On the up: Players who should improve in 2009

text size

Redington/Getty Images

Winning three majors in six attempts gets you more than a few trophies -- it gets you high expectations, too.

The start of another PGA TOUR season looms, and with it, the hopes and dreams of the players who will entertain us on a weekly basis. Each one wants to perform better in 2009 than in 2008; that's only natural. Of course, not every player will take a positive step forward. The law of averages suggests that for all those veterans who will play better in '09 than they did last year, a fairly equal number will take a step back in productivity.

Still, a player can dream, can't he? Especially at this time of the year. So here are my picks for the pros who should be properly motivated to produce an improved season in 2009. (Check out the Top 100 to Watch in 2009.)

• THE BIG GUY
Tiger Woods (1) won four times in six starts in 2008 before knee surgery shut him down for the rest of the year. Even if he doesn't return until Augusta, you figure he'll be anxious to make up for lost time. A healthy Tiger could produce eight wins this year.

• OTHER ESTABLISHED STARS
Then there's Sergio Garcia (3), Vijay Singh (5), Padraig Harrington (6) and Phil Mickelson (8). Sure, Singh won three tournaments and the FedExCup, but he didn't do it until he became the self-proclaimed "best putter in the world." Mickelson had just three top 10s after his win at Colonial, and it's easy to see him bouncing back at the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in front of his adoring New York fans after his disappointment at Torrey Pines. Paddy might not win two majors again, but expect him to be better at the end of the season after failing to make THE TOUR Championship a year ago. Garcia is right where Phil was just a few years ago -- one major away from winning a bunch of them.

• YOUNG AND EAGER
TOUR veterans say you have to "learn how to win." Anthony Kim (2) and Camilo Villegas (4) jumped to the head of the first-timers class and lead a group of 20-something winners from '08 that includes Sean O'Hair (17), J.B. Holmes (18), Andres Romero (29), Dustin Johnson (47), D.J. Trahan (53), Johnson Wagner (62), Chez Reavie (71) and Parker McLachlin (86). It's easier than a pro-am tap-in to predict they'll all get even better as they develop more consistency. And just waiting to crash the winner's circle are Nicholas Thompson (51) and a quartet of M-boys who are MMMM-good: Steve Marino (41) and Ryan Moore (88), along with unranked John Merrick and John Mallinger, who each finished in the top 50 of the FedExCup rankings after the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup last year.

• PRESIDENTS CUP ASPIRATIONS, U.S. VERSION
It's probably a stretch to imagine Kenny Perry (36) finding the same motivation in 2009 without a Kentucky Ryder Cup to fuel him, but a host of veterans could take his cue and would love to make Fred Couples' Presidents Cup team. From his pal Davis Love III (49) to Scott Verplank (45), Jerry Kelly (57), Rocco Mediate (69) and Scott Verplank (77) to Couples (60) himself, it's not a stretch to see this bunch step it up one more time -- especially after seeing how much fun the new Ryder Cup core of Boo Weekley (7), Jim Furyk (11), Hunter Mahan (13), Stewart Cink (15), Justin Leonard (19), Ben Curtis (22), Chad Campbell (26) and Steve Stricker (38) had at Valhalla last fall. Meanwhile, 2007 Presidents Cupper Zach Johnson (20) might have already begun writing his Justin Leonard-style comeback with his win at the Valero Texas Open during the Fall Series. Barring injury, it's hard to conceive of anybody in this group going backwards in 2009.

• PRESIDENTS CUP ASPIRATIONS, INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Despite their varying degrees of success in 2008, these players will also be properly motivated to make the International team bound for San Francisco: Ernie Els (10), Mike Weir (12), Trevor Immelman (14), Robert Allenby (21), Geoff Ogilvy (16), K.J. Choi (24), Tim Clark (27), Stuart Appleby (31) and Rod Pampling (85).

• BACK ON THE RADAR SCREEN
How about an "Amen" for the A-men -- Adam Scott (9), Aaron Baddeley (28) and Arron Oberholser (80)? Also expect more out of Luke Donald (25), Rory Sabbatini (30), Retief Goosen (32), Justin Rose (46), Charles Howell III (65), Jonathan Byrd (75), John Rollins (92), Lucas Glover (93) and J.J. Henry (100).

• Q-SCHOOL STAR
Somebody's going to come out of q-school like George McNeill (59) in '07 and Kevin Streelman (63) last year. Chris Stroud, Webb Simpson and medalist Harrison Frazar might catch their big breaks in '09.

• ONE LAST HURRAH?
And finally, don't forget the Dudley Hart (52) types -- veterans who know the clock is ticking and the kids are coming. Is 2009 a moment of truth for Ken Duke (43), David Toms (73), Mark Calcavecchia (78), Ken Duke (28), Woody Austin (55), Briny Baird (77), Billy Mayfair (40), Bart Bryant (68) and Paul Goydos (67)?

PGATOUR.COM contributor Bob Stevens is an on-course correspondent and occasional host for the PGA TOUR Network (XM 146, Sirius 209).