Golf's global growth, including a spot in the 2016 Olympics, has helped push the once-dominant American line-up to a record win drought of six major events entering next week's PGA Championship. Since the Masters began in 1934 as the newest of golf's four major events, only in 1994 did a year pass without a US player taking at least one of the game's most coveted crowns.
But 2011 could see another American shutout as South African Charl Schwartzel won the Masters while Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy won the US Open and his compatriot Darren Clarke captured last month's British Open. Europeans dominate the world rankings too. England's Luke Donald and Lee Westwood rank first and second followed by Germany's Martin Kaymer, the 2010 PGA Championship winner, and American Steve Stricker edging McIlroy for fourth. Add Europe's victory in last year's Ryder Cup and it's easy to see how even the return of former World No 1 Tiger Woods from left knee and Achilles tendon injuries might not be enough to push a US player into a Sunday trophy ceremony.
"I just think the game has become so global," Woods said. "Golf is just growing leaps and bounds globally. It's been a flat market here in the States, but around the world it's been tremendous to see. "With the advent of us being in the Olympics, I think there is going to be a huge influx of countries that haven't really taken up the game of golf are now going to be focused on it."
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