They’re the cream of the major championship crop, circa 2012 — the Athlon Major Championship Dream Team. Throughout the month of March, we'll be unveiling Athlon Sports’ 20 players to watch for majors season, with commentary on each from the Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee.
No. 1:Tiger Woods
Born: Dec. 30, 1975, Cypress, Calif. | Career PGA Tour Wins: 72|2011 Wins (Worldwide): 1| 2011 Earnings (PGA Tour): $660,238 | World Ranking: 6
Brandel Chamblee's Take:
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Watching Tiger Woods play golf when he is even remotely close to his best is like watching LeBron James play a pick-up game with high school kids. Even amid scandal, injuries, massive swing changes and having to sit out two majors in 2011, Tiger has more top-10 finishes in golf’s biggest events over the last three years than anyone in the world.
His good play late in 2011 and his dominant win at Bay Hill show that his swing changes have taken root and that the magic is back. That magic comes from a poise that is the hallmark of mental strength, and it’s the reason he is the only one on the planet currently playing professional golf who’s won 14 majors, and why he is the best bet to win a major in 2012.
Major Championship Résumé
Starts: 62
Wins: 14
2011 Performance:
Masters - T4
U.S. Open - DNP
British Open - DNP
PGA Championship - Cut
Best Career Finishes:
Masters - 1st (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005)
U.S. Open - 1st (2000, 2002, 2008)
British Open - 1st (2000, 2005, 2006)
PGA Championship - 1st (1999, 2000, 2006, 2007)
Top-10 Finishes: 35
Top-25 Finishes: 49
Missed Cuts: 4
—Brandel Chamblee is lead analyst for the Golf Channel. Be sure to follow him @ChambleeBrandel on Twitter.
