the Lorena Ochoa Invitational near the end of the season. Wie had finished second six times in her career, but near the end of her first full season on the LPGA Tour, she finally grabbed that elusive first win. That, along with her strong performance at the Solheim Cup should give Wie more confidence — and more victories — in 2010. Which is a good thing, considering she has the future of an entire tour riding on her slender but powerful shoulders.
John Cook — Even though he finished third on the Champions Tour money list behind Bernhard Langer and Loren Roberts, Cook made a lot of noise near the end of the season. Look for it to carry over. Cook won two of the final three events of the year, including the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge. He has finished in the top-10 in more than half the events he has played during his short Champions career and could dominate the senior circuit.
3. PLAYERS ON THE DECLINE
Christina Kim — Despite flashes of both solid play and infectious exuberance at the Solheim Cup, 2009 was disappointing for Kim. She had four top-10s, her lowest number since 2006, and her winnings fell to their lowest level since her rookie year in 2003. She hasn’t won since 2005, and she’s not showing signs of reversing the trend.
Vijay Singh — Only five years ago, he was the No. 1 player in the world, but Singh has finally entered a decline, and the 2009 season was his worst of this millennium. Singh’s best finish was a tie for sixth at the Crowne Plaza Invitational. He missed more cuts (six) than he had top-10 finishes (three) and finished 68th on the money list. He will be 47 years old in 2010, and it appears that his run of elite 40-something golf is at an end. But what a run it was.
Jason Gore — One of the nicest guys on the PGA Tour, the affable Gore struggled in 2009 and lost his card. He played in 24 events, missed the cut 50 percent of the time and had two top-10 finishes. He ended up 155th on the money list, lost his card and then struggled in Q-school. But there may need to be an asterisk next to Gore’s name — he discovered a problem with depth perception during a December visit to the optometrist.
This feature appears in the 2010 Athlon Sports Golf magazine. Click here to purchase your copy.
