Rising Stars (and Stripes): 10 American Players Poised to Climb in the Rankings
During the Accenture Match Play Tournament last weekend, fans of the PGA Tour couldn't help but feel that something was amiss; and I'm not talking about the freak hail storm that struck Arizona on Sunday morning.
What was just as strange—and about as startling a sight as the hail storm—was the lack of American flags at the top of the World Golf Rankings. Exactly zero in the top-four to be exact.
In fact, the Europeans can now not only claim the top four spots in the world, but half of the top-20.
Match Play Champion Luke Donald vaulted to third in the world, joining Ryder Cup teammates Martin Kaymer, Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell atop the rankings.
To find the simple explanation for this European trend would be to do something that has become a popular pasttime in the last year; blame Tiger.
Woods dominated the PGA Tour and the World Rankings for so long that it masked the inconsistencies of the rest of the American-born players.
When Tiger's once insurmountable strangle-hold on the World No. 1 disappeared, it created a void at the top, one that Kaymer and Company were happy to fill.
A closer look at the rankings doesn't paint a better picture for the U.S.
At No. 5 Woods is the highest ranked American player, but who knows where his game is headed? No. 6 Phil Mickelson, No. 9 Steve Stricker and No. 11 Jim Furyk have all been mainstays in the top 10, but the trio is getting a bit long in the tooth, and their best days might be behind them.
Bottom line: It's time for the long-awaited "next generation" of American stars to start making some noise.
With that in mind, here are 10 American golfers with a chance to have not only a nice career, but reshuffle the top of the World Rankings.
No. 10: Bill Haas, 28, World Golf Ranking: 47
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For most of his golfing career, Bill Haas had another name: Jay's son. And in many ways, that name was well deserved.
After all, his father was a perennial fan-favorite and owns nine wins on the PGA tour. And for most of his career, Bill didn't do much to distinguish himself.
In his first four seasons' on tour, the younger Haas finished 99, 104, 104, and 61st on the Money List in consecutive seasons.
That all changed last season when Bill finally put it together, earning two victories and finishing 20th on the Money List.
Haas' 2011 campaign has shown he is not a fluke with three top-10s already under his belt.
If Haas can take another step forward this season he could find his way into the conversation for Player of the Year, but at the very least he looks to have a long career ahead of him.
Like father, like son.
No. 9: Jamie Lovemark, 23, World Golf Ranking: 147
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Putting Jamie Lovemark on this list is a bit of a reach looking at his career to date, but I'm looking for golfers with potential to be among the best in the world, not just a middling player.
And Lovemark has that potential.
In 2007, then at USC, Lovemark won the NCAA Championships, and in doing so became the top-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Since then the golf world has been waiting for Jamie to make a splash on the Tour, and he did in 2010. Just not the PGA Tour.
Instead, Lovemark played on the Nationwide Tour, where he not only won Player of the Year Award, but led the Money List as well, locking up his spot on the big tour this season.
A bad back has hindered his early season progress, but Lovemark remains one of the top American golfing prospects.
No. 8: Nick Watney, 29, World Golf Ranking: 31
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To his competitors on Tour, Watney is known as one of the more consistent players in the world, capable of winning every week.
To casual golf fans, Watney is known as the guy who shot an 81 during the final round of the 2010 PGA Championship, turning a three-shot lead into a T-18 finish in about a millisecond.
As Lee Corso might say: "Not so fast my friend!"
Watney is much more than a final round blow-up. He owns two career PGA victories, finished 12th in the Fed-Ex Cup standings in 2010, and tied for seventh in both the Masters and British Open last year.
Plus, he has the lowest scoring average on tour in 2011.
Throw in his four top-10 finishes this season—in four starts I might add—and Watney certainly looks to have staying power.
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No. 7: Peter Uihlein, 21, Amateur
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I know what you're thinking: An amateur over two players that have already won twice on Tour? I admit its a bit of a leap of faith, but Uihlein seems to be the real deal.
For starters, he is the reigning U.S. Amateur Champion and the No. 1 ranked Amateur in the world at the moment.
As a sophomore last season he finished second at the NCAA Championship, and went 4-0 at the 2009 Walker Cup.
If Uihlein maintains his Amateur status through the year he will have a chance to play in the Masters, U.S. Open and the Open Championship—a golden opportunity to introduce himself to the world.
No. 6: Spencer Levin, 26, World Golf Ranking: 123
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Speaking of former Amateur stand-outs, we have Spencer Levin.
As a brash 20-year-old, Levin jumped into the national spotlight during the 2004 U.S. Open, where he recorded an Ace in the first round en route to a T-13 finish—the low Amateur.
And then he disappeared.
Seven years later Levin is back.
After spending the last few seasons on the Canadian tour, and earning three victories in the process, Levin has already earned two top-10s on the PGA Tour this season, earning more than $900,000.
Levin plays fast and loose, is emotional on the course, and could become a huge star on Tour if he keeps improving.
No. 5: Hunter Mahan, 28, World Golf Ranking: 19
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With his smooth swing and his consistent play, its easy to overlook Mahan.
Of course, doing that means to overlook his three PGA victories, the $3.5 Million he won last season or the fact he has finished in the top 20 in all four Major's.
And with three top-10s already this year, Mahan is almost half way to equaling what he earned last year.
Mahan still has a long way to go with his short game, evidenced during last year's Ryder Cup. If he can ever control it as well as the rest of his game however, expect the Major's to start rolling in.
No. 4: Dustin Johnson, 26, World Golf Ranking: 14
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Maybe it's just me, but Johnson remains one of the biggest mysteries on the PGA Tour.
On one hand you have the four career wins and a 2010 season where he finished fourth on the Money List and had two top-10's in the Majors.
On the other hand, Johnson's resume also includes blowing a three-shot lead at the '10 U.S. Open, missing a playoff at the PGA Championship because he ground his club in a bunker on the 72nd hole, and a two-stroke penalty for missing his tee-time at the Northern Trust Open earlier this season.
If he can ever find a balance between the two, look out.
Johnson hits it a mile off the tee, and has a surprising touch around the green. Combine those two, and you get a player leading the Tour in birdies-per-round.
Having already shown he can contend in Majors, if Johnson can figure out how to win them, he will vault to the top of this list in a hurry.
No. 3: Bubba Watson, 32, World Golf Ranking: 15
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Bubba is the oldest player on this list, but his play of late has made him impossible to ignore.
Known for his pink-shafted driver, his huge power and his ability to move the ball more than anyone else on Tour, Bubba has quietly improved his all-around game to become one of the World's top players.
After earning his first career victory in June last season, Watson has emerged in 2011.
A win at the Farmers Insurance Open, a fourth-place finish last week, and Bubba has already won more than $1.6 Million this season.
Starting with his second-place finish at last season's PGA Championship, Watson has thrived in tight situations, and I would expect him to be a factor in at least a few more big tournaments this season.
No. 2: Rickie Fowler, 22, World Golf Ranking: 30
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Much like Bubba, Fowler's flair could make him a huge star. And just like Bubba, he seems to have the game to back it up.
Perhaps known more for his clothes rather than his game, Fowler had a very solid 2010 and earned Rookie of the Year honors, in addition to becoming the first rookie to ever be selected to the Ryder Cup as a Captains pick.
On his biggest stage yet, Fowler birdied the last four holes of his singles match to earn a halve against Edorado Molinari, temporarily keeping the U.S. team alive.
Rickie has all the shots in his bag, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see that World Ranking of 30 cut in half by the end of the year.
No. 1: Anthony Kim, 25, World Golf Ranking: 34
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Once upon a time, Anthony Kim was supposed to be the next Tiger Woods. A flawless game with the pizazz to match, Kim seemed to be the future of U.S. golf.
And although people seem to have forgotten him, the future still could be his.
At 25, Kim is hardly past his prime. He has won three times on tour and already earned more than $11 million in his career.
However after a thumb injury sidelined his 2010 season, Kim has become the player known for his flashy belt buckles and questionable off-course behavior.
If Kim's thumb recovers fully in 2011, he won't be forgotten easily. His all-around game is better than anyone on this list, and his 63 during the final round at Augusta last year show he isn't afraid of the spotlight.
And that's good for Anthony Kim, because I expect him to be spending a lot more time there.
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