Who'll make the biggest injury comeback in '09?

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Tiger Woods isn't the only PGA TOUR player returning from injury in 2009.

The 2008 season provided a time for Davis Love III to return from his injured ankle. It took almost a complete year for Love to complete his rehab, retool his swing and regain the winning touch. He culminated the process in November, when he won the Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart for his 20th career victory and a lifetime exemption.

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So if DL3 was the poster boy for the 2008 Injury Comeback of the Year -- with an honorable mention to Will MacKenzie -- who are the likely suspects for the fast-approaching 2009 season?

The most obvious player to watch is Tiger Woods, who hasn't done much since having knee surgery days after winning the U.S. Open. Tiger has been seen in a lot of places -- the sidelines of the Tampa Bay Bucs game, playing caddie for a promotional contest winner, left wing for the Mighty Ducks (kidding). But everyone is eager to see Mr. Woods back where he belongs: on the first tee at Torrey Pines, the most likely place for him to make a return.

If you throw out Tiger's comeback -- there are few doubters about his ability to will himself back into the winner's circle -- there are still a handful of others who must overcome various ailments and afflictions and make themselves a force for the upcoming year. Here are six others to consider:

Adam Scott: Scott sprained a knee recently while surfing and was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open, much to the chagrin of the fans in his homeland. It was the second unusual injury to beset Scott this year; he broke the pinky finger of his right hand when he slammed it in a car door before the U.S. Open. As long as a valet agrees to open his car door and an administrative assistant agrees to hide his surfboard, Scott should be good to go for 2009.

Luke Donald: The English standout had his 2008 season ruined with a wrist injury suffered during the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He probably did it hacking a ball out of the rough, not opening a bottle of the wine that bears his signature. Donald had wrist surgery in August and wasn't able to play in the Ryder Cup, which didn't help the European cause. Donald returned to play in the Sun City Challenge in South Africa last month.

Jason Bohn: The only good thing to come out of Bohn's injury is that he got plenty of chances this fall to watch his beloved Alabama Crimson Tide football team rise to No. 1 in the nation. Bohn had surgery for a herniated disk after the U.S. Open, but complications forced him into the hospital and sentenced him to 10 days of complete bed rest. Bohn, one of the most gregarious members of the PGA TOUR, should be back in January.

Brett Wetterich: Physical problems limited the big bomber's participation on TOUR to only 11 events in 2008. He suffered from a shoulder injury early, then a wrist injury that forced him out of the U.S. Open. If he's healthy, Wetterich has shown the capacity to become a Ryder Cup-level player.

Arron Oberholser: This young guy has potential to be a real lion, if he can stay healthy, because he's a great shotmaker. He's had back problems and hand problems and elbow problems and wrist problems. When his body cooperates, Oberholser has proven he's as good as most of the young-30s on TOUR. He played only 10 tournaments in 2008, one year after making it to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

John Daly: A rib injury and balky shoulder forced Big John off the fairways and into the headlines in other assorted -- and often embarrassing -- manners. He played well recently in Hong Kong, which may be a good sign that his game is rounding back into shape. His return would be welcomed by nearly every tournament director out there, who can appreciate Daly's ability to draw a crowd.

Stan Awtrey is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His opinion does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the PGA TOUR.