7 Wildcards to Watch at 2012 PGA Championship

The PGA Championship is more selective than golf's previous two "open" majors, and reputedly yields many more birdies.

Selectivity will remain paramount, but lower scores will not be nearly as prominent in the 2012 edition.

Nature's elements will largely dictate the tone of the tournament on Kiawah Island's Ocean Course. Any player in the field can get hot and vault himself into contention if he lucks out with the right conditions.

Here are seven wildcards to watch out for in what promises to be a thrilling 2012 PGA Championship.

Louis Oosthuizen

Beyond noteworthy is a comment Oosthuizen's swing coach Pete Cowan made after this year's Masters, which appeared in Sports Illustrated.

Cowan says Oosthuizen could be the best player in the world if he really wanted to be.

Judging that assessment alone from a guy who coaches the likes of Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia, Oosthuizen is as wild of a card as anyone.

The 2010 British Open champion nearly snagged a second major, and with it the Angel Cabrera "How Have You Won Multiple Majors?" Award.

A major difference between Oosthuizen and Cabrera is that the South African is only 29 years old. He is just entering the prime of his career.

With presumably many opportunities to win majors in the future, Oosthuizen may not be fully prepared to play at Kiawah Island. His work ethic has been knocked by his own coach, after all.

Still, Oosthuizen has managed to remain in the world Top 20 for the majority of the year thanks to two victories.

Inconsistent effort at refining one's craft may heed uneven results. However, when Louis is on, he's proven to be among the game's best.

Robert Garrigus

Garrigus hasn't ranked outside of the top five in driving distance since joining the PGA Tour in 2006, and is one of golf's best right now from tee to green.

It's when he reaches the green that the story begins to shift.

Using a long putter with his dominant right hand very close to his body, Garrigus has difficulty particularly from short range.

When he recently blew the lead at the RBC Canadian Open, the putter was to blame once again. Garrigus' birdie effort on the last hole fell one revolution short of forcing a playoff.

A tie for third at the 2011 U.S. Open shows that Garrigus can navigate himself around a major golf course.

Also working in Garrigus' favor is a positive mental game. It was on display right after narrowly missing out on his second Tour victory last week.

Bet at your own risk on a guy currently struggling with his stroke, but don't be surprised if Garrigus threatens in South Carolina with a decent putting week.

Vijay Singh

With Vijay, it's simply a case of "been there, done that."

The two-time Wanamaker Trophy winner has missed the cut in four of the past six PGA Championships, but his game is in good shape at the moment.

A tie for ninth at the Open Championship, and a tie for seventh at the RBC Canadian Open marks the best golf Singh has played by far in 2012.

This will mark the last major Singh will compete in during his 40s. That decade of his life has brought unprecedented success, as he's won 22 times on Tour.

Although it's been nearly four years since his last win, the wave of momentum Singh is enjoying right now has to be accounted for.

Crazier things have happened in the game of golf, right?

Maybe not. With a third PGA title, Singh would become the oldest major champion in history.

Bo Van Pelt

More likely to be confused with unrelated ESPN golf commentator Scott, Bo Van Pelt is one of the most overlooked American players.

Van Pelt is having a career year rolling the rock, ranking ninth on Tour in strokes gained putting. His ball-striking hasn't been spectacular, but it is what's kept Van Pelt afloat on Tour for years.

His track record at majors isn't very impressive. A tie for eighth at last year's Masters is Van Pelt's best showing to date.

A year ago at the PGA Championship, another late-blooming American with just one solid major result shocked the world: Jason Dufner.

It's unlikely Van Pelt will rip off the sort of raging success Dufner had after his runner-up effort at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

Despite his spotty track record, though, Van Pelt shouldn't be discounted. His talent level and improved short game will go a long way.

Geoff Ogilvy

After a mostly horrendous season and a missed cut at the U.S. Open, Ogilvy took over a month off ahead of the British Open.

A tie for ninth in golf's oldest championship and, just like that, the Aussie has smoothly moved back into the Top 50 of the world rankings.

Ogilvy is tough to peg in the midst of two relatively disappointing seasons in a row, but his recent form suggests a possible turn in the tide.

Often, the men separate themselves from the boys on golf's biggest stages by draining pressure-packed putts.

His long game may be in disarray, but Ogilvy can still get it done with the short stick. He currently ranks fifth on the PGA Tour in putts inside five feet.

As an 11-time winner on both sides of the pond and major champion, Ogilvy will have what it takes down the stretch, especially if less seasoned pros are in his way.

John Daly

Maybe I don't have your attention with this selection, but Daly's trousers are sure to catch your eye.

Long John hasn't won in years, but he is having his best year on the course since 2005. That season, he ranked as high as 23rd in the world.

Daly faded on the weekend at last month's British Open, but Royal Lytham was a little too narrow for Daly's grip-it-and-rip-it style of play.

While Kiawah Island isn't quite as tight, the swirling breeze along the South Carolina coastline can cause serious problems.

Prognosticating how golfers will do at a major is extremely tough, especially in evaluating such a historically loose cannon like Daly.

Remember though, Daly did fire an opening round 66 at St. Andrew's in the 2010 Open Championship. That was the same venue he won the 1995 Open.

It's been nearly 21 years since his PGA triumph as a ninth alternate at Crooked Stick, but Daly is far due for something magical.

Luke Donald

The No. 1 player in the world has maintained his status for most of the past year because of his consistency.

Majors championships, however, are an unfortunate anomaly for Donald, who has had notorious difficulty gearing up for golf's most important events.

What is encouraging about Donald's recent performance at the British Open is that he could have easily packed it in over the weekend. He wasn't anywhere near contention after three days.

Undaunted, Donald bucked up and fired a one-under 69 that Sunday to vault up to a tie for fifth, which matched his best showing at the Open.

At last year's PGA, Donald fired a pair of 68s on the weekend. This year's venue suits him, as he has proven his ability to win on seaside courses.

Really, Donald's game is suited for any golf course. Kiawah Island has many bunkers, but Donald is the best sand player in the world. He can also bail himself out with his putter as well as than anyone if he runs into trouble.

Donald has proven to be far less bankable than other elite players to be in the hunt at major championships, though.

Since that hasn't really changed, it's difficult to label Donald as a favorite to win next week.