PGA Championship 2011: 5 Reasons Tiger Woods Is Done Winning Wanamaker Trophies

Tiger Woods is a four time winner of the PGA Championship.  He captured the Wanamaker Trophy in 1998,1999, 2006 and 2007.  Despite this success, Tiger Woods now faces a situation where winning this major will be difficult going forward.

He will be playing on courses that should be much more difficult, as the PGA looks to make the event more challenging.  The Highlands Course this year is no pushover and will hurt his erratic driving.  

In five years, Woods will be 40 years old and likely will be on the downside of his career.  His seemingly chronic knee problems could prematurely cause a decline in his skills.

He also will be facing a younger field who he doesn't have a physical advantage over.  The PGA Championship in 2009 marked the first time he blew a 54 hole lead at a major.  His career hasn't been the same since.

I expect Tiger Woods to win another major, but it won't be in August at the PGA Championship. Rather, it will be in April at the Masters.

1. Future Courses

Tiger Woods has six PGA Championships left prior to his 40th birthday.  Only Valhalla is a course that he has won on.  However, the course was changed greatly since then. 

After the Highlands Course this year, the PGA goes to The Ocean Course on Kiawah Island.  The course has the highest slope rating in the country, and many consider it the most difficult.  Both of these courses will penalize wayward tee shots

Woods hasn't had great success on the other venues, Whistling Straits and Oak Hill.  He did record a fourth place finish at Baltusrol in 2005.

Oak Hill and Baltusrol both played as difficult courses, with the winning score being four under par in their last tournaments.  Whistling Straits can be difficult but has had relatively easy set ups in anticipation of wind. 

2. Younger Field

Tiger Woods no longer has the physical and mental advantage over the field that he previously enjoyed.  Players are now as long as he is, and many have not played against him at his best.  They don't feel intimidated like players did years ago.

There appears to be a plethora of young players emerging who have great potential.  Rory McIlroy leads that pack of golfers who will only be getting better.

3. Age

Tiger Woods has less of a window then most people give him.  He probably has closer to five years left, not 10, to seriously contend in majors.  Jack Nicklaus won at age 46, but 17 of them came before he turned 41.

He doesn't have many chances left to win this tournament before he is on the real downside of his career.  As discussed previously, the courses do not exactly favor him before he hits 40.  Once he reaches this age, winning at Augusta is his best chance.

4. Injuries

Tiger Woods has missed two majors this season, and he missed two in 2008.  There is a chance he could miss a PGA Championship in the next few years.

Even if he manages to play, if he is missing a lot of time, then it will be difficult to be in top form for the tournament.  Further injuries could also have an impact on his abilities as a golfer.

The PGA is the final major of the year, so a chronic knee injury would probably be at its worst this time of the year. Tiger could also conceivably skip the event, because he probably values the other three majors more so than this one.

5. The Ghost of 2009

The 2009 PGA Tournament marked the end of invincibility for Tiger Woods.  He blew a 54 hole lead for the the first time to little known YE Yang.  

The personal issues came to light months later, and Woods hasn't been the same since.  You have to wonder if the PGA Championship will rekindle some unpleasant memories for him.  If they do, even the slightest amount, it really hurts his chances.