PGA Championship -- a look at the top players

A capsule look at 20 players in the PGA Championship, to be played Aug. 13-16 at Hazeltine National Golf Club:

UNITED STATES
Noteworthy: Americans have won 31 of the last 40 PGA Championships.

TIGER WOODS
Age: 33
World ranking: 1
Majors: Masters (4), U.S. Open (3), British Open (3), PGA Championship (4)
2009 victories: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial, AT&T National, Buick Open.
2009 Majors: Masters-T6, US Open-T6, British Open-MC.
PGA highlight: Shooting 63 for the first time in a major at Southern Hills on his way to a fourth PGA title.
PGA lowlight: Ending the year without a major by failing to win PGA in '98, '03 and '04.
The buzz: For the first time, has a chance to tie a record for most victories in a major.

STEVE STRICKER
Age: 42
World ranking: 6
Majors: None
2009 victories: Colonial, John Deere Classic
2009 Majors: Masters-T6, US Open-T23, British Open-T52
PGA highlight: Tied for the lead going into the final round at Sahalee in 1998.
PGA lowlight: Not qualifying or being invited when the PGA came to his native Wisconsin in 2004.
The buzz: Only thing his comeback is lacking would be a major championship.

PHIL MICKELSON
Age: 39
World ranking: 2
Majors: Masters (2), PGA Championship (1)
2009 victories: Northern Trust Open, CA Championship
2009 Majors: Masters-5, US Open-T2, British Open-DNP
PGA highlight: Tee shot to the 18th fairway at Baltusrol that set up easy birdie and one-shot victory in 2005.
PGA lowlight: Watching David Toms make a 12-foot par putt to beat him on the final hole in Atlanta in 2001.
The buzz: The PGA Championship will be only his fourth tournament since May.

ZACH JOHNSON
Age: 33
World ranking: 22
Majors: Masters (1)
2009 victories: Sony Open, Texas Open
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-MC, British Open-T47
PGA highlight: Closing with a 69 at Baltusrol.
PGA lowlight: Failing to break par in his four rounds at the PGA since he won the Masters.
The buzz: Six top-10s this year on the PGA Tour already a career-high.

JIM FURYK
Age: 39
World ranking: 10
Majors: U.S. Open (1)
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T10, US Open-T33, British Open-T34
PGA highlight: Sharing the first-round lead at Hazeltine in 2002.
PGA lowlight: His active streak of seven consecutive rounds without breaking par.
The buzz: The only top-10 player in the world rankings without a victory over the last two years.

EUROPE
Noteworthy: Harrington is the only European among the top 150 in the world to have won a major.

SERGIO GARCIA
Age: 29
Country: Spain
World ranking: 5
Majors: None
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T38, US Open-T10, British Open-T38
PGA highlight: Carving a 6-iron out of the tree for an amazing par on the 16th at Medinah at age 19.
PGA lowlight: Leading by one shot, hitting into the water on the 16th at Oakland Hills in the final round and losing to Padraig Harrington.
The buzz: Has finished in the top 10 only once this year in America.

PADRAIG HARRINGTON
Age: 37
Country: Ireland
World ranking: 17
Majors: British Open (2), PGA Championship (1)
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T35, US Open-MC, British Open-T65
PGA highlight: Holing a 15-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Oakland Hills last year to win his second straight major.
PGA lowlight: Going eight straight PGA Championships without cracking the top 10.
The buzz: Has not won an official tournament since the PGA Championship last year.

PAUL CASEY
Age: 32
Country: England
World ranking: 3
Majors: None
2009 victories: Abu Dhabi Championship, Houston Open, BMW PGA Championship
2009 Majors: Masters-T20, US Open-MC, British Open-T47
PGA highlight: Closing with 69 last year, his first sub-70 round on the weekend in a PGA Championship.
PGA lowlight: Making his PGA debut at Hazeltine in 2002 with an 85.
The buzz: Three victories this year, yet hasn't sniffed contention in a major.

MARTIN KAYMER
Age: 24
Country: Germany
World ranking: 12
Majors: None
2009 victories: French Open, Scottish Open
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-MC, British Open-T34
PGA highlight: Making his debut last year at Oakland Hills.
PGA lowlight: Shooting 75-79 to miss the cut in his debut at Oakland Hills.
The buzz: Three missed cuts this year, two of them in the majors.

HENRIK STENSON
Age: 33
Country: Sweden
World ranking: 7
Majors: None
2009 victories: The Players Championship
2009 Majors: Masters-T38, US Open-9, British Open-T13
PGA highlight: Tied for the lead going into the weekend at Medinah in 2006.
PGA lowlight: Failing to break par on the weekend at Medinah to finish 11 shots behind.
The buzz: Should feel right at home in America's most Nordic state.

AUSTRALASIA
Noteworthy: Geoff Ogilvy is the only Australian to win a major this decade.

GEOFF OGILVY
Age: 32
Country: Australia
World ranking: 8
Majors: U.S. Open (1)
2009 victories: Mercedes-Benz Championship, Accenture Match Play Championship
2009 Majors: Masters-T15, US Open-T47, British Open-MC
PGA highlight: Playing first two rounds with Tiger Woods in 2006 PGA and matching him shot for shot.
PGA lowlight: Finishing nine shots behind Woods in 2006 PGA at Medinah.
The buzz: Streak of four consecutive years with at least one top-10 in a major is in jeopardy.

VIJAY SINGH
Age: 46
Country: Fiji
World ranking: 11
Majors: Masters (1), PGA Championship (2)
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T30, US Open-T27, British Open-T38
PGA highlight: His 3-iron to the 17th green in a playoff at Whistling Straits that secured his second PGA title.
PGA lowlight: Missing the cut six times in the PGA, the most of any major he has played.
The buzz: For the second straight year, without a PGA Tour victory the first seven months of the season.

RYO ISHIKAWA
Age: 17
Country: Japan
World ranking: 57
Majors: None
2009 victories: Mizuno Open, Sun Chlorella Classic
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-DNP, British Open-MC
PGA highlight: Getting an invitation to his first PGA Championship.
PGA lowlight: To be determined.
The buzz: Might have been helped by playing with Tiger Woods and Lee Westwood the first two rounds at Turnberry.

ADAM SCOTT
Age: 29
Country: Australia
World ranking: 44
Majors: None
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-T36, British Open-MC
PGA highlight: Tying for 3rd at Medinah in 2006, his highest finish in a major.
PGA lowlight: Finishing six shots behind Tiger Woods at Medinah.
The buzz: In the 32 majors he has played with Woods in the field, Scott has finished ahead of him only three times.

K.J. CHOI
Age: South Korea
Country: 39
World ranking: 56
Majors: None
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-T47, British Open-MC
PGA highlight: Making his PGA debut with a 66 at Atlanta Athletic Club in 2001.
PGA lowlight: Shooting an 80 in the third round at Oak Hill in 2003, the only time he failed to break 80 in a PGA.
The buzz: Started the year at No. 18 in the world, now out of the top 50.

SOUTH AFRICA/SOUTH AMERICA
Noteworthy: The PGA Championship is the only major a South American has not won.

RETIEF GOOSEN
Age: 40
Country: South Africa
World ranking: 19
Majors: U.S. Open (2)
2009 victories: Africa Open,Transitions Championship
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-T16, British Open-T5
PGA highlight: A tie for 6th at Baltusrol in 2005, his only top-10 in the PGA.
PGA lowlight: Injuring ribs while jet skiing and having to withdraw from the 2004 PGA.
The buzz: A South African has not won the PGA Championship since Gary Player in 1972.

CAMILO VILLEGAS
Age: 27
Country: Colombia
World ranking: 14
Majors: None
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T13, US Open-T33, British Open-T13
PGA highlight: A 67-68 weekend at Oakland Hills to tie for 4th last year.
PGA lowlight: Having highest score in the youth grouping last year with Sergio Garcia and Anthony Kim.
The buzz: Has made the cut in every major, but no top-10s anywhere since March.

ERNIE ELS
Age: 39
Country: South Africa
World ranking: 25
Majors: U.S. Open (2), British Open (1)
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-MC, US Open-MC, British Open-T8
PGA highlight: Setting the 54-hole record in 1995 at Riviera at 16-under 197.
PGA lowlight: Closing with a 72 at Riviera to finish third.
The buzz: Has gone 18 months without a victory anywhere in the world.

ANGEL CABRERA
Age: 39
Country: Argentina
World ranking: 30
Majors: Masters (1), U.S. Open (1)
2009 victories: Masters
2009 Majors: Masters-1, US Open-T54, British Open-T24
PGA highlight: Winning his only PGA of America title — the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda in 2007.
PGA lowlight: Taking a 10 on the par-3 sixth hole at Southern Hills in 2007.
The buzz: Only major champion of '09 who has made the cut in every major.

TIM CLARK
Age: 33
Country: South Africa
World ranking: 35
Majors: None
2009 victories: None
2009 Majors: Masters-T13, US Open-T40, British Open-MC
PGA highlight: Finishing 3rd at Oak Hill in 2003.
PGA lowlight: Shooting an 82 in the opening round at Southern Hills in 2006.
The buzz: Among the best to have never won on the PGA Tour, hasn't been the same since letting one get away at Colonial.