PGA Championship 2011 Favorites: Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Top Contenders

Everyone wants to see Rory and Tiger. The golf gods are hoping for it as well.

While all eyes will want to see how Woods plays and how his leg holds up to two consecutive weeks of golf, they are also hoping McIlroy can recapture the game he used to play and strangle the U.S. Open course at Congressional.

The idea of the best there was versus possibly the best there is now is intriguing, there are about 10-15 other golfers who are playing well and will want to major that dream fade away in the hot southern sun.

This PGA Championship provides so many subplots that for the first time in a number of months, maybe even a year, golf seems relevant and worthy of its soap opera-like status.

How will Adam Scott play with Steve Williams on his bag in a major event besides the British Open?

Can Charl Schwartzel, McIlroy or even Darren Clarke add a second major to their trophy case?

What about American forty-somethings David Toms, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker? Can they claim the championship?

What about Ryo Ishikawa? Can he bring home the title to his native land?

Will this be the major that a player like Nick Watney, Rickie Fowler or Matt Kuchar finally breaks through?

The questions won’t be answered for four days, but they are fun to banter around and stir the pot some.

Here is a look at the top contenders who could walk away with the PGA Championship.

Darren Clarke

He surprised everyone with the win the the Royal St. George.

Can he follow it up with a second consecutive major title?

A win here would be just as surprising as the one last month. But it would be just as sweet.

Robert Karlsson

You see his name more and more toward the top of the leaderboard lately.

It would be nice for him to finish strong and take home the championship.

The Swede finished tied for 16th last year at the PGA.

KJ Choi

He is having a good solid year.

He won The Players Championship this year by defeating David Toms in a playoff.

He finished third this year at the Masters and tied for 6th at the PGA in 2004.

Jim Furyk

I never count him out.

Currently ranked 22nd in the World Golf rankings and I always like his chances in major championships.

He tied for 48th this year at the Open Championship, so he will want to rebound from a bad showing.

His best finish at the PGA is 6th in 1997.

Jason Day

A second place finish at both The Masters and the U.S. Open helped his cause.

Now, can he leapfrog the field and finish 1st at the PGA?

He is eighth currently in the World Golf Rankings and if he plays Atlanta like he played Congressional, he could walk away with the title.

Hunter Mahan

One of the American hopefuls.

He is a handful of young American golfers who can solidify his hold on the cusp of the next wave of great American players if he can break through this weekend.

His best finish at the PGA is a tie for 16th in 2009.

Lee Westwood

World's second ranked golfer. He wants to claim a major to add to his resume.

He is part of the charge of great European golfers who have dominated the scene as of late.

A claim to the PGA will only cement the foreign charge that has taken place this year.

Luke Donald

Looking to show he is still the best in the game.

Rory McIlroy gets at the accolades right now but no one has unseated Donald yet.

Winning this week will prove he still should be ranked atop the world's best.

Charl Schwartzel

He won the Masters, but he seems like a forgotten man.

He quietly goes about his business and does his job well. A win here would show he is now among the world's elite.

Dustin Johnson

Tied for second at the Open Championship.

the time is now for Johnson to show he is ready to be the best American golfer.

Ranked seventh overall in the world, Johnson surprised many by finishing well at Royal St. George.

Can he follow it up with a strong finish on American soil?

Martin Kaymer

The current PGA champion is only 26 and there is still so much golf ahead of him.

Can he do it again?

Currently ranked third in the world he would love to say he is a repeating champion here in the states.

Bubba Watson

A man named Bubba is playing golf in Georgia with a chance to win the PGA Championship.

That was my try at irony.

Watson has been talked about for some time of how he and others need to step their game up, play consistent golf, and show the world that there are American golfers that can become the new breed of champions.

The question is consistency. There is not a question of hunger or desire.

Adam Scott

Everyone would also like to see Scott and Tiger in the final pairing with Steve Williams on Scott's bag.

Oh the drama.

Scott seems to have found a new stride since Williams came aboard the last few weeks.

Can is spell magic here in Atlanta remains to be seen.

Ryo Ishikawa

He is only 19 years old, but his play at Bridgestone this past week has people talking about him.

Can someone that young withstand the pressures of playing in a major to claim the title?

All we can do is sit back and watch.

Nick Watney

For a bit, I thought he was going to be the next big thing.

And it never happened.

Watney has the game for Atlanta. He has won on the tour this year and a major would help add to the ninth ranked golfer in the world's resume.

Steve Stricker

The world's fourth best golfer. It's hard to believe that since it seems like he has done this so quietly ike he has snuck up on the field.

He is America's top golfer and have been the most consistent this season.

Winning the PGA would just prove his season was a testament to great play and great results.

Graeme McDowell

I personally would love to see Kuchar, McDowell and Furyk in a battle for the title.

He has fallen off a bit to 11th overall in the world golf rankings.

A fellow Northern Ireland native with Rory McIlroy, he has the game to win this tournament.

Phil Mickelson

Is time running out on Phil?

It looked like he was poised to capture another major and then gave it away to Darren Clarke.

For years it was said Mickelson could not win a major, and now he seems to be in contention every time he is out there.

He needs to help get one back for the Americans.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods

Yes, I grouped them together.

It is what we want to see. The youngster trying to upstage the man who held golf by the throat.

It makes for great drama.

Can this happen? Sure it can. Is it likely to happen? Probably not.

McIlroy is poised to win another major, Woods is just getting his footing again.

But we can dream, can't we?