Golf is prepared for life without Tiger Woods

Woods will never get back to his best. (©GettyImages).

The excitement around the game of golf is low.

Viewing figures from American audiences for this year's US Open were at an all time low.

After 109 days of injured absence, Tiger Woods returned at the Congressional tournament resulting in a missed cut. The golfing world is crying out for a new superstar to grab the attention of spectators.

What is fascinating, is the focus surrounding Woods and Phil Mickelson. With the vast majority of broadcasting revenues emanating from the United States, these two heavyweights are the main money in the sport.

Masters

This year's Masters weekend, without Woods (injured) and Mickelson (missed cut), attracted the fewest number of watchers since the pre-Woods era. This is a great concern for the sport.

Naturally, journalists who remember the good old days of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Miller, Tom Watson etc. are harking back to the endless excitement that these players brought.

However, as this author was born in the nineties, it is crucial to put forward a younger, more rose-tinted view of golf at the moment.

New generation

Jordan Spieth, Martin Kaymer, Rory Mcilroy, Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama.

Within these five names, you have enough potential to win more Major Championships than the amount of times you hear 'GET IN THE HOLE' from a super-sized American spectator.

Spieth, as we saw in this year's Masters, has the mental strength and the game to win a Major. Besides that, have a look at how he won his first PGA tournament and tell me he isn't the sort of guy you want to watch.

Kaymer dominance

Two-time Major winner; Kaymer single handedly destroyed the field at this year's US Open. To retort the above criticism relating to viewing figures of this tournament, the reason they were so low was because the German was simply too good. He broke the 36-hole record for the tournament before finishing one shot behind Tiger and Rory's four-round score of 10 under par. He also held the most-pressure filled putt possible at the last Ryder Cup. He is undoubtedly a true force for the future.

Perhaps too much has been written about the young Northern Irishman, Mcilroy. 12 professional victories, including two Major Championships have seen him labelled as Tiger's successor at the zenith of world golf.

But with his recent break up from tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, will he ever reach the kind of form of his final round 62 Quail Hollow in 2010, 2011 US Open win at Congressional or 2012 PGA Championship victory? Aged 25, it would be hard to bet against it.

Fowler's only PGA tour victory came in a playoff against McIlroy in 2012. Instantly, parallels were drawn between the two young phenomenons. Since then, the young, vibrantly dressed Californian has struggled to remain consistent.

However, in 2014, tied for 5th at the Masters and 2nd at the US Open has renewed hype around his first Major Championship win becoming a reality.

Asian talents

The young Japanese, Matsuyama, has been in fine form in Asia and the United States. A month ago, he beat Kevin Na in one of the PGA Tour's most prestigious tournaments; the Memorial. Two top tens in the Majors in 2013 have added to his CV as well.

So, it isn't all doom and gloom. Yes Tiger is 38 and his knees, back, hips, teeth, golf swing, and marital status aren't what they used to be. But let us instead celebrate that the vacuum that is being filled by these hugely talented young men listed above.

This is not in the post-Tiger lull, this is the beginning of a Golden Era for golf.