Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The year 2009 has certainly been one of surprises both on and off the golf course.
At the start of the year Tiger was making headlines by not telling anyone when he was returning from his injury, and 12 months on he is making headlines again for the wrong reasons.
The Tiger Woods scandal will run on until he is back on the course, where he belongs, winning golf tournaments.
Golf needs Tiger; last year when he was recovering from knee surgery viewing figures of the PGA Tour dropped by 47 per cent! He is the reason that the players are competing for so much money, so they will want him back sooner rather than later before sponsors start to reconsider their backing for certain events.
The golfing calendar got underway in earnest with the Desert Swing and following victories by Paul Casey and Alvaro Quiros in Abu Dhabi and Doha, a young Irishman by the name of Rory McIlroy confirmed his place at golf's top table with victory over a top class field in Dubai.
The Desert Classic win catapulted McIlroy into the world's top 20 and his refreshing style of play endeared him to many new fans. It was the start of a great year for him and a long fruitful career ahead!
Spring time and the second weekend in April means only one thing; the Masters at Augusta. This year's first major set the tone for the rest of the season with a surprise winner. Argentine Angel Cabrera, although a proven winner had not displayed much form going in to the event, but a hot putter and a steady nerve meant he left Georgia with a Green Jacket to add to his wardrobe.
The surprises kept coming as the game's elite gathered in New York, and in a rain-soaked week, American journeyman Lucas Glover claimed his first major, the US Open Championship.
On to Turnberry in July, a welcome return to the Open Championship rota, and for me the highlight of the golfing year. It was so nearly the greatest Open story of them all; 59-year-old legend Tom Watson, a five-time winner was just one shot away from an unbelievable achievement.
He showed the youngsters that you are never too old, but 72 holes proved to be a stretch too far and a bogey on the final hole allowed Stewart Cink to get into a play-off and ultimately claim the Claret Jug for the first time.
The final major of the year saw a significant breakthrough; YE Yang overturned Tiger's two shot lead going into the final round to seal victory in the US PGA Championship, the first for an Asian male.
The surprise winner of 2009 on the European Tour was Shane Lowry, the 22-year-old amateur who won The Irish Open on home soil and turned professional shortly afterwards.
All attention in the latter half of the year was on the Race to Dubai. Simon Dyson made it a summer to remember with two wins in as many months and Martin Kaymer found the form of his life to record consecutive victories, only to be frustrated by a foot injury suffered in a go-karting accident which kept him out for six weeks. With Westwood winning the Portugal Masters and McIlroy coming fourth in the WGC-HSBC Champions it was a two-horse race entering Dubai.
Tiger had claimed the FedEx Cup and a lucrative paycheck at the end of the US season, but the performance of the year was saved for last. Lee Westwood completed his comeback from the doldrums with an exhibition of ball striking the likes of which I have not seen since Tiger in his 2000/01 pomp. He not only won the Dubai World Championship, but the Race to Dubai title too.
There was just time afterwards for Robert Allenby to triumph in Sun City and the Molinari brothers claiming the first ever World Cup for Italy.
So to our panel of experts and their predictions for 2009. In a year of surprises when the form book went out the window, 'congratulations' go to Colin Ferguson and myself for a creditable three points; not much to beat in 2010!
Mike Braidwood Phil Jones Chris Kelby Oliver Brown Martin Robinson Colin Ferguson WHAT THE PROS SAID
Who will win the US Masters Robert Karlsson Tiger Woods Ernie Els Tiger! Padraig Harrington Jim Furyk
at Augusta in April?
How many tournaments will Tiger win 2 4 3 4 6 3
on his return from injury in 2009?
Who will win the US Open at Sergio Garcia Anthony Kim Lee Westwood Vijay Singh Tiger Woods Sergio Garcia
Bethpage in June?
Who will win the 138th Open Padraig Harrington Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Tiger Woods Montgomerie
Championship at Turnberry in July?
Who will win the US PGA Anthony Kim Lee Westwood Camillo Villegas Robert Karlsson Sergio Garcia Tiger Woods
at Hazeltinein August?
Who will win the Dubai World Sergio Garcia Henrik Stenson Lee Westwood Sergio Garcia Henrik Stenson Henrik Stenson
Championship in November?
Who will win the European Ian Woosnam Ian Woosnam Bernhard Langer Ian Woosnam Ian Woosnam Ian Woosnam
Seniors Order of Merit?
What rising stars should we Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy Oliver Fisher Oliver Wilson Paul Waring Martin Kaymer
look out forin 2009? Danny Lee Chris Wood
Who will win the FedEx Cup Camillo Villegas Tiger Woods Tiger Woods Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Camillo Villegas
in the USfor 2009?
Who will be the comeback player of Davis Love III Montgomerie Luke Donald/ Darren Clarke David Howell Lee Westwood
2009? (leaving Tiger out of this one!) John Daly
Will Colin Montgomerie win Yes, but only Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, the Open!
on tour in 2009? once
Who will be the highest ranked Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Sergio Garcia Padraig Harrington Lee Westwood
European player at the end of 2009?
