PGA Championship 2012: Young Stars Ready to Shine on Kiawah Island

SPOILER ALERT: This is a golf article that isn't about Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson. Sorry. 

The 2012 PGA Championship is set to tee off, bright and early, on Thursday morning in beautiful and relaxing Kiawah Island, South Carolina. 

Kiawah Island Golf Resort has hosted its fair share of notable golf events. The 1991 Ryder Cup and the 1997 and 2003 World Cups are some past highlights. This PGA Championship will be Kiawah Island's biggest event to date, however. 

Just as the golf resort is looking to define itself as a contender in the golf courses of the world, there are many young golfers that are looking to make a name for themselves and contend for a major victory. 

The beautiful thing about golf is that one good tournament, ideally at a major, can take a mediocre career and send it into the spotlight. 

Here are some young* guns who can make their name in golf this weekend. 

*I considered a "young" player as anyone under 30. 

5. Jason Day

Jason Day, only 24-years-old, had quite the year in 2011. 

The young Australian finished second in both the Master's and the U.S. Open and jumped into the top ten in the World Golf Rankings. 

With momentum on his side, Day's 2012 has been...terrible. 

He withdrew from this year's Master's, tied for 60th in this year's U.S. Open and did not play in the Open Championship last month. Day has a chance to redeem himself at the last major of the season, and if he can perform well, 2012 can be salvaged for Jason. 

He has no momentum to work with, but that doesn't mean the immensely talented Day can't get the wagon moving. 

4. Rory McIlroy

Just like Jason Day, Rory McIlroy had a 2011 that was marked by success, both on and off the course. 

He had a a remarkable three rounds at the 2011 Master's, an awful 80 on Master's Sunday and then a definitive and decisive comeback victory at the 2011 U.S. Open. He also became golf's most popular young star, the face of Northern Ireland and began dating tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. 

He was regarded as one of the world's best golfers heading into 2012, yet he has failed to live up to his hype. 

This weekend's tournament could give McIlroy a chance to prove that 2011 was not a fluke. He apparently has been tweaking his swing; let's see how it comes out. He certainly looked good in last weekend's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational; he finished tied for fifth. 

For the record, Rory is going to be my pick to win this year's PGA Championship. 

3. Webb Simpson

Webb Simpson has been having a great 2012 thus far. In June, he celebrated a shocking win at the U.S. Open, and in July, he and his wife celebrated the birth of their second child. 

Simpson, due to his wife's pregnancy, opted out of the Open Championship last month, so this tournament will mark his return back to the course. 

Simpson's U.S. Open win was unexpected, yet I don't see the 26-year-old being a one-trick pony. He has a tall (6'2") and lean (175 lbs.) frame, and as we have seen throughout watching golf over the last decade, athleticism usually leads to victories. 

Another advantage Simpson will have in Kiawah Island: he's a North Carolina boy, and currently resides in Charlotte. Don't be surprised to see a few Simpsons in his gallery. 

2. Kevin Na

At 28-years-old, Kevin Na is the oldest player on this list of youngsters, and understandably, has been playing golf for longer. 

Despite being a pro for ten years, however, Na has really just hit his stride and found his place on the tour in the last two seasons. He celebrated his first tour victory last October at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, and he finished 12th in this year's Master's. 

Na made headlines this year, however, for a less than favorable reason; he tends to take a long time to take his shot. 

Na's odd pre-shot ritual, which includes a lengthy process of wiggling the club over the ball, backing away and repeating, frustrated many fans and playing partners this year. After he developed this reputation for being a slow player and possible head case, he had to deal with hecklers. 

This weekend's tournament would be an excellent opportunity for Na to shut up his critics and come out playing confident golf. It would be an excellent cap to his already successful season if Na could contend or, even better, win the 2012 PGA Championship. 

1. Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley is on a fast track to becoming golf's next big star. At this year's PGA Championship, he will be one of the biggest storylines for a multitude of reasons. 

Bradley is only 26-years-old, and took home the honors of PGA Tour Rookie of the Year last season after winning an extremely exciting 2011 PGA Championship in a playoff against Jason Dufner. 

As the defending champ of the PGA Championship, Bradley would garner a lot of attention, but he also just won this past weekend at the prestigious WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. 

Europe got their new, young star in Rory McIlroy last season. America may have theirs in Keegan Bradley come Sunday night.