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His championship-sealing approach shot at the par-five 17th in the fourth round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July was the single most memorable shot I have witnessed up close. As well as a hugely improved long game, he has also become a magnificent "clutch" putter, as shown on the final day of the US PGA Championship this year when he stole the title from underneath the nose of Sergio Garcia to win his second major championship on the trot.

Sergio Garcia

One of golf's true glamour boys, his fiery temperament can be seen in everything he does on the course. Spectacular from tee to green, El Nino is strangely vulnerable on the greens and gives the impression that he is hovering on a knife-edge as he stands over those killer four-foot putts. You can almost feel him tightening up, thinking to himself, "They all think I'm going to miss" - and invariably he does.

John Daly

Still attracting sponsors' invitations, but only just. Stuart Appleby's comment that the former Open champion is more of a freak show than anything else these days is proving a little too close to the mark. But the game desperately needs players like Daly and, even in cameo roles, he is still worth watching for his over-long swing and deft touch around the greens. From another mould to his contemporaries, he looks different and plays differently and is what professional sport likes more than virtually anything else - a flawed genius.

Ernie Els

My favourite player to watch, Els has lost some of his potency in the last 18 months but is still blessed with one of the most beautiful, rhythmic and powerful swings in golf. The South African seems to have lost some of his enthusiasm for the game and is grumpy rather than genial these days. But he still has that wonderful ability to take the breath away and it must be hoped that he gets himself back into the winners' circle soon.

Colin Montgomerie

Well past his prime, but still worth the entrance fee for entertainment value alone. Monty still attracts the crowds but you get the feeling that these days it is more through curiosity (the chance to see one of Europe's great players in the flesh before it is too late) and the hope of a flare-up. The trademark hands-on-hips, glares and petulance are all still in evidence but so, too, is his crisp iron play and excellence on the par threes. Catch him while you can.

Singh cleans up

While the cat's away (Tiger, of course), the mice do play. And none more so than Vijay Singh, who has been inspired since Woods retreated from the game after knee surgery in June. The 45-year-old Fijian finished the PGA Tour's season by winning the FedEx Cup - and with it a handsome $10 million bonus - and on Sunday he scooped Woods' own tournament, the Chevron World Challenge, where he picked up another million dollar cheque and took his season's winnings beyond the $18 million mark. That's one way to beat the credit crunch.

Hero of the week

Rory McIlroy, the 19-year-old Northern Irishman, who moved to No.40 in the world after finishing joint third at the South African Open on Sunday and thus guaranteed his debut at the Masters in April. Spare a thought, too, for Gareth Maybin, his countryman, who, at 28, was denied his maiden victory on the European Tour when he was beaten in a play-off by Richard Sterne, the South African, at Pearl Valley.