2010 PGA Championship: Top Five Contenders at Whistling Straits

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The 2010 PGA Championship—aka glory's last shot—is less than 24 hours away.

With the big cat away, there are plenty of golfers looking to come out and play. 

Due to the extreme level of parity we are now witnessing in professional golf, picking which golfers actually will come out to play is liking picking a needle in a haystack.

But here are the top-five contenders heading into the years final major - the 2010 PGA Championship.

Padraig Harrington

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After an ordinary couple of year following his 2008 PGA Championship title, Harrington has quietly been putting the pieces together in recent months.  

He has three top-five finishes in his last four events, and more importantly, he appears to be regaining that steely putting stroke that led him to three major championship titles in two years between 2007 and 2008.

Harrington finished eighth in putts per round at last week’s Bridgestone Invitational.

One final thought on Harrington—if the wind begins whipping off of Lake Michigan this week, Whistling Straights will more or less turn into a links golf course—albeit a manufactured links golf course—and there are not too many guys out there that play links-style golf better than Harrington.

Retief Goosen

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Although he’s now six years removed from his last major championship title, one would have to assume that The Goose has at least one more in him…right?

Goosen has won just one PGA Tour event since 2005, but he has quietly been putting together one of the most consistent seasons of his career.

Goosen has made 13 of 14 cuts with eight top-10 finishes in 2010.

He ranks 12th on tour in total driving and third in total putting—two skills that are a must for anyone with aspirations of winning a major championship.

Goosen’ golf game is the best it’s been in a long time.  If The Goose still believes in his own mind that he has what it takes to tack on another major, this could be his week.  

Dustin Johnson

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I’ve got two words for you—Pebble Beach—and I’m not talking about his final round score of 82 at the 2010 U.S. Open.

Johnson has been able to overpower Pebble Beach at each of the last two AT&T Nationals in wet, windy conditions.

Wet, windy conditions at a course that sits alongside a large body of water…sounds eerily familiar doesn’t it?

Phil Mickelson

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Ahh, Phil Mickelson.  Where do we begin?

Well, he’s got arthritis, which is never a good thing.

He opened with rounds of 68-68 last week, which is a good thing.

He closed with rounds of 71-78 last week, which is not a good thing.

He’s already won a major this year, which is a good thing.

But he has trouble playing on windy, links-style golf courses, which is not a good thing.

That’s just Phil Mickelson.  If he’s on his game, he not only could, but should win this week. 

And if he’s not...well, he could be slamming his trunk on Friday evening.

We never know what we're going to get each time Mickelson tees it up, which is  part of what makes him one of the most exciting players in the world.

Rory McIlory

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Why will Rory McIlroy win this week?

It’s not because opened with a major championship record tying 63 at St. Andrews a few weeks ago.

It’s not because he’s one of the longest hitters on tour.

It’s not because just one afternoon of hideous weather came between him and his first major championship title (at St. Andrews)

It’s not because he tied for third at last year’s PGA Championship.

And it’s not because he tied for ninth at last week’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

It’s because after his performance at St. Andrews, this guy has got to believe that he’s ready to win his first major championship.

And as we have clearly seen this year, the mental game is every bit as important as the physical.