2010 PGA Championship: Predictions & Schedule

Whistling Straits is no stranger to hosting a PGA Championship. The famed golf complex played host to the 86th edition, with Vijay Singh winning the title in a three-way playoff. The 2010 PGA Championship will mark the second time in six years the Straits Course hosts a major competition. As a different golfer has won each of the three majors contested this year, this tournament is filled with intriguing storylines. Will Phil Mickelson capture his second major of the year and finally take over the number-one ranking? Or will the championship be won by an unheralded player? In this article, I will preview the 2010 PGA Championship and offer predictions.

For the first time in Tiger Woods' career, the 14-time major champion is not among the favorites to win the year's final major. Tiger's 2010 season has utterly been a disaster. Aside from the two top-10 finishes at the Masters and U.S. Open, Woods was not competitive in any of the tournament he participated in. The most telling example of his poor form is his next-to-last finish at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational--a tournament he won seven times, often with a record score. The former PGA champion may spring a surprise or two, but he is unlikely to be around for the weekend.

While Tiger Woods is working hard to rediscover his lost form, his old rival Phil Mickelson is chugging along quite nicely. A win or a top-3 finish should allow Big Phil to ascend atop the world rankings. Just like St. Andrews Golf Links is tailor-made for Woods, the Straits Course at Whistling Straits is a perfect fit for Mickelson. In fact, the lefty played extremely well the last time the PGA Championship was held at this course; he missed out on the sudden death playoff by just two shots. If he could string together four solid rounds of golf, his odd of winning the tournament is fantastic.

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Defending PGA champion Y.E. Yang arrives to Whistling Straits, looking to prove to the golfing world that last year's victory was no fluke. Interestingly, he will once again be paired with Woods for at least the first two rounds. Although he has not won on the PGA Tour since his historic win, Y.E. Yang has been playing very well winning over $2 million in prize money. Moreover, the Straits Course also suits his game well. The only problem with Yang is his lack of consistency. He is capable of shooting very low scores, but can also be wild at times. If he could get his game to click on time for the championship, one should not be surprised to see his name atop the leaderboard on Sunday.

The dark horse for this tournament is South African Ernie Els. The former world number one has won twice this season, and was a contender in each of the three major championships contested this year. He certainly has the game to play well at Whistling Straits, and his 3 major wins will be a great asset down the stretch.

Another player we need to keep an eye on is British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen. The talented player has played well followed his major victory. He is also blessed with one of the best swings in golf, which could be a difference maker at the Straits Course. Other contenders for the title include Hunter Mahan, Rory McIlroy, and Jim Furyk.

My predictions for the 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits: Ernie Els wins his fourth major; Tiger Woods does not finish in the top 10. The event is scheduled for August 12-15 and will be broadcast by TNT (Thursday and Friday) and CBS Sports (Saturday & Sunday). Check local listings for the air times.