Professional golfers are about to enter the most important stretch of the 2012 season this week as the PGA Tour heads to Charlotte this week for the Wells Fargo Championship.
Following the Wells Fargo, the Tour will set up shop in Ponte Vedra Beach for The Player's Championship before heading to Texas for two historic events the Byron Nelson and Colonial.
After that it's the Memorial and then two shorts weeks until the U.S. Open in San Francisco.
It's going to be a wild ride, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. This week's Wells Fargo field is loaded, and this event could give us a good indication of who might be making a move this summer.
Tiger decided to play both the Wells Fargo and The Players earlier in April, and that's a good move on his part.
"Both have fantastic fields, and I look forward to competing," Woods said in his blog on TigerWoods.com.
This is where the injury bug has bitten Tiger the past two years, and it's where he needs to pick his game up in 2012. He won at Bay Hill, and he's had a few other flashes, but if he's going to contend at the majors this summer, this is where he needs to show what he can do.
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy has not played in the U.S. since carding bad third and fourth rounds at Augusta. He did win at the Honda Classic earlier in 2012, but missed the cut here in Charlotte last year.
He's really pointing to the U.S. Open and defense of his title. I expect him to be in the hunt all weekend in Charlotte.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson returns to Charlotte, and a T-9 last year should give him some confidence. He's currently third on the money list and is coming off two top-10 finishes. Mickelson could win this event.
Lucas Glover
Glover is the defending champ, but he isn't having a 2012 to remember. By making the cut at this week's Zurich Classic, Glover has only made three cuts in 2012 and not much money. The familiar surroundings of Quail Hollow in Charlotte come at a good time for this talented player.
A solid wildcard pick here. Pettersson may be a native of Sweden, but he's a "Carolina Boy" at heart. He lives in the Carolina's and loves playing any course in the area. He won earlier this year at Hilton Head in South Carolina and now is looking to duplicate the feat in Charlotte.
A lot of golf to be played between now and the U.S. Open in June. The action starts heating this week in Charlotte.
Rick Limpert covers sports, technology and events in and around Atlanta. He'll be watching the Wells Fargo Championships and the other events leading up to the U.S. Open.
