PGA Championship Field 2012: Long Shots Sure to Make a Name for Themselves

To the surprise of nobody the headlines leading up to the PGA Championship have been dominated by Tiger Woods and the legion of European contenders looking for a major title. But there are also some long shots waiting for their chance to shine.

After all, the last 16 majors have been won by 16 different players. So let's take a look at three dark horses who have a terrific chance to make their presence felt on the weekend as the field attempts to conquer the tough Kiawah Island Ocean Course.

Nicolas Colsaerts

Colsaerts spends a majority of his time on the European Tour, so American golf fans haven't had much chance to watch him play. He has top-10 finishes in six of his 12 starts overseas this season and placed seventh in last month's Open Championship.

His game plan is simple: drive the ball a country mile and hope it leaves comfortable approach shots. He ranks first in driving distance at more than 317 yards, an advantage on the lengthy Ocean Course, which checks in at nearly 7,700 yards.

The length gives Colsaerts a chance to give himself looks at eagle and birdie that other players won't be able to match. The key will be his approach shots. Despite his unmatched distance, he ranks outside the top 150 in greens in regulation.

Kyle Stanley

Stanley endured a mid-season slump after a victory and a second-place finish in his first four starts of the year. At one point he missed six cuts in eight starts from April to June. He's gotten back on track over the past few months, however.

The American has made the cut in each of his last six tournaments, a clear sign of progress, and finished 16th at the Bridgestone Invitational last week. He's another player with great distance off the tee to help keep him in the mix this week.

All told, Stanley is a well-rounded player with just one glaring weakness—putting. He has been losing almost a stroke per round on the greens. If his putter can get hot, the 24-year-old Washington native will make some noise over the weekend.

Alvaro Quiros

You guessed it, another player who hits the ball a long way. Even though distance doesn't guarantee a great finish at Kiawah Island, it's definitely a nice edge to have heading into the season's final major tournament.

Quiros is a prototypical boom-or-bust golfer. When he finds his comfort zone his scoring potential is right up there with the game's elite players. Unfortunately, consistency has been a serious issue as evidenced by his missed cut totals.

But if he didn't have the flaw, he wouldn't be considered a long shot. Sooner or later he's going to put it all together and make a serious run at a major victory. The PGA Championship course gives him a chance to make it happen this week.