Ever since Phil Micklelson hit that amazing shot from the pine needles in-between trees at the Masters, this golf season has gone down faster than Pauly D's career.

Post Masters, it's been one uninteresting, unexciting major after another and the best thing that can be said about this week's PGA Championship is that when it's over, maybe the fog will have lifted off golf too and set up a much, better 2011 season (if it's any worse, the PGA Tour might as well start calling itself the NHL). Tiger Woods' mini slump (and that's exactly what is, just a little blip in his career, right in line with off seasons Jack Nicklaus and numerous other greats have experienced at nearly the same point in their career) plays no small part in this of course.

But it's more than just Tiger only being a tease at the majors (now he's in contention, now he's not).

When Tiger Woods limped into seclusion after winning the 2008 U.S. Open on one knee (still the greatest win of his career and probably anyone's), golf still enjoyed a fantastic rest of the season. No, this is more than Tiger. It's a general malaise that's settled over golf like the fog over the Whistling Straits course that played such havoc with this PGA Championship.

The only thing that can save golf from another mediocre major winner, another boring Sunday, is Rory McIlroy.

The 21-year-old from Northern Ireland is really the only young gun in the post-Tiger generation that's come at all close to living up to the advanced hype. He has game and charisma to spare — and he's only three shots back of leader Nick Watney in the midst of third round play today.

Watney would be another disaster of a major winner for golf. McIlroy would be nirvana.

He'd instantly make this season matter (a career re-defining win for Mickelson and McIlroy's first big moment would give 2010 some historic staying power after all).

No pressure, kid. Golf's future just depends on your next 22 holes.