An open invitation

The world number one's recent poor form will give the field a better chance of success at this week's USPGA Championship, especially with Lee Westwood also missing and a few others struggling to find top gear

With the form of the number one golfer on the planet being so poor and a wild final round from his likely successor Phil Mickelson, the door has been flung open for the young talent coming from either side of the Atlantic. With a whole host of winners on the PGA Tour this year coming from players who are still in their twenties, many of them now believe it is their time to lift a Major title.

Woods finished on his worst aggregate score as a professional last week at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. This, coupled with a final round score of 78 by Phil Mickelson, has given the younger players the feeling they can at last take over from the two people who have dominated the game over the last decade.

One young player who has high hopes for this year's last Major is Ross Fisher, who finished inside the top ten of three of the four Majors played last year. Fisher's recent form has been good with a win at the 3 Irish Open, which has elevated him into the automatic spots for the European Ryder Cup team. The talented Englishman has struggled for the majority of the year, but has recently put in some solid performances, both at the BMW Championship in Germany and at the 3 Irish Open.

Established players are also hoping to take advantage of the poor form shown from the world's leading two players. This dramatic drop off in form from Woods has given the rest of the field an added incentive to play well. Five out of the last six winners of the Majors have never won one before and you would not bet against this stat becoming six out of seven on Sunday evening.

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