Thrash Talk: Tiger Goes for a Dozen

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By Cody Thrasher via TheSandTrap.com

Can anyone stop Tiger's roar at Medinah? Don't bet on it.

I want to start by congratulating Tiger Woods on his 50th PGA Tour victory. That's pretty remarkable to say the least. Tiger helped make the Buick Open one of the most exciting tournaments this season. It's also fun to watch the battle for Ryder Cup points. Vaughn Taylor took a huge step in securing a spot on the team, while Lucas Glover barely missed out on gaining some much-needed points.



All in all, it's an exciting time to be a golf fan. The battle for the Ryder Cup is heating up, and the season's final major championship is next week. The PGA Championship returns to Medinah for the first time since the Tiger/Sergio battle in 1999. If this year's tournament provides as many memories as the 1999 version did, golf fans are in for a treat.

The PGA Championship gets overlooked a little by the other three major championships, but it has provided just as many great finishes in recent years. Everyone wants to see Tiger and Lefty battle down the stretch in a major championship, and hopefully we will get our wish next week at Medinah. Both guys have one major apiece in 2006, and whoever walks away with the Wannamaker Trophy will likely become the player of the year.



There are several intriguing storylines heading into next week's PGA Championship, and I'm going to do my best to break down the main ones. As always, I'll be sure to add in a few predictions along the way to peak everyone's interest a little more.



Can Anyone Stop Tiger?
Tiger Woods missed the cut at the U.S. Open earlier this year, but that seems like ages ago because of his great play since. Woods is coming off wins at the Open Championship and Buick Open and is firing on all cylinders. I'm starting to see the Tiger of 2000 creep into the picture, and that's definitely not a good thing for the rest of the field.



The question shouldn't be whether or not Tiger will win the PGA Championship. In fact, I'm just wondering what the margin of victory will be. That's the question everyone really needs to focus on. I picked Tiger to the win the PGA Championship at the beginning of the season, but I figured it would be his only major championship of the year. I didn't think Tiger would be playing as well as he is right now which makes the situation even clearer.



Basically, Tiger is going to win his 12th major championship at next week's PGA Championship. He won't blow the field out like he did at the 2000 U.S. Open because Medinah won't allow that kind of carnage. However, Woods will win by two or three strokes. He seems to have complete control over his game right now all the way from driver down to the putter. When that is the case, nobody can touch Mr. Woods.



Other Contenders
Now that we know Tiger will win the Wannamaker Trophy next week, we need to look at several golfers who will be chasing Mr. Woods down the stretch. The first golfer is none other than Phil Mickelson. Golf fans will get what they want because Tiger and Lefty will both be in contention on Sunday. Mickelson won the 2005 PGA Championship, and other than his shaky play at Hoylake, has played very well in the majors this season. His decision-making will once again cost him a few too many strokes.



Jim Furyk always seems to be in contention in big tournaments, and that will once again be the case at Medinah. Furyk hits the ball so straight, and his iron play is excellent as well. Add his solid putting to the table, and you have yourselves a top contender. Furyk will play well and rack up another top-five finish in a major. It wouldn't surprise me if he won the PGA Championship, but it's not likely he can contain Tiger for four days.



I've listed some veterans, but how about the young guns? Sergio Garcia had his coming-out party at the 1999 PGA Championship at Medinah, and he will play well next week as well. Garcia is one of the best overall drivers on the PGA Tour, and that will keep him in decent shape going into the weekend. Until he learns to putt under pressure, however, I just can't give him the win. It will be fun to watch Sergio make his way around Medinah, but there won't be any hopping this time around.



Adam Scott has yet to win a major championship, and that's a small shocker. Scott has all the talent in the world, but he hasn't learned to fully utilize that talent in a major championship. Actually, Adam Scott hasn't won on the PGA Tour since last year's rain-shortened Nissan Open. The young Aussie showed signs of great play at last month's British Open, and he will use that to gain more and more confidence in majors. Scott is a good bet to finish in the top 10 at Medinah.



Under the Radar
Vaughn Taylor is currently ranked outside the top 50 in the world rankings, but he is a very solid golfer. Taylor was in contention at the Buick Open on Sunday and finished in a tie for fourth. The Augusta native put himself in the top 10 in Ryder Cup points, and he will solidify that ranking at the PGA Championship. Don't be surprised when you see Vaughn Taylor's name on the first or second page of the leaderboard.



Keep an eye on Jeff Sluman next week. Sluman has quietly put together a solid season on the PGA Tour. He has finished in the top six in three of his last seven tournaments, including a tie for sixth at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. Sluman hits the ball very straight, and he is a solid putter. He will struggle with distance at Medinah, but he will fight his way into contention.



Camilo Villegas is ranked 99th in the world, but he is currently playing better than that ranking. Villegas had a great start in 2006 before struggling a little over the past couple months. The Colombian snapped out of that slump at the Buick Open and finished in a tie for 11th. If (and this is a big if) Camilo Villegas can keep it in the fairway, he will be in contention on Sunday.



Ryder Cup Drama
Other than the chase for the Wannamaker Trophy itself, the fight to be a part of the Ryder Cup will be the biggest story next week. Tom Lehman will make his captain's picks the day after the PGA Championship which makes the tournament very important for a number of golfers. A win by anyone ranked in the top 20 will all but secure them a spot on the team.



The guys who will step it up at the PGA Championship and make the Ryder Cup team are Lucas Glover and Scott Verplank. Glover is currently ranked 13th in the standings. He struggled a little during the middle months of the season, but he has seemingly found his game just in time to make things interesting. Glover is definitely good enough to play in the Ryder Cup, and he will finish strong enough at Medinah to put himself in 10th position or better.



Scott Verplank probably won't find himself inside the top 10 in the standings, but he will play his way onto the team. Verplank has had a solid season, and he is playing good golf right now. Tom Lehman won't be able to pass up on Verplank because he can hit the ball straight and putt well. That's a great formula for the Ryder Cup. The Texan will flirt with finishing in the top 10 at the PGA Championship. He definitely gets my vote for the team.



On the other hand, the pressure will get to Brett Wetterich, John Rollins, and Jerry Kelly. These guys may not miss the cut at Medinah, but they won't play well enough to hold off Glover, Verplank. etc. To be honest, I would rather see Verplank and Glover than any combination of these three. I want the United States to win the Ryder Cup!



The Final Say
It's pretty obvious how excited I am for next week's PGA Championship. The courses are always in tip-top shape for the event, and the golfers usually have a little extra to play for in the season's final major (Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup). This year will be no different, and it's going to be very interesting to see how things unfold as the week progresses.



It's not too bold when most people pick Tiger Woods to win a major championship. That being said, it's pretty bold when I pick Mr. Woods to win a big one. I'm not sure when I last picked Tiger to win a major, but it's been quite awhile. Usually when I pick him, he struggles a little. That's not going to happen next week, however. Tiger is hitting the ball better than ever, and he can always putt and chip in the clutch. The rest of the field is in for a long, grueling week of chasing Mr. Woods.



That's all I have to say this week. It's your turn to give me your thoughts on this week's article. Who is your pick to win the PGA Championship next week? Also, who are a couple sleepers who might cause a stir? Finally, who will play themselves on and off of the United States Ryder Cup team? If you have anything to add, please comment below or discuss it in the forum. Thanks for reading this week's Thrash Talk.



Photo Credits: © Getty Images, © Morry Gash.

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