2012 Season Preview

Feature from Nick Bonfield, read Nick's blog online via The Golf Debate and follow Nick on Twitter via @thegolfdebate

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With the first event of the 2012 season – the Africa Open – complete, golfing fans from around the world are rightfully excited about the prospects of a season that could go down as the most dramatic in the history of the game.  

The fact of the matter is that golf, at present, has all the ingredients to make the aforementioned statement a reality. More enthralling, perhaps, is that it would be very difficult to find anyone prepared to argue against such a point of view. It isn’t just the eternal optimists and the staunch supporters of golf that are naively championing this viewpoint: it is entirely justified and recognised as such by the broader sports fan. But who will make the biggest impact this season? Will there be any maiden major championship victors? Will the season belong to the new generation, or will the heroics of Clarke and Bjorn help stimulate the resurgence of the thirty and forty somethings? Only time will tell, but my expectations for the European Tour, PGA Tour, major championships and the Ryder Cup are detailed below.

European Tour Preview

The European Tour is poised for a brilliant season; its schedule is ever more varied and demanding, some of the most renowned players in the world game will take up membership, and incredibly exciting young players like Tommy Fleetwood and Tom Lewis will be propelled to centre stage.

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PGA Tour Preview

The 2012 PGA Tour also kicks off last week: the glorious Plantations Course at Kapalua the venue for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Doubts still remain about the flawed Fed-Ex cup - an event that brings the season to a premature end - but the quality of golfer and potential for excitement is undeniable.

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Major Championship Predictions

The Masters:

Rory McIlroy will put his terrible memories from last season firmly behind him and record a victory in the first major championship of the year. Augusta National sets up perfectly for the Ulsterman and he will bully it into submission. Nick Watney and Justin Rose will come close.

The US Open:

Lee Westwood will claim his first major title at the major championship generally regarded as the most difficult to win. With ball striking of paramount importance, Westwood will use his combination of accuracy and length to pip American Dustin Johnson to the title.

The Open Championship:

Luke Donald will draw on memories from his comprehensive victory at the 2011 Barclays Scottish Open to join compatriot Westwood in the major championship winners circle. His creativity around the greens and wonderful putting stroke will guide him to victory, narrowly beating Rickie Fowler who will build on his impressive showing at the 2011 Open Championship.

The PGA Championship:

Adam Scott will become the third maiden major champion of the year after a wire-to-wire victory. He will top the all-round driving statistics for the week and hole his fair share of putts to fight off late challenges from defending champion Keegan Bradley and Phil Mickleson.  

Ryder Cup Teams - Prediction

(In no particular order)  
                        
Even on home soil, the USA will lose 15-13 to one of the finest European sides in Ryder Cup history.
 

EUROPE:	USA:
Donald Westwood McIlroy Kaymer Rose McDowell Poulter Garcia Casey Quiros Dyson Noren	Woods Mickelson Johnson (D) Watney Kim Simpson Furyk Fowler Mahan Watson (B) Woodland Haas

You can also read the US preview & predictions of the 2012 season from Kevin Hill of the UrbanGolfer.