Ten players who'll recapture winning ways in 2012

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Jason Day won his first TOUR event in 2010 and came close to a second win during the 2011 season.

The 2011 season was a great one for golfers who broke through to win for the first time. It introduced us to players like Keegan Bradley, Jhonattan Vegas and Gary Woodland, guys who were only lines of agate from a Nationwide Tour event a year earlier but are now a part of our consciousness.

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But when you look down the list of tournaments, from the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions to the Fall Series finale, the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic, you notice the absence of some previous TOUR winners.

Sure, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker have their names in the winner's column, but many of the usual suspects are missing.

Here's a list of 10 winners on TOUR who were shut out in 2011 but will return to the winner's circle in 2012.

Tiger Woods: This can't go on too much longer, can it? Even a diminished Tiger Woods should be good enough to win an occasional tournament. Everyone is curious to see how Woods will perform at the Presidents Cup matches and how he'll start the new season. Few could expect another winless campaign and no one would be shocked if he challenged for -- and even won -- the 2012 Masters

Jim Furyk: After having a career year in 2010 (three victories and the FedExCup), Furyk slumped to his worst season since an injury plagued 2004. It's not the first time he's been winless; he went without a victory in 2008 and 2009. It's just so surprising when it happens to a player with his pedigree. Want to pinpoint Furyk's next win? Look for an event at a difficult venue, where he seems to play his best, such as Quail Hollow, Innisbrook, Harbor Town or East Lake.

Matt Kuchar: C'mon, Kuchar won in 2011, didn't he? The former Georgia Tech star lagged only behind Luke Donald as far as consistency, but he never got a win. He had a pair of seconds and won the consolation bracket of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and had nine top-10s. Here's betting he gets another victory -- and soon -- in 2012.

Geoff Ogilvy: A freak injury in Hawaii accounted for a slow start, then stomach problems haunted him late. But Ogilvy showed signs of rebounding with top-11s in his final two Playoffs events and playing in the Presidents Cup at home in Melbourne could catapult him to a big year in 2012.

Sergio Garcia: Looks like he's ready to compete again, based on his recent victory at the European Tour's Castello Masters. That broke a three-year winless streak and put Garcia back among the list of contenders. Expect the success to carry over to the PGA TOUR, where his last victory came at the 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

Jason Day: The young Aussie, who won for the first time in 2010, is on the verge of a breakout season. He came close in 2011 with second-place finishes in the Masters and U.S. Open, although finishing second to Rory McIlroy at Congressional is akin to finishing 35 lengths behind Secretariat to place at the Belmont Stakes. Day had top-5s at the Deutsche Bank Championship, World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and HP Byron Nelson Championship and is marking time until his next victory.

Stewart Cink: He's too good to go two years without a win, but that's how long it's been since he took the 2009 Claret Jug. Cink changed instructors and experimented with equipment most of the year. He was starting to get a handle on everything toward the end of the year and should recover in time to win again and point himself toward a spot on the Ryder Cup team.

Troy Matteson: He's on a three-year victory cycle, which makes 2012 another winning year for him. Matteson was close in 2011, losing in a playoff at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com, one of only two top-10s all season. Matteson is a streaky player who should shoot himself back into the win column this year.

Heath Slocum: After missing a lot of cuts early in the season, Slocum started to figure things out. He was on the fringe of contention at the U.S. Open, his best finish at a major championship since 2008. Slocum looked like he was starting to regain his old touch in the Fall Series, closing with a tie for 15th in his title defense at the McGladrey Classic and a tie for 20th at Disney. Consistency and steady play will pay off for Slocum once again.

Hunter Mahan: After winning twice in 2010, Mahan came up short in 2011. He lost in a playoff at the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola when Bill Haas opted to play the shot of his life out of the pond in sudden death. Mahan also finished second at Pebble Beach. He's too consistent (nine top-10s) and putts too well to go winless for much longer.

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