The top stories of the year -- and how they'll turn out

	Tiger is aiming for Byron's streak ... and a calendar-year Slam. Chris Weeks/WireImage

With the PGA's first full-field tournament of 2007 swinging into action this week -- officially, it's the Sony Open, but you know it as the Michelle Wie Classic -- it's time to look at eight people, places and things to watch for this year (and predict how each will end up):

1. Tiger Woods

Sorry, Copernicus, the planets actually revolve around this guy, the real center of the golfing universe. There is no reason to believe Woods won't continue to dominate in 2007. He won his last six PGA Tour events and in his last 11 outings, he had eight wins and three runnerup finishes.

His six-in-a-row run means he's already past the halfway mark to Byron Nelson's supposedly unreachable mark of 11 consecutive PGA Tour wins. By picking his spots, Woods has a shot at Nelson. Torrey Pines, Doral, Bay Hill and Augusta National are proven winning grounds for him. He has never won at Riviera Country Club so if he plays the Nissan Open, that ranks as a potential stopper. The Accenture World Match Play, which he has won, is also difficult because anything can happen in 18 holes. It moves to a new venue, The Gallery's sprawling South Course, in Tucson, a track that should prove more Tiger-friendly than La Costa with its wide fairways, well-placed bunkers and huge greens. The reality is, of course, that Woods can win anywhere.

Prediction: Tiger gets his streak to nine in a row en route to yet another monster year.

2. Tiger Slam

Yes, there's more Tiger. He has another Tiger Slam in the works with two straight major championships. Having already claimed four Masters, he will be the heavy favorite there in April. The U.S. Open returns to Oakmont, which will rival Winged Foot last year as the toughest Open setup ever. That should play into Tiger's hands. That's followed by Carnoustie, where there will be pressure to prepare the course correctly following 1999's colossal gaffe.

Prediction: Woods gets another Tiger Slam, and maybe even makes it five in a row at Carnoustie.

3. The FedEx Cup

It's going to be the topic du jour this year. In fact, one week into The Golf Channel's new era as the PGA Tour's most frequent broadcaster, the FedEx Cup is already overhyped. Please, people, give us a break.

The FedEx Cup is going to be fun because it's a curiosity and it's different but face the facts. There will be no actual suspense until the so-called FedEx Cup playoffs begin in September because 144 players qualify. Now, there may be a hell of a dogfight between a half-dozen Nationwide Tour players you've never heard of for those last few spots -- but those last few spots aren't going to matter because the quirky points system means they're pretty much dead in the water for the $10 million chase and you're not going to care, anyway. So let's lighten up on the FedEx Cup points talk. Remember, everybody who can even play dead is in.

Prediction: We'll start caring in September ... if the tour is lucky.

4. Phil MIckelson

Last year belonged to Mickelson until he fumbled the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. It was going to be his third straight major and he would've headed to the British Open on a calendar-year Grand Slam quest that would've overshadowed even Tiger. Six shots and at least one terrible decision later, Mickelson was an afterthought. His game vanished and at the Ryder Cup, he was one of the bigger holes in the Americans' sinking ship.

The last time he had a tough year and faced real adversity, Mickelson responded with the best year of his career. He has more to prove in 2007, possibly, than anyone. Can he bounce back again, this time with Tiger playing his best golf?

Prediction: Against all odds, he'll be in the mix Sunday afternoon at Oakmont in the U.S. Open.