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Who will be golf's 2010 stars?

Author: John Harris
Date: 17/01/2010
Golf betting

The landscape of golf in 2010 will have a completely different look if world number one Tiger Woods decides to spend much more time away from the course to deal with personal issues.

Woods' marital problems have seen him opt for an indefinite break from the game, leaving the way open for a number of players to challenge for Major glory.

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Reigning Masters champion Angel Cabrera of Argentina has the game to taste further glory, allying length of the tee with an excellent short game and a solid putting stroke.

When he is hot he is a hard man to stop and his 2007 US Open success proves that his Augusta glory was not a flash in the pan.

Geoff Ogilvy started the new season with victory at the SBS Championship in Hawaii and the Australian is being tipped by many pundits to make another breakthrough on the Major stage, having tasted success at the 2006 US Open.

Several American golfers will have hopes of making the most of their compatriot's likely absence, with leftie Phil Mickelson desperate to add to his three Major titles to date.

His last triumph came at the 2006 Masters and Mickelson will not want his drought to carry on much longer.

Stewart Cink edged out veteran Tom Watson to win The Open Championship last year and the 36-year-old has the solid all-round game and cool head needed to challenge for further glory.

Steve Stricker has yet to get his name on a Major trophy, but three tournament wins in 2009 saw him rise to number three in the world rankings and he now needs to go on and add a Major title to his portfolio.

Great Britain are still looking for a first Major winner since Scotland's Paul Lawrie won the 1999 Open and a new name on the block could provide the long-awaited answer - Rory McIlroy.

The 20-year-old Northern Irishman is the hottest property in the world of golf at the moment and showed up well at both the US Open and the USPGA Championship last year - he could challenge for the prize at both tournaments this time around.

English duo Lee Westwood and Paul Casey will hope to join the ranks of Major winners this season, with the former one of the main contenders for the unwanted tag of the 'best player never to win a Major'.

Spain's Sergio Garcia is another contender who has yet to land a big prize, while Ireland's Padraig Harrington was the man to make the most of Woods' last lengthy absence due to a leg injury.

Harrington won The Open Championship in both 2007 and 2008, while also edging out Garcia at the 2008 USPGA Championship.

Whether he can cash in on Woods' mishaps for a second time remains to be seen.

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