Awtrey: The top 10 surprises of the '09 season

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The thoroughbreds of professional golf are preparing to round the last turn and head down the home stretch. It is hard to believe the regular season will be over in only eight weeks when the final putt drops at the THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola.

More than in recent years, this has been a season of unexpected surprises. It seems like every passing week has presented a different unexpected or dramatic twist, from Monday finishes to playoffs.

This list starts with Tiger Woods, but Tiger should be given as much time as the next guy to recover from knee surgery. Everyone expected Tiger Woods to have surgery one day and win the next. All he's done is play 10 tournaments and finish among the top 10 eight times. That ain't bad.

In a season filled with the unexpected, here are ten of the biggest, from Tiger Woods' 0-for-3 run in the majors to Bubba Watson's continuing quest to win:

The biggest surprises of 2009

Rank Player   Comment Tiger shut out in the majors Be honest: Didn't you expect him to win at least one or more? He has won three times, but he's been inconsistent. He battled a bad swing at Augusta and a balky putter at Bethpage. And at Turnberry? Don't ask. Sergio's early struggles Who has more FedEx Cup points: Sergio Garcia or Tom Watson? Watson, who nearly won the Open Championship at age 59, ranks 110th on the FedExCup list. Sergio Garcia is 115th. What does it mean? Perhaps it removes a layer of expectations for Garcia, who might sneak up and snap his major-less streak at the PGA Championship. Brian Gay's breakout Brian Gay is having the best year of his career and will likely qualify for THE TOUR Championship for the first time. The Texan isn't a big guy and doesn't kill the ball, but he's won twice this year by playing smart and taking advantage of his accuracy. And when he gets on a roll with the putter, Gay is unstoppable. Just ask the field he obliterated at Hilton Head and TPC Southwind, where he posted landslide victories. Didn't see this coming, either Kevin Na has quietly enjoyed a breakout season. He's posted seven top-10s in 19 events and has already won more than $2 million, nearly twice what hes won during his best year on TOUR. Na also has an outside shot at qualifying for the United States' Presidents Cup team. Welcome back, Chuck Charles Howell III has been quietly lying in the weeds all season. Howell has two runner-up finishes (Tampa and New Orleans) and ranks 29th in FedExCup points. He's getting closer to resembling the guy that made the Presidents Cup team in 2007. He's trying to lock down that 2010 Masters invitation early. Slow start for FedExCup champ It's premature to discount Vijay Singh from contention just yet, but the Fijian has been slow to come around from knee surgery. He's still managed three top-10s, but was not a factor in the three majors. It's surprising he's not recovered faster, but he is far from finished. David Toms' comeback The return of David Toms to championship form is nearly a reality. Toms, who won the 2001 PGA Championship, had a very un-Toms like season in 2008. And to make matters even worse, the LSU football team lost five games. Toms' back is healthy again, and he's already finished second three times this year. These Yellow Jackets can sting What was more improbable? Bryce Molder's return to the form that made him a four-time All-American at Georgia Tech or David Duval's performance at the U.S. Open? Molder has already played well enough to keep his card for 2010. Duval played well enough to propel him back in the public view. This is just the beginning for Stewie The elevation of Stewart Cink from an underachiever (his words) to a major champion who should one day become captain of a U.S. Ryder Cup team. Now that he's had the long-awaited breakthrough, expect Cink to tack on another major or two before he's finished. Still waiting on Bubba to win The long-haired Bubba Watson hits it just as far as the short-haired Bubba Watson. Now he needs to learn which of the two Bubba's can handle the heat on the final day and stick with it. Bubba's going to win one day. It's just a matter of when.

There you go. Ten surprises for this point in the season. But anyone who has been around the PGA TOUR for any length of time understands that there may be ten different surprise stories by this time next week. There's always a great story waiting to happen.

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