Golf is not something that Title Run has spent a lot of time covering over the last fifteen months. But with some guy named Tiger Woods winning his fifteenth major championship last month, discussions have renewed on whether he can chase down Jack Nicklaus’s record 18 majors to secure his claim as history’s best golfer.
With Tiger’s return to the major championship winner’s circle, there is more attention turned toward golf now than any time over the last decade...and why not? Tiger may qualify as THE comeback athlete in all of sports history. Not only did he manage to climb back from mediocrity (ranked No. 668 in the world in December 2017) to golf’s supremacy, he did it in an incredibly quick time frame. Just two years ago he was hitting erratic long shots, clinching up as his back tightened, and looking far older than his 41 years. A year later he went on to win the Tour Championship in Atlanta at the end of 2018, finishing second in the year-long FedEx Cup standings. Just when it looked like it couldn’t get any better for Tiger, he pulled off his first come-from-behind victory in a major, finishing just ahead of major champions, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Jason Day, and Francesco Molinari.
But it’s not just that he won a 15th major ten years after his last major, it’s HOW he did it -- overcoming sex addiction, a horribly public divorce, four back surgeries, and a DUI conviction from painkillers and Ambien. In 2018 he downplayed expectations, saying that it would take time to get back into playing shape. When he finished second at the Valspar last year, his head-to-head battle with Paul Casey on Sunday drew a higher television rating than three of the four previous year’s majors. Interest increased at East Lake last year with his first win in five years and then climaxed in Augusta this year as he held yet another major championship trophy -- something that most of us thought he would never come close to again.
So now the conversation turns way too quickly to whether Woods can win three more majors to match The Golden Bear. He returns to Bethpage Black on Long Island, NY this weekend for the PGA Championship and his first attempt at another major. He won the U.S. Open there in 2002 and the course also hosted the 2009 U.S. Open, giving Tiger a good history at a course with plenty of major championship pedigree.
He will also have plenty of competition. Trying to predict winners in golf is like trying to pick the 7/10 and 8/9 matches in the NCAA tournament -- there is way too much parity, and anyone can jump up to win in a given week. That said, here are 10 names to look out for this weekend.
#10 Jason Day – The Australian winner of the 2015 PGA championship at Whistling Straits tends to do well at the PGA Championship. He has a lethal combination of long driving and stellar putting. He is ranked fifth in strokes gained off the tee, largely due to a 303 yard driving average, and ranks eighth in strokes gained putting. If he can channel his performance in 2015 or 2016 (when he finished 2nd), he’s got a decent chance to bring home his second major.
#9 Rickie Fowler – Fowler is probably most well-known for his straight-brim hats, flashy Puma clothes, and orange Sunday attire to honor his alma mater Oklahoma State. But on the course, he had one of the best years in Tour history in 2014, becoming only the third player ever (along with Nicklaus and Woods) to finish top five in all four majors in the same year. He historically plays extremely well out of the sand, and has one of the purest putting strokes on tour, leading to his No. 5 ranking in strokes gained putting. He has already won in Phoenix this year and has been consistent enough to be ranked No. 6 in the FedEx Cup standings.
#8 Francesco Molinari – The Italian winner of last year’s Open Championship is currently remembered for hitting two balls in the water while playing with Tiger on the back nine of this year’s Masters. Historically he has been a clutch big-tournament player, beating Tiger head-to-head at Carnoustie last year. He then became the first European player ever to win all five of his matches in the Ryder Cup this past fall. He will get a chance to redeem his Master’s swoon as he pairs with Tiger and Brooks Koepka the first two days. He has already won this year at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando and is currently ranked No. 7 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is a notoriously good ball striker and accurate with the driver, fairway woods, and irons.
#7 Justin Rose – The Englishman has one major championship to his credit, the 2013 US Open at Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania. He has been very consistent recently, winning last year’s FedEx Cup and the $10 million that comes with the crown. He has also climbed to 2nd in the Official World Golf Rankings. He has a great all-around game, driving the ball over 305 yards on average, playing superbly with his irons, and currently 7th in the PGA in strokes gained putting.
#6 Jon Rahm – The fiery Spaniard is only 24 and has tallied a win in each of his three full seasons on tour. He scored a win just three weeks ago at a New Orleans team event, so he’s playing well right now and is currently ranked #7 in the FedEx Cup standings. He is a bomber off the tee, driving it 306 yards on average and ranked #2 in the PGA tour in strokes gained off the tee. His length and precision driving the ball will be helpful on the brute of the course that is Bethpage Black.
#5 Justin Thomas – Thomas won the 2017 PGA Championship as well as the 2017 FedEx Cup and has played consistently enough over the last two years to be No.5 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He has a well-rounded game and is especially accurate with irons and wedges, ranking fifth in strokes gained approaching the green and ninth in strokes gained around the green. (Justin Thomas has withdrawn from this event due to wrist injury.)
#4 Rory McIlroy – The four-time major champion from Northern Ireland won the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014. Although diminutive at 5’10” and 160 pounds, he is most known for his powerful drives. He is tops this year in strokes gained off the tee, largely because of his 314 yard drive average. His length also helps him have shorter approach shots, leading to a rank of seventh on shots gained approaching the green. He sits at No. 4 in the Official World Golf Rankings and is No. 3 in this year’s FedEx Cup standings, largely due to his win at the Player’s Championship. He is playing with Phil Mickleson and Jason Day for the first two days, so look for some big drives from this group.
#3 Brooks Koepka – Brooks has won three of his last seven major championships, making him the hottest golfer on tour and helping him ascend to No.3 on the Official World Golf Rankings. He lovingly calls his game “Caveman Golf” – see ball, hit ball…very far (309 yard driving average). He is so naturally gifted that he admitted to playing this past week in Dallas simply because he knew he wouldn’t have practiced if he had stayed at home. He is arguably the most confident player on tour, especially for the Majors, and has already tallied a win this season at the CJ Cup at Nine Bridges in South Korea. He also enters the 2019 tournament as the reigning champion, having won last year’s PGA Championship at Bellerive near St. Louis.
#2 Dustin Johnson – DJ’s best career move might have been proposing to Paulina Gretzky, the model, singer, and golfer in 2013. Not only is she gorgeous and talented, but Johnson now has the best hockey player ever, Paulina’s dad, Wayne Gretzky in his corner. Johnson has credited his soon to be father-in-law for helping him to focus, practice more, and take his game from winning once a year to becoming No.1 in the Official World Golf Rankings. He has notched wins in all twelve years he has been on tour with none bigger than his 2016 US Open. He won the World Golf Championship-Mexico Championship this year. He averages driving the ball 305 yards, placing him tenth in strokes gained off the tee. He practices wedges tirelessly, and ranks No. 3 in putting this year. When he has all three parts of his game going, he is very, very difficult to beat.
#1 Tiger Woods – After watching the Masters, how can I pick anyone else but Tiger? Yes, he’s older, but he has won more majors than every other player on this list combined. He won the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in 2002, and he has four PGA Championships. The back appears to be feeling good, and he has worked out his erratic tee shots, leading to his No.6 spot in the Official World Golf Rankings. He is No. 1 in hitting greens in regulation and No. 6 on strokes gained around the green. Although it’s easy to see any of the top 6 picks winning this year’s PGA Championship, I predict that Tiger wins a second major in a row and keeps the possibility of a 2019 Grand Slam intact. If he does, he will have a chance to win his 17th major at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in June, the place he won his first U.S. Open in 2000 by fifteen strokes.
