Woods among stars looking to win year's last major

Even without a major, Tiger Woods does not consider the year to be a total loss.

The world's No. 1 player only returned to competition six months ago, and that was after sitting out the previous eight months to have his left knee rebuilt. It doesn't seem that long ago because Woods made it look as though he was never gone.

He has won four times this year on the PGA Tour, twice as much as any of his peers. He has returned to his roost in so many categories, whether it's the money list or the FedEx Cup standings, and his scoring average is about a full stroke ahead of the next guy.

"Just being able to come back and play, and be successful again, has been a tremendous step in the right direction," Woods said. "To win - and not only win, but be as consistent as I've been the entire year - that's one of the things I'm probably the most proud of."

Even so, there is a major piece missing from his year.

For the sixth time in his career, Woods goes to the PGA Championship with one last shot to make sure his season doesn't end without adding another major title to his collection and taking another step toward Jack Nicklaus' benchmark of 18 majors.

He won the PGA Championship at Medinah in 1999 to end an 0-for-10 drought in the majors. He won the PGA at Southern Hills, picking up his only major of 2007 at the last one.

Now he goes to Hazeltine National, on the outskirts of Minneapolis, where seven years ago Woods birdied his last four holes and finished one shot behind Rich Beem.

The PGA Championship has settled on the slogan of "Glory's Last Shot," with which Woods and so many others can identify.

"It is your last shot to win a major," Woods said. "There's no more majors this year after that one."

This also is the final major of a memorable decade that began with Woods winning three straight majors in one season. The decade concludes on a far different note.

For the first time since the world ranking began in 1986, no one in the top 30 has won a major championship this year.

Angel Cabrera was at No. 69 when he won the Masters in a playoff, giving the Argentine his second major in three years.

Lucas Glover was No. 71 when he captured the US Open over five soggy days at Bethpage Black. Stewart Cink checked in at No. 33 when he won the British Open last month in a playoff at Turnberry.

It's hard to say what that means for the PGA Championship.

"All that can be read into that is depth," Cink said. "To say a guy is 15th or 45th ... really, is the difference that big? Or 45th to 100th? That's why you hear so much grousing about the world rankings, because there's such a fine difference."

Even so, there is no debating the disappearance of so many stars.

Harrington is the defending PGA champion, rallying from three shots down on the back nine at Oakland Hills and delivering crucial putts on the final two holes to win. He has not won another sanctioned tournament since. The only thing that hasn't changed is his optimism as he has tinkered endlessly with his swing.

"I've always felt if you try and stay still at this game, you're going to go backward," he said.

The player he beat down the stretch last year, Sergio Garcia, finished the year at No. 2 in the world. Garcia hasn't won a tournament, either, going through difficulties in the spring after breaking up with Greg Norman's daughter.

Ten years ago, a 19-year-old Garcia pushed Woods to the limit in the PGA at Medinah. He now is regarded the best player to have never won a major, a burden that has become heavier this year because he has not even given himself a chance.

Vijay Singh and Ernie Els are also winless in 2009.

And then there is Phil Mickelson, whose year will be remembered for anything but golf. He won twice in the spring, including his first World Golf Championship, and outplayed Woods in their final-round pairing at Augusta National.

A month later, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mickelson took a month off as they waited to see if it had spread, and equipped with a positive report, returned in time to finish runner-up for a record fifth time in the US Open.

He missed the British Open to end his streak of 61 consecutive majors, but after Amy Mickelson's surgery yielded more encouraging news, he returns for the final major of the year with a positive outlook at home and inside the ropes.

"I'm excited to play," Mickelson said. "I didn't realise how much I loved playing the game of golf. It's made me look at some of my longer-term expectations as far as if I would cut back my schedule, win, at what age, all that stuff. It just makes me realize how much I really enjoy what I do ... and how I don't ever want to take that for granted."

Mickelson, Singh, Harrington and Woods have combined to win the past five PGAs, an impressive list of champions at a major that once was known for producing 13 first-time major winners in 16 years.

The odds favour Woods, even though he is coming off a rare missed cut at a major. He has won all three tournaments he played in his final start prior to the other three majors. He has failed to produce, however, when it really counts.

Woods remains stuck at 14 majors, four more to catch Nicklaus, although there is an opportunity to tie records at Hazeltine.

For the first time in his career, he goes to a major with a chance to tie the record for most victories. Nicklaus and Walter Hagen each won the PGA five times, and Woods is one behind.

And for the second time this decade, Woods needs to win the PGA to join Hagen as the only players to win a major five years in a row. The previous time, in the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill, Woods failed to break par every round and tied for 39th, his worst performance in a major until missing two cuts.

"You can't go be very aggressive and try and make birdies on every hole like you can at most tour events," Woods said. "You have to plod your way along and get them where you can.

"Certain majors are easier than others, but overall, they're still major championships."

By DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press