Surely now is the time for Sergio?

ON THE GREENS WITH SAM TORRANCE

WITH 2008 producing new golfing superstars in the absence of Tiger Woods, 2009 promises to be the tightest yet when it comes to dishing out Majors.

Woods, naturally, will be the one to watch once he returns from his knee surgery, but displacing an in-form Sergio Garcia and a determined Phil Mickelson will be no easy task for Tiger as he looks to add to his 13 Majors.

Garcia enters 2009 as the world’s in-form player and surely it’s only a matter of time before he ends his desperately unlucky run in Major championships.

The Spaniard had finished in the top five no fewer than nine times in his career, without winning one. I have a feeling this could finally be his year. This year is also the inaugural season for the Road to Dubai, the revamped and mega-rich version of the European Tour.

Don’t be surprised to see the Spaniard’s name etched on that trophy also.

Mickelson, meanwhile, will be hurting after a disappointing 2008, which not only saw him fail to make inroads on Tiger’s lead in the world rankings, but then overtaken as world No2 by a resurgent Garcia.

An angry Mickelson is a dangerous proposition and there’s more to come from him yet, I can assure you. Both, however, will have to fend off Padraig Harrington, who has the bit between his teeth when it comes to Majors having won back-to-back Opens and the US PGA.

The floodgates seem to have opened for Padraig and I expect that tally could well be increased further by 2010. Elsewhere, look out for the likes of Anthony Kim, of the USA, and Colombian Camillo Villegas after both enjoyed good years in 2008, while young Irishman Rory McIlroy, fresh from qualifying for the US Masters, is another primed for a winning season.

As for me, my main aim for 2009 is the British Seniors Open, which this year takes place at my home course, Sunningdale.

Victory there would be hugely satisfying, although a serious assault on winning back my Order of Merit title from Ian Woosnam has to be the long-term aim.