The first big test will come at Augusta in April where the world's current number one will be seeking a career grand slam. Since his debut in 2009, Rory McIlroy has finished in the top 20 only twice at the Masters, including his best, a tie for eighth last year. Tiger Woods didn't play in 2014 as a crumbling body took its toll, but prior to that had only finished outside the top six once in the previous nine Masters. It's an impressive record, but surprisingly this year will be the 10th anniversary of his last win there. At a time of year when we love to make predictions, I'll go for Jason Day becoming only the second Aussie to own a Green Jacket, seeing off McIlroy in a play-off.
The US Open goes to a new venue, the Robert Trent Jones Jnr-designed Chambers Bay outside Washington. It's a pay-and-play, public, links-style course on an old gravel quarry that once echoed to the sounds of motocross. It's therefore in marked contrast to the perennial Augusta, and leaves tipsters starved of previous form. Peter Uihlein did win the 2010 US Amateur Championship there, but he's yet to be assured of his place in the field. Looking for yet another first-time winner I'm plumping for Rickie Fowler, who's shown impressive form on British links courses recently, to edge out McIlroy in another gripping denouement.
The Open is back at HQ this year. If - and it's a big qualification - Woods has found his correct release point, remembered how to chip, re-found his old putting touch, re-learnt how to play on Sunday, and his re-built back stands up, then St Andrews is clearly a place which could inspire. However, I've always been a big fan of Louis Oosthuizen's game, and he just loves The Old Course. I'll take him to repeat his 2010 victory to once again become "The Champion Golfer of the Year", narrowly holding off McIlroy in the process.
The US PGA Championship returns to the giant Whistling Straights in Wisconsin. Hopefully they will clarify the rules this time as to what constitutes waste ground and what is a bunker. Grown men might cry if Dustin Johnson were to repeat his "grounding" error of 2010 and allow Martin Kaymer to go on and win again. McIlroy, the season’s nearly man, though will surely come through and claim a fifth major on a course that's made for his length. Of course the young Holywood star could just as easily be gunning for a season's Grand Slam. Then again …
Have a very happy 2015. I'm off on my bike.
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