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A Look Ahead At The 2008 PGA Season

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 3, 2008

The Majors

No matter what the PGA Tour tries - namely the FedEx Cup playoff and $10 million bonus - to add broader appeal to its season, golf fans continue to embrace the four major championships as a season's yardstick of greatness.

No great surprise there, considering Tiger Woods, the game's main attraction, plans each year's schedule around the majors as he chases Jack Nicklaus' career record of 18 - he's at 13 and counting.

There is nothing to suggest the value of this year's Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship will do anything other than increase as Woods continues to chase history. To the contrary, by the time the year is over, the major championships could be all that need to be said about 2008.

With four Green Jackets already, Woods owns Augusta National and will be favored when he returns in April. Then it's on to the U.S. Open, which will be played at San Diego's Torrey Pines, the course where Woods has won the Buick Invitational three of the last four years.

The British returns to Royal Birkdale, a shot-makers course that will play to Woods' strengths, and in August, the PGA will be outside Detroit at Oakland Hills, where it will be hot, humid and physically taxing.

Prediction: Golf's first modern-day Grand Slam.

Slip ... Slip ... Slipping Away

If it seems like Davis Love III has been a part of golf royalty since the time of persimmon woods, well he has.

Since joining the tour in 1986, the son of a PGA club professional has 19 career victories.

Although Love has only one major championship (the 1997 PGA) to show for his career, there is little argument that he will be remembered as one of the top players of his era, as well as a stellar representative of the game.

Alas, the time to look back on Love's contributions may be closer than he would like to think.

While jogging down a tee box during a casual round in September, Love, 43, shredded ligaments in his left ankle when he stepped in a grass-covered hole.

It is likely he will not be ready to play again until March. That is particularly discouraging, because Love needs a victory before this year's Masters to get into the event, which he has played every year since 1991.

Prediction: There's always Augusta's ceremonial opening-day tee shot with Arnold Palmer.

Introductions

There will be no shortage of new faces and names for the average golf fan to learn this year, but few of them will be fresh.

Out of the 23 players who earned exempt status through Tour School, only one arrives fresh out of the college ranks, rather than having climbed up (or back) to the PGA Tour through the minor leagues.

Dustin Johnson, a 23-year-old Coastal Carolina grad, will be 2008's only new player to arrive straight from college. A powerful hitter with Walker Cup Team experience and lots of game, Johnson could give Bubba Watson a run for the driving-distance title.

Prediction: And he might even finish among the top 125 money winners to keep his card.

Best Drama

What Will Phil Do?

Last year was the best and worst of times for Phil Mickelson. He won three times, including a head-to-head showdown with Woods at the Deutsche Bank, but struggled for much of the year with a sore wrist, injured while practicing for the U.S. Open.

He's the only current player anyone believes can challenge Woods with any consistency, and after an offseason to work with swing coach Butch Harmon (brought on board early last season) finally might have all his stars aligned.

Prediction: If all goes well, he could be first player in history to finish second in all four of the year's major championships.

Ryder Cup

Aside from Woods' quest in the majors, the bi-annual team competition between the United States and Europe will be the best entertainment of the season.

After five European victories in the past six matches, the U.S. will be captained by Paul Azinger, who, as everybody knows, is prone to wear his patriotism on his sleeve. The Euros, being led by Nick Faldo, a longtime Azinger foil and recent TV booth-mate, only adds to the intrigue at Valhalla CC in Lexington, Ky.

Prediction: Long before the September matches, Azinger says something to fuel international controversy, doesn't care, and then leads U.S. to lopsided victory.

Drug Testing

The PGA Tour last month mailed out anti-doping manuals to players in preparation for drug testing that will begin July 8 at the AT&T National, played at Congressional CC in Washington, D.C.

The comprehensive manual sent to members is the first step in an intensive education program that will extend through June. Players will be required to attend a drug policy meeting scheduled this month, and a 24-hour hotline for questions on various substances will be available.

The tour's list of prohibited substances fall under 10 categories, ranging from anabolic steroids to human growth hormones to narcotics to beta blockers. Information indicates the tour will have the power to test any player, anywhere at any time without notice, even if it's not at a tournament.

Pediction: No player will test positive for performance-enhancing drugs, but the subject of human growth hormone will generate its share of locker-room whispers.

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