2011 Predictions... (Crystal Golf Ball)

Posted Jan 14 2011, 07:46 AM by Cathy Erickson
With the Sony Open in its soggy state and no real golf news to share ( unless you want to talk about DJ and Natalie Gulbis) I've decided I'd better get out my 2011 prediction list before I miss any opportunities to be right!  We always joke about the weather people up here...what other job do you know of where you can get paid to be wrong 50% of the time?  While I don't get paid for giving my predictions (but I would accept any salary offered!), guessing on what will happen in the upcoming golf season is a pretty darn fun thing to do...and I'm happy to report that I'm about on par with how with the weather predictions in our neck of the woods in my past few years.
 
I feel like the gates to golf success have flown wide open now that Tiger let the guards take a vacation.  Guys are streaming in from all over the world to capture titles and even take their place on the top of the world ranking.  A few years ago Tiger won 6 times...now we're wondering if he will win again.  We've got veterans still out there trying to capture wins and we've got young guns eager to make a name for themselves and put a little money in their pocket.  So many possibilities!!

I will start again with the Majors...and it seems appropriate to make my first prediction my heart pick of the year...Steve Stricker is going to win the Masters!  I love the magic of Augusta and I love Stricker, so I think this is prediction made in golf heaven.  Stricker will also win at least one other event this year.
 
The US Open is a test of patience and endurance, and this year I think Dustin Johnson is going to seal the deal.  The British Open field has all kinds of unknown players to me, but I'm thinking that Martin Kaymer is going to rise above the rest this year and take his 2nd Major title.  The PGA Championship is my back up Major for Stricker, but I happen to think you will see Luke Donald as your champion.
 
Matt Kuchar will win the Players Championship (you didn't think I'd forget Matt, did you?) - he will also break into the top 10 in the OWGR at some point this year.   2011 Money title?  Okay, sure!  Go Matt!!
 
Graeme McDowell will win the Tour Championship, but he will not win the FedEx Cup.  That title will go to Phil Mickelson.
 
I don't know what is going on with Justin Leonard, but I will give him one last spot on my predictions list to get his golf act together and start playing some inspired golf!  Leonard will win in 2011 (and if he doesn't he's off my list!).  Bubba Watson will also win again in 2011 (he makes a great winner!), and so will Zach Johnson (maybe at the Sony!).
 
Phil Mickelson will win 3 times this year and at some point in 2011 he will be the number 1 ranked player in the world.
 
Lee Westwood will come close in all the Majors but will not win one.  He will also be winless on the US PGA Tour.
 
Two surprise winners will be Vaughn Taylor and David Duval.  And let's throw in Ricky Barnes as a winner, too!
 
My favorite Fantasy Golf guy from 2010, Brendon deJonge, will get a win in 2011, but I'm pretty sure it will be a week where I don't pick him!
 
Aussies will win 5 times on Tour in 2011 - I'm especially liking Jason Day and Adam Scott.
 
And as for Tiger, you already know that I don't think he's going to win a Major this year, but I do think he's going to win - maybe the Memorial, or maybe at Doral.  He will also be #1 on the OWGR again sometime in 2011 but he won't be at the end of the year.
 
And finally, I predict that I will get a DV-R sometime in 2011 in order to watch golf like 2Putt does.
 
Is it too early to be getting excited about the Masters?  Okay, probably.  But I am very excited about the prospect of going to the Waste Management Open out in Phoenix in February for a day or two!  Bonus Prediction...Phil Mickelson wins there!
 
Happy 2011 golf season everyone.

Filed under: Masters, Justin Leonard, Phil Mickelson, US Open, Steve Stricker, British Open, PGA Championship, TIger Woods, Matt Kuchar, Vaughn Taylor, Lee Westwood, fantasy golf, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer, Predictions, 2011, Zach Johnson, Jason Day, Graeme McDowell, Brendon deJonge, Ricky Barnes, Adam Scott, David Duval