2011 PGA Tour: Look For Young Guns To Make a Splash

Well, the silly season of golf is officially over. And with nothing on schedule until January 3 (when the Hyundai Tournament of Champions begins in Hawaii) it is time to look ahead to the players expected to step up in a big way during the 2011 season.

Even PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem admits, “I’ve never in my tenure seen so much buzz and interest about rookies and young players creating exciting performances.”

With so much young talent, it is exciting to be a fan of the PGA Tour. And when discussing young talent, it is impossible to even start a conversation about young players without mentioning Dustin Johnson.

Last season, the long-hitting Johnson played his way into the final group of the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship at only 26 years of age. And although those events did not end the way Johnson imagined, it proved he could step up and play well in big tournaments. Look for him to be a force to be reckoned with on tour in 2011.

Another player to be on the lookout for is Rickie Fowler.

The long-haired kid from Southern California is coming off a rookie season in which he notched two runner-up finishes and was named Rookie of the Year. Watch for Fowler to carry that momentum into this season and get that first professional victory under his belt.

Looking more in the direction of 2011 rookies, the most interesting player to watch this season may be Joseph Bramlett.

Although the former Stanford star would like to be known more for his game, at the moment he is garnering headlines for being the only player on tour, besides Tiger Woods, to be of black descent. Regardless, Bramlett had an outstanding amateur career, and expect to see him gain fans by playing well during the 2011 season.

Along with Bramlett, another rookie to keep an eye throughout the year is Brendan Steele.

In his last three events on the Nationwide Tour in 2010, Steele secured two top fives including a stunning victory at the Nationwide Tour Championship. By finishing in sixth place ion the Nationwide Tour Money List, Steele earned his card through decent play over the course of the season. Be on the lookout for him to make the best of his opportunity on the big stage.

With Tiger Woods only four major victories from tying Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18, his route to golf supremacy is being challenged like never before.

Be on watch for some of the young talent to stand toe to toe with Tiger, because the days of players crumbling in his presence are long gone.