The talk on the Golf Channel and the prose in the newspapers was that a most dramatic season was about to unfold, with The Big Five perhaps trading the No. 1 ranking back and forth throughout the year.

As the 2012 schedule starts this week at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, where most of the leading players unfortunately will not be present, there is anticipation of a similar type of dream season.

This time, it was Woods' lifestyle that caught up with him two years ago, and during his downfall a cadre of Europeans stepped up to dominate the top of the World Rankings.

Luke Donald of England solidified his hold on the No. 1 ranking with a career year in 2011 that included the money titles on the PGA and European Tours, after Lee Westwood of England and Martin Kaymer of Germany also held the top ranking for a time earlier in the year.

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, anointed as the next superstar at the age of 22, captured the U.S. Open and made it plain that he intends to be the best player in the world, and sooner rather than later.

McIlroy and Westwood have announced plans to rejoin the PGA Tour this season in their chase of Donald and the No. 1 ranking, although Rory for one isn't so sure the old king is dead.

Woods showed signs late last year that his mojo might be back, winning the Chevron World Challenge to end a two-year victory drought, and McIlroy relishes the possibility.

There are others in this next generation who are stepping up, too, and from all parts of the globe.

As the Europeans and other players from around the world soared, the perception was that American golf was in a recession. In addition to Woods' slide, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III, Justin Leonard and others have been showing their age.

Then 25-year-old rookie Keegan Bradley captured the PGA Championship in his first major appearance last August while leading an up-and-coming platoon of Americans that includes Webb Simpson, Bill Haas, Gary Woodland, Brendan Steele, Rickie Fowler, Chris Kirk and Scott Stallings.

And even though there are only four Americans in the top 10 of the rankings, the U.S. has a strong group of young veterans who are contenders, including Dustin Johnson, Nick Watney, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar and Hunter Mahan.

Donald also might receive challenges from other parts of the globe, particularly from Adam Scott and Jason Day of Australia, Charl Schwartzel of South Africa, Alvaro Quiros of Spain and Ryo Ishikawa of Japan.

In addition to Woods, other top players looking for bounce-back years include Ernie Els of South Africa, Sergio Garcia of Spain and Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland.

For the record, Woods re-established his dominance in 2005 by winning six times on the PGA Tour, including the Masters and the Open Championship.

While he might be able to return to the top of his game at the age of 36, it would seem that there is too much depth in golf these days for him to dominate the way he did from 2000 to 2009.

That didn't happen in 2005. However, this is more than a new year, it's a new yera.

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