Monday, December 29, 2014

Five Bold 2015 PGA Tour Predictions Sure To Go Wrong

Happy New Year, everyone! The PGA Tour season begins resumes in one week, and after the roller coaster year that was 2014, there are plenty of questions and intriguing storylines entering 2015. So, let's take a few shots in the dark and try to make a couple of incredibly bold predictions for the year 2015. Important Note: it is highly unlikely that I get any of this correct.

5) Four majors, four champions.

Last year, we saw Rory McIlroy win the Open Championship and the PGA Champion to be the first player since Tiger Woods in 2006 to win multiple majors in a season. I know this isn't a really bold prediction, but I do not see anyone making it two years in a row. Of course, the natural inclination is that McIlroy could do it again, and if anyone could do it, it is him; however, winning majors is extremely tough, and while I think Rory remains the number one player in the world throughout the entirety of 2015, I do not see him setting the world on fire like he did last year. Along with this prediction, I say that there will be a surprise major champion this year. Last year, all four majors were won by someone who had previously won a major. Someone will surprise the world and steal a major from the big name players this year.

4) Rickie Fowler will be the top ranked American.

Once Fowler wins his second PGA Tour event, which I suspect will happen soon, his trophies will start coming in bunches. He is an incredibly talented player that does not get spooked by the bright lights, as evidenced by his four top 5's in the majors last season. Currently, the top ranked American is Bubba Watson at number four, and while I don't think Bubba will have a terrible season or anything, he is the kind of player that runs in streaks. Fowler, meanwhile, seems to becoming one of the most consistent players in the world. I see Watson dropping from the top 5 (but remaining in the top 10), while Rickie can rise as high as number 3, though I don't think he'll be a challenge to Rory for at least another year.

3) Ryo Ishikawa will win on the PGA Tour.

This is a heart over head pick, but it stands to reason that Ishikawa should be able to break out in his third full season on the PGA Tour. Each year, Ishikawa seems to be improving and adapting to life in the States, and he now has two years of experience on several different golf courses. Many have given up on Ryo, but not me. The man is still only 23 years old. While we may have been spoiled lately with young superstars winning early in their careers, it doesn't seem fair that we write off Ryo as a potential superstar with so much of his career ahead of him. He will continue to improve all season until he finds that one golf course that suits his game perfectly, and he will finally silence his critics and break through in the United States.

2) Rory McIlroy will win the FedEx Cup.

While I don't think Rory will have as good of a year this year as he did in 2014, I still think he will win a couple of times and be right back in the thick of the FedEx Cup race heading into September. This time, however, instead of fading in the playoffs, Rory will be able to seal the deal and win his first ever FedEx Cup trophy. It probably doesn't mean as much as the majors he has accumulated, but it is still a rather large accomplishment. The question is going to be, how will the golf writers discuss Rory's season if he ends with three victories and the FedEx Cup but no majors?

1) The Internationals will win the Presidents Cup.

The Presidents Cup has become a joke as the International squad has only been able to manage one win and a tie in the ten stagings of the event. This year, however, with the event being held in South Korea, the Internationals will be able to make the event a bit more interesting as they defeat an American team still feeling the effects of their blowout loss to the Europeans in the 2014 Ryder Cup. The Internationals, lead by Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama, will take the lead early, and the US Team, which will be without stalwarts Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson, will not be able to pick up enough points during the single's matches. The loss will actually be good for the US Team, as it will give some rookies experience in the team format and will show them how valuable Fred Couples, who will be named the next Ryder Cup captain, was in keeping this team together.

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