The 2006 season had plenty of drama. At the end of it all there some who were hot and some who were not. Phil Mickelson finished fourth on the money list, won a Masters, choked away a U.S. Open, and is looking forward to returning to the winner’s circle after coming away from his extended vacation.
Tiger was Tiger and there were a few names who emerged from this season with some shine. Let’s take a look at who was hot and who was not in 2006.
Hot
Tiger Woods
Duh. It seems like only yesterday the entire golf opinion mill was proclaiming Phil Mickelson as the best golfer in the world. Or not.
13.13 is the gap between Official World Golf Ranking leader Tiger Woods (21.96) and second place Jim Furyk (8.83). Split Tiger’s points in half and he’d still be comfortably in the lead. Of course, then there would be two Tiger Woods, and that’d be bad for everyone (including Tiger).
There can be no mistaking that Tiger Woods is everyone’s daddy. He reeled off an impressive six stroke-play victories in a row, played fairly well in the Ryder Cup for the first time, well, ever, and has two more Major trophies on his 2,000 square foot mantle. His eight wins are impressive. Missing the Vardon Trophy over what amounts to a technicality doesn’t bother him because he’s on vacation.
Prognosis: Woods is going to keep dominating this sport as long as he plays. It’s pretty simple: when he’s worked through his swing changes there’s not much you can do. Not another infusion of talent is going to do a thing either. Woods is simply head and shoulders above any who challenge him.
Jim Furyk
Furyk is coming off his second two-win season (Wachovia Championship and Canadian Open). A straight hitter and fierce competitor Furyk is in a good groove.
Prognosis:Furyk is going to continue snagging about a win a year for a long time. Being second in the World Golf Rankings is also an impressive achievement for Furyk and proves that you don’t have to be a Bubba Watson or J.B. Holmes length-wise to compete on the PGA Tour.
Europeans
This year’s Ryder Cup proved again that they play better together and individually, having more fun than the Americans in the process (not that losing is all that much fun for anyone).
Once again the chips rested closer to the hole, putts fell while the Europeans grabbed and held the early lead. They were the better team.
Prognosis: They are going to keep winning the next couple of meetings and I don’t think there is much the United States can do about it. Sergio Garcia said repeatedly that the Europeans relish this event and it shows. It comes across as an afterthought to the Americans.
First-Time Winners
J.B. Holmes, Arron Oberholser, Aaron Baddeley, Chris Couch, Brett Wetterich, J.J. Henry, Trevor Immelman, John Senden, Dean Wilson, Will MacKenzie, Eric Axley, D.J. Trahan, and Troy Matteson were all first-time winners in 2006. They all earned PGA Tour exemptions for two years.
Prognosis: Whatever you may say about these first-time winners they’ve proven that the next generation’s talent pool is deep.
Troy Matteson
After winning the Nationwide Tour’s money title in 2005 Matteson has had his ups and downs. He missed the cut 14 times this season before reeling off a string of five top-10’s to finish out the year. He won the Nationwide Tour’s money title in 2005 so you knew he had game.
Matteson won the Frys.com Open and validated it with a T2 a week later at the Funai Classic. His strong finish vaulted him from 336th to 84th in the World Golf Rankings. He went from wondering if he’d retain his card to 36th on the money list. Not bad.
Prognosis: Maybe its a little too early to tell but I think the guy with the heavy putter is going to stick around for a while. His demeanor impresses me and he’s one of the only guys with a 2-iron left in his bag so I’m rooting for him.
Not
John Daly
There comes a day when hard living catches up to a man and this is that time. Daly’s distain for practice and exercise aren’t helping him compete with the young PGA Tour fitness nuts. Daly’s the approximate size of three Luke Donalds.
The primary short-term reason Daly has struggled is that his wife has been in prison. I can’t think of many who would play well in his predicament.
Prognosis: Major championship days are gone both for John’s lack of desire and the fact that nobody but Tiger will win a major again. It will be important for Long John to take his sponsors exemptions seriously in the next couple of years. I could see him playing his way back on Tour.
Charles Howell III
Howell III hasn’t won since the 2002 Michelob Championship at Kingsmill. His game has been up and down the past couple of years and he hasn’t played particularly well on Sundays. While Howell III is “Not” I believe good things could happen in 2007 and 2008 as his fall finish has been a little stronger.
Prognosis: Howell parted with long-time swing coach David Leadbetter which may turn out to be a good move. Leadbetter is widely known as a swing-detail man. I think Howell needs to free up his mind and just swing the club, score, and play the game.
Michelle Wie
With as much game as Wie has this hasn’t been a good year for her from a PR perspective. Firing her caddy, oddball interview remarks, and too much focus on making men’s cuts all speak of the ominous presence of her father. The best thing that could happen to her is that she turns 18 and begins making tournament decisions on her own.
Prognosis: There is no doubt that Michelle Wie is a special player. We can only hope that the growing pressure to win LPGA events and make PGA cuts doesn’t put too big a strain on her. The best thing that will happen to Michelle is that Carolyn Bivens will grant her the royal pardon to play on the LPGA Tour. When she’s playing there regularly she’ll settle into a rhythm and start winning.
The United States
It was yet another woodshed experience for the United States at the Ryder Cup. You know the drill: go pick out a switch and meet me in the woodshed. Its what we’ve come to expect. Not even my “glass half full” picking of the United States could help.
The next time you see the United States smiling and relaxed at a Ryder Cup will be when they are leading on the final day.
Prognosis: Things don’t look good for the Stars and Stripes and not even Captain Azinger can help. Tom Lehman proved that the best coaching in the world is no substitute for a team that can play.
Retief Goosen
2006 has not been the Goose’s best year on the PGA Tour and I’m reluctantly putting Goosen in “Not.” He can still keep a six year winning streak alive on the PGA Tour should he capture the Tour Championship crown this weekend.
Fearful of messing with his own mojo Goosen has avoided swing coaches like the plague until now. “At normal speed, it’s hard to see them,” said Goose of his swing woes, “But when you slow it down, you can see the problems.” Gregor Jamieson lives near Goosen in Florida and has given Goosen his undivided attention to reworking a swing that earned him two U.S Opens and four regular season events since 2001.
Prognosis: Don’t worry about Goosen. Not only will he be back, we’ll all be enjoying that smooth stroke that earned him the nickname “The Little Easy.” He’ll be back to his winning ways in 2007.