PGA Golf Talk

Hunter Mahan has had a pretty good summer. The 28-year-old PGA golfer got engaged to his Dallas Cowboys cheerleader girlfriend in June, finished a career-best 8th at the Masters, and won his biggest PGA event to date last weekend- the Bridgestone Invitational. The former Oklahoma State first-team All-American felt right at home in Akron, Ohio. Mahan captured the $1.4 million prize shooting a 64 on the final day of the PGA tournament. The victory also guaranteed Mahan a spot on the USA’s Ryder Cup team. In 2007, Mahan was apart of the winning USA team at the President’s Cup. The headline story at Firestone Country Club was the horrific tournament Tiger Woods had. Woods shot 18 over PAR for his worst PGA finish in his career. The PGA will now sets course for Whistling Straits-where the 2010 PGA Championships will be held. The golf world will see if Woods can get his game together or if a lesser known name like Mahan steals the show once again.

Tiger Woods will unquestionably be the big story next week when The Masters take place starting Monday at Augusta National Golf Course. However, there will be all of golf’s best on display at Augusta and we at PGA Golf Talk thought we’d kick around who we think could win the tournament. Steve Stricker has been one of the most consistent golfers on the tour the past four years finishing second only to Tiger in winnings in 2009. Stricker came in 6th last year at The Masters and has finished in the top ten in four tournaments already this season, winning the 2010 Northern Trust Open. Englishmen Paul Casey has finished in the top ten in all four of the PGA Tour events he’s played in this year including a second place showing at the Accenture Match Play Championship. The golf tournament will truly be memorable if Tiger is in the running to win, but it being his first professional event in some time, most experts don’t expect much from the troubled superstar.

Not even Tiger’s friends have any idea when he will return. The past few months for the greatest golfer in the world have been dreadful. Since the conga line of mistresses formed confirming Woods’ infidelities starting back in November, the 34-year-old hasn’t played any professional golf. Instead Woods has been sequestered in a Mississippi sex rehab facility. Once thought to be one of Tiger’s best friends and mentor, Mark O’Meara, hasn’t seen him since last July. Early on in his career, Tiger was aided by O’Meara’s advice and friendship, but hasn’t reached out to him throughout the scandal. Tiger or any of his representatives have publicly addressed the reports fueling the speculation. No one knows when the world’s best golfer will return to the game, but when he does it will be a momentous event. Sooner or later Woods will have to face the media and return to doing what he does best.

Lorena Ochoa  showed amazingly good results with her 8 tour wins, 1 major, No. 1 year-end ranking, No. 1 money list, 69.69 scoring average, 21 top-10s, 1st in greens in regulation. In contrast, Woods succeeded in 7 tour wins, 1 major, No. 1 year-end ranking, No. 1 money list, 67.79 scoring average, 12 top-10s, 1st in greens in regulation. In fact, Ochoa was the first woman to eclipse the $3 million plateau and a short time later said bye-bye to the $4 million zone. So, unfortunately for Tiger, this year was definitely Ohoa’s year. Well, one cannot be a champion forever.

Eventhough Tiger Woods spent 10 weeks and four days without hitting a golf shot, it hardly became a problem for him on Thursday in the Target World Challenge when he struck just about everything where he was aiming, except for the last 18^th hole… Woods’s approach got into the hazard on the 18th hole and finished with a double bogey for a 3-under 69, leaving him one shot behind Jim Furyk in the final tournament of the year.