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It Still is Tiger's Tour
Pre-season PGA Tour rankings: Golf World's top 30 for 2009
- #4 Phil Mickelson
Age: 38 Joined PGA Tour: 1992
2008 PGA earnings: $5,188,875 (3)
World Rank: 3 PGA Tour wins: 34
Majors: 2004, '06 Masters; 2005 PGA
Defining moment of '08: Completing the California slam at Riviera. When his career is over, Mickelson might be regarded as the greatest West Coast player in history. Last year he played well early, then disappointed in the majors.
Why he should rank higher: Mickelson is too young to be counted out and certainly will not take kindly to being surpassed by youngsters such as Anthony Kim. Another year with swing coach Butch Harmon and a return to Bethpage Black for the U.S. Open, where he was a gallery favorite in 2002, should inspire confidence.
Why he should rank lower: There's little to indicate he will. Mickelson has been working on his putting with short-game instructor Dave Pelz and should maintain a top-five finish on the money list.
Top 2008 finishes: Northern Trust Open 1, Crowne Plaza Invitational 1, FBR Open 2, Tour Championship T-3, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational T-4
- #5 Vijay Singh
Age: 45 Joined PGA Tour: 1993
2008 PGA earnings: $6,601,094 (1)
World Rank: 5 PGA Tour wins: 34
Majors: 2000 Masters; 1998, 2004 PGA
Defining moment of '08: Clinching the FedEx Cup before the Tour Championship, which proved not only that Singh remains on top of his game, but also that the designers of the tour's playoff points system aren't.
Why he should rank higher: When Singh gets hot, he's hard to beat. He didn't take advantage of Tiger's absence at the majors but won three important events to end his year. A similar streak in 2009 shouldn't be discounted.
Why he should rank lower: Singh spent October and November on the disabled list with tendinitis of the left forearm. Injuries can linger the older you get, and at some point they -- or the emergence of several players 20-or-so years younger -- are going to force Singh out of the top five in earnings for the first time since 1997.
Top 2008 finishes: WGC-Bridgestone Invitational 1, Barclays 1, Deutsche Bank Championship 1, AT&T Pebble Beach 2, WGC-CA Championship T-2
- #6 Camilo Villegas
Age: 26 Joined PGA Tour: 2006
2008 PGA earnings: $4,422,641 (7)
World Rank: 7 PGA Tour wins: 2
Majors: None
Defining moment of '08: The PGA Tour Playoffs. For the second straight year Villegas saved his best for last. But in addition to matching his three top-10s in playoff events (as he did in 2007), this time he won two of them, his first titles on tour.
Why he should rank higher: He is looking to build on the success he tasted in 2008. His work on the range and in the weight room shows he is as focused as anyone on tour.
Why he should rank lower: Villegas didn't have a top-10 finish until after the Masters in '08, and there's no reason to believe he wasn't as dedicated and focused to start last season. A similar slow start -- added to the distraction of playing overseas -- would force him to have another world-beater-type finish just to maintain his lofty status.
Top 2008 finishes: BMW Championship 1, Tour Championship 1, AT&T Classic 3, Deutsche Bank Championship T-3, PGA Championship T-4
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