PGA Tour: A Resurgence Of The Fab Five?

Less than ten years ago, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Reteif Goosen and Phil Mickelson were labeled by the media as golf’s ‘Fab Five’. 

In 2004, following his second US Open title at Shinnecock Hills and a win at the Tour Championship, Goosen was at the top of his game and ranked within the top-five in the World Golf rankings.

Since that point, Goosen, along with fellow South African Ernie Els, has slowly but surely fallen out of sight, to the point where golf’s ‘Fab Five’ is now considered just another catchy media phrase from yesteryear.  Up until very recently, both Els and Goosen had become one of those “Oh yeah, whatever happened to him?” players.

Since 2004, Goosen has won just five times worldwide; his biggest win coming at the 2005 South African Open.

Goosen has won twice so far in 2009, included a win at last week’s Transitions Championship which marked his first PGA Tour win in almost four years.

With seven top 10 finishes in 12 starts on the European and PGA Tour’s, ‘The Goose’ as he is known, is showing a level of consistency not seen from him in years.

Ernie Els has finished within the top-25 at four out of his first six PGA Tour starts in 2009 and finally appears to at least be nearing his top form for the first time since suffering a serious knee injury while on a sailing trip back in 2005.  

Mickelson has already won twice this year and has to be considered the favorite heading into the Maters in a few weeks time.

Although Vijay Singh has been battling some early season injuries in 2009, he won three out of his last seven events in 2008 as well as the FedEx Cup title.

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past month, you will also know that a fella by the name of Tiger Woods has rejoined the PGA Tour after an eight month layoff. 

Could we be in the midst of a resurgence of the ‘Fab Five’? 

As is so often the case with golfers who have won majors in the past, the likes of Goosen and Els, although not racking up many wins these days, have never really gone away in terms of their performance at the majors.

Since 2005, Goosen has finished within the top 25 in 12 of the 16 majors he played in.

Els has also fared decently well in recent majors. Since 2006, Els has finished within the top-25 in half of the majors he has attended.

Else, a former two-time British Open Champion, has fared particularly well on the links courses over the past few years; he has finished within the top 10 at four out of his last five British Opens.  

Els is 39, Goosen is 40 and Vijay, although seemingly ageless, is 46-years-old. 

With the young guns such as Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas and Rory McIlroy beginning to make a name for themselves and moving up the World Golf rankings, it is unlikely that we will ever see a true clash of the ‘Fab Five’ as was predicted by so many back in 2000. 

However, these are highly talented and experienced players who know what it takes to win a major and all of whom seem to have re-found their games and more importantly their enjoyment of the game as they move closer to the end of their careers.

Although we never have and probably never will see a battle of the ‘Fab Five’, don’t be surprised if all five players win another major before they throw in the towel on their PGA Tour careers.

Obviously it is almost a certainty that Woods will win more majors and ‘Lefty’ will probably win at least one more as well.

However, the older members of the ‘Fab Five’ could also each bring home one more major title before heading off to greener pastures and ultimately the World Golf Hall of Fame.