It was in many ways a spectacular season in golf. So much has happened that it seems like an eternity ago that Trevor Immelman was donning the green jacket at Augusta.

Tiger gave perhaps the greatest performance of his career in winning the U.S. Open before succumbing to his knee injury and shutting it down for the season. Padraig Harrington won two consecutive majors, and no one felt like adding an asterisk to either one. The U.S. team shocked the world at the Ryder Cup. Vijay Singh dominated the FedExCup playoffs, although Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas acquitted themselves admirably.

It all sets up for a phenomenal 2009. And so, we end our 2008 coverage with an eager look ahead.

One valuable by-product of Woods’ absence from the PGA Tour since June: We’ve seen a talented, dynamic mix of youngsters and veterans fill the void with some stunningly good, even Tiger-esque performances. Had Woods stayed healthy and continued to dominate, the Tour might have teetered on the brink of boredom and irrelevance. Ironically, the absence of the Tour’s top draw has set up 2009 as potentially one of the greatest in recent history.

When Woods returns, he’ll face an assortment of challengers who clearly possess all the necessary tools and are brimming with confidence born of brilliant performances. Bottom line: 2009 can’t get here fast enough.

Here are the chief contenders for the coveted slot of Woods’ top 2009 rival:

• Padraig Harrington – His FedExCup disappearing act aside, Paddy’s the reigning king in Tiger’s absence. Golf is all about the majors, and Harrington won two of them this season, making him three for his last six in golf’s pre-eminent events. Harrington can roll the rock under pressure like no one this side of Tiger.

Key stat: Harrington finished sixth on Tour in putting average.

Prospects for 2009: Look for Harrington to contend at all four majors. He’s finished in the top 10 in the last two Masters, so a back-nine duel with Woods on Sunday at Augusta is certainly conceivable.

• Sergio Garcia – Had Sergio performed as expected in the Ryder Cup, he might have positioned himself as Tiger’s top challenger. Garcia’s 2008 season will go down as one of the great near-misses in golf history. His only win came at the Players, but he finished second three times, including a brilliant runner-up performance at the PGA Championship and playoff losses at the Barclays and the Tour Championship.

Key stat: Garcia ended the Tour Championship first in scoring average among qualifying players at 69.40.

Prospects for 2009: Clearly, Garcia is the best player without a major. That could, and should, change next season.

• Anthony Kim – The phenom shook off a slow start to his 2008 season to have a scintillating summer, then capped off his year with a dynamic Ryder Cup that included a stunning drubbing of Garcia in singles. After a missed cut at the Shell Houston Open in April, Kim launched a run that included two wins, five top-10s and 15 straight made cuts. 

Key stat: Kim leaves the Tour Championship ranked first in the Tour’s All Around category, a compilation of his rankings in all of the other categories.

Prospects for 2009: Kim is 10 years younger than Tiger. Jack was 10 years younger than Arnie. Could there be a passing of the torch?

• Vijay Singh – The last player other than Woods to hold the world’s No. 1 ranking has taken on the persona of crafty veteran, and it’s a role that fits him. Singh surpassed Phil Mickelson as this era’s No. 2 player with a three-win season and a FedExCup championship trophy. A disappointing performance in the majors took some of the shine off Singh’s season, but the 45-year-old has proved that he is still a factor.

Key stat: First in money, first in FedExCup points. Not much to complain about there.

Prospects for 2009: Can Singh recapture his major mojo? Not since 2005, when he posted four top-10s in the majors, has Singh been a real factor in the big four.

• Camilo Villegas – A late entry to the Tiger challenger sweepstakes, Villegas charged to the finish line with wins in his final two events, the BMW and the Tour Championship, and a second-place finish in the final FedExCup standings. Plus, the cameras love the guy; Villegas has the flash and the skills to pose a threat to Tiger’s marketing throne as well as his dominance of the game.

Key stat: Villegas finished second in birdie average, with 3.83 per round. The guy can make a flurry of birdies when he gets on a roll.

Prospects for 2009: Villegas’ tie for fourth at the PGA may be a precursor to a breakthrough season at the majors.

• Phil Mickelson – Despite the perception that Lefty struggled in 2008, he actually had a solid season — two wins, eight top-10 finishes, 19 top 25s in 21 events, two major top 10s, third in money. His only missed cut came back in February. Virtually any other player on Tour would consider Lefty’s 2008 campaign a career year. But Mickelson is still held to a different standard, and his disappointing showing in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines didn’t help his cause. He could use another major to re-insert himself into the conversation, but he clearly belongs on the short list of challengers.

Key stats: Second in scoring, second in All Around, third in money — by any objective standard, a great year.

Prospects for 2009: Mickelson will feel some pressure to make his presence felt, starting with Augusta. His response could set the tone for the remainder of his career.

• Boo Weekley – The star of the U.S. Ryder Cup team is a wild card in this unfolding drama. Weekley has won only once in 2008, and he wasn’t a factor in any of the majors. But leading a Tiger-less U.S. team to a stunning upset has to count for something, starting with his confidence. Weekley will enter 2009 knowing he can perform on a big stage. That kind of mindset is invaluable.

Key stat: Weekley is a great driver of the golf ball; he finished 18th in total driving on Tour.

Prospects for 2009: Weekley’s unique brand of down-home charisma has made him a fan favorite. Look for the galleries to carry him to a victory or two.

Others to Watch:

Stewart Cink – His win at the Travelers broke a four-year winless streak. A model of consistency.

Justin Leonard – Another steady performer who has tasted major success and should be a factor following his resurgent 2008 season.

Mike Weir – The diminutive lefty has been on the cusp of something special for about a year now.

Del.icio.us | Digg it | Athlon Sports RSS Feeds