Search still wide open for heir apparent to Woods

LOS ANGELES, Jan 2 (Reuters) Adam Scott or Trevor Immelman? Padraig Harrington or Chris DiMarco? Henrik Stenson or Justin Rose? A perennial pastime for golf fans before the start of a new season is speculating which players will break through at the highest level over the coming months.

While the dominance of world number one Tiger Woods is all-but guaranteed for 2007, the on-going search for his heir apparent has so far been fruitless.

Masters champion Phil Mickelson and three-times major winners Vijay Singh and Ernie Els have enjoyed spells close to, or briefly at, the game's summit but none have maintained the consistency to usurp Tiger's hold in the tournaments that matter the most.

Driven by his desire to be the best player in history, Woods has painstakingly won 12 major titles, three more than the combined totals achieved by Mickelson and co.

Peerless in the way he prepares for the majors and meticulously works out his tournament schedule for each year, Woods has distanced himself from his closest challengers.

Although fellow American Mickelson, Fijian Singh and South African Els have the ability to make a significant impact at this year's majors, none of them are in the flush of golfing youth.

Left-hander Mickelson is 36, Singh 43 and Els, below his best last year while recovering from knee surgery, 37.

Of the three, Mickelson has the strongest claim to Woods's crown based on form over the last 12 months.

BOUNCE BACK However, the entire golfing world will watch with interest to see if the gifted Californian can bounce back from his U.S.

Open meltdown at Winged Foot last June.

Mickelson, who had won the previous two majors, blew a golden opportunity for victory with a wild drive and a double-bogey six at the final hole.

Shell-shocked after folding with the title within his grasp, he told reporters: ''I just can't believe I did that. I am such an idiot.'' Had he triumphed, he would have been widely recognised as the game's leading player after Woods missed the cut that week for the first time in a major as a professional.

But the wounded Mickelson barely registered on the golfing barometer for the rest of the year as Woods took over, edging closer to his career target of overhauling the 18 career majors posted by his idol Jack Nicklaus.

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