Barclays Golf 2012: Breaking Down Top Contenders at Bethpage Black

For those golf enthusiasts who focus on more than just the four major championships each year, there is plenty of golf yet to be played on the PGA Tour in 2012.

The Barclays tees off on Thursday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., complete with some of your favorite golfers, including PGA Championship winner Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley.

Dustin Johnson is the defending champ at the Barclays. He's gotten into the habit of surging late in the season. Despite missing the cut at the PGA Championship last year, Johnson was still able to win the Barclays.

Here's a look at my top contenders this year.

Rory McIlroy

It's official, folks: Rory McIlroy is back to playing dominant golf.

Sure, McIlroy had six top-10 finishes and a victory this year before the PGA Championship, but he hadn't shown the level of dominance that he did when setting records at the U.S. Open in 2011. 

That changed at the 2012 PGA Championship, when he shot a 13-under-par 275 to capture the second major of his young career.

Will McIlroy continue his impressive display of golf?

I think he will.

Tiger Woods

OK, so Tiger is still having trouble grabbing that elusive 15th major championship, but there's no question that he's been much better in 2012 than in the past few years.

Tiger has six top-10 finishes in 2012, including three victories. He also generally played well in the PGA Championship, despite some struggles down the stretch.

Tiger isn't playing in a major championship at the Barclays, which means he has a good chance of winning the tournament (I know, it seems backwards).

Tiger ranks 25th on tour in greens in regulation percentage this year (67.2) and has surprised with his driving accuracy (65.2 percent, 39th), per PGATour.com.

Justin Rose

Justin Rose has been consistent this year, with seven top-10 finishes in 15 PGA Tour events, and he won the Cadillac Championship back in March.

The 32-year-old is also coming off a third-place finish at the PGA Championship and placed sixth at the Barclays last year.

Rose ranks first on tour in greens in regulation percentage (70.88), sixth in scoring average, sixth in sand saves and 23rd in driving accuracy this year, per PGATour.com.

Keegan Bradley

Keegan Bradley has really turned it on in August, winning the Bridgestone Invitational and placing third at the PGA Championship.

Bradley missed the cut at the Barclays last year, but I like his play on the links right now and he's showing the all-around game that makes him a dangerous contender.

Bradley's putting game will take him home if he can keep his greens in regulation percentage and driving accuracy under control at the Barclays.

Carl Pettersson

Carl Pettersson only has six top-10 finishes in 22 PGA Tour events this year, but he did win the RBC Heritage in April and he's been impressive in his last two tournaments.

After placing third at the PGA Championship, Pettersson finished fourth at the Wyndham Championship on Monday.

Ranked No. 32 in the world, the 34-year-old Swede ranks 11th on tour in putting (strokes gained) this year, via PGATour.com.

What's more, Pettersson's driving accuracy (64.29 percent) and greens in regulation percentage (72.2 percent) were way up at the Wyndham Championship, per PGATour.com.

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