With a full field at the Sony Open in Hawaii we should get a better look at what we might expect out of the 2010 season. But why wait? Like last year's inaugural Golf Potato Predictions, I will once again throw out some prognostications for the coming PGA Tour season. For 2010 I think ten will be appropriate.
1. Young Gun You May Never Have Heard Of To Watch Out For: Webb Simpson
This was the category I got closest to getting right last year. I took Martin Kaymer of Germany last year and hinted that he may sneak in a major win at the British. Kaymer won the two European Tour events leading up to the British and hung around at Turnberry, but never threatened. As for Simpson, the 24 year old impressed me greatly last year when he made cuts. Webb brought home $1.2 million from his seventeen cuts made, eight top 25's and four top 10's. One of those top 10's was a solo ninth at this week's Sony Open. I like his game and although I'm not ready to say a major might be close I could easily see a breakthrough Tour win happening this year.2. Most Likely To Improve on 2009: Steve Stricker
Stricker had a tremendous 2009, with three wins and finishing second only to Tiger Woods in the Fed Ex Cup standings. Stricker then paired up with Woods at the President's Cup and made just about every putt he looked at all week. Stricker also played a ton of rounds with Woods during the Fed Ex Cup playoffs, and played very well. Usually that much time in Tiger's shadow gets to players, but Stricker seemed to get mentally stronger every round. Improving on his 2009 performance may seem a tall order but I think he has it in him. The way he grew into his natural talent last year, especially playing so well alongside Woods so often leads me to think the sky may be the limit for Stricker in 2010.3. Player Most Likely To Win His First Major: Rory McIlroy
Have I mentioned this kid is my hero? I have? Oh good, then you know. So here's the deal, Rory will be turning 21 in May, but he carries himself like a seasoned veteran. Last year he won the Dubai Desert Classic and then finished with two top 10's in majors, a T-10 at the U.S. Open and T-3 at the PGA. This kid has game, crazy game. So much game that I like his chances at any of the four major venues this year, but watch out in Wisconsin at the PGA.4. Comeback Player Of the Year: Ernie Els
The Big Easy went winless on the PGA Tour last year. He did, however, close the 2009 campaign in strong fashion with second place finishes at the Barclay's and HSBC. He also took a T-6 at the PGA Championship. Especially at the HSBC, Els looked like the Ernie of old. A win or two this year could easily be in the cards.5. United States Ryder Cup Captain's Picks: Ben Curtis and Davis Love III
This is of course assuming neither of these guys earn enough points to automatically qualify. Curtis is an under the radar type player that I think can partner with just about anyone. DLIII is a Ryder Cup legend and showed signs his game was returning last year. If Davis has the game come September he is like having an Assistant Captain playing for the team. Secretly I would love to see Capt. Pavin take Fred Couples and DLIII and play them as a pair every other round, but that ain't gonna happen.6. PGA Tour Rookie Of The Year: Rickie Fowler
It may be the easy pick considering the hype, but so was Ryan Moore a few years back and he is just coming around now. Unlike Moore, Fowler stepped into the professional ranks and made noise immediately, almost making enough in three events to earn a 2010 Tour card outright; making a playoff at the Frys.com and T-7s at both the Justin Timberlake Shriners and the Shark Shootout. Fowler has a go-for-broke style and should he be paired with say an Anthony Kim you may think you're watching golf being played inside a Vegas casino.7. 2009 Major Winner Most Likely To Win Another In 2010: Angel Cabrera
This was a close race between "El Pato" and Stewart Cink. In the end it came down to Angel's extra major win. Granted Kenny Perry folded the Masters to Cabrera, but no one played better on Sunday than The Duck did at the 2007 U.S. Open.8. Best Major Of 2010: The PGA Championship
If history repeats itself Tiger Woods will square off in a Sunday duel of epic proportions with a relative unknown at "Glory's Last Shot". The reasoning is simple, just like in 2000 the U.S. Open is at Pebble Beach, The British Open at St. Andrews and they still haven't changed the venue for the Masters. Instead of Valhalla in 2000 we have a phenomenal golf course in Whistling Straits this year. The course made a huge splash as host of the 2004 PGA yielding a three-way playoff with eventual champ Vijay Singh, Chris Dimarco and Justin Leonard.The wild and wispy layout in Kohler, Wisconsin is perfect for a major and I predict it to be the most entertaining of the year.9. Best Chance To Win The Grand Slam: Tiger Woods
Look, he has the best chance every year. However, as stated in #8 we have the same basic major setup as 2000 when Tiger rattled off three majors. Should Woods decide to make the Masters his first tournament of 2010 I think he ruins that chance, but we'll see.10. 2010 PGA Tour Player Of The Year: Phil Mickelson
Never, and I mean never, has the opportunity to supplant Tiger Woods as the World #1 been better for Lefty. The way Phil put it to Tiger in the final events of '09 the 2010 season was already shaping up as a chance for Mickelson to take down Woods. Now with all of Tiger's of the course issues and Phil setup to be more of a fan favorite than ever Lefty has nothing to do but showoff his unbelievable talent. What better place to get that elusive U.S. Open than Pebble? What better time snag a couple majors in the same year? What better time?
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