Who will win more majors - Americans or Internationals?

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No. 1 Lee Westwood and No. 2 Tiger Woods are early favorites to win major championships in 2011.

Note: With the Hyundai Tournament of Champions beginning on Thursday, Jan. 6, we've asked our columnists to predict what's in store for the 2011 PGA TOUR season.

Who will win more majors -- the Americans or International players?

Stan Awtrey: After the Internationals won three of the major championships last year, it's time for the Americans to get serious again. It won't be easy; Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer shared the European Tour's Player of the Year honor. And Paul Casey, Luke Donald and Justin Rose are each worthy of major consideration. But it doesn't require a big leap of faith to imagine Tiger Woods will rebound and win one of the four and it isn't implausible to believe that Phil Mickelson could go back-to-back at Augusta. And no one could possibly be surprised to see Hunter Mahan win his first major. Until the Americans break through again, though, the ball belongs in the court of the International players.

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Craig Dolch: It wasn't that long ago when there were just as many Americans on the PGA TOUR as Internationals. That is no longer the case, because so many of the world's top players now make their livings in the U.S. Last year's 3-1 win by the Internationals in the majors is a sign of things to come, based on sheer numbers. While the pendulum has shifted back and forth on this issue over the years -- the Internationals won six of seven Masters from 1988-94 and four consecutive U.S. Opens 2004-2007, for instance -- it's getting more difficult to expect the Americans to hold their own when they are so outnumbered. At least until Tiger Woods regains his winning touch.

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Melanie Hauser: They'll break even. Two for the Yanks, two for the rest of the world. Thinking at least one for Tiger, one for Lee Westwood. The Masters? Um, think Tiger. The Open? Congressional will be a bear and could be a Westwood-Ernie Els battle. Throw in a little Martin Kaymer or Graeme McDowell for good measure. Royal St. George's is just plain quirky. The last time there, Tiger lost his tee shot on the first hole Thursday -- in plain view of, oh, a couple hundred spectators and marshals. Who knows? And Atlanta Athletic Club? Maybe Phil, who lost to David Toms in 2001.

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Helen Ross: As impressive as the wins by Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer were, I don't think it signaled the seismic shift in the balance of power that many have portrayed. I expect the Americans to show up at the majors in 2011 -- and get the job done this time -- maybe winning three of the four. The most likely candidates? Well, I doubt Tiger Woods will go winless again this year, and he may even get greedy. Phil Mickelson, who has won three of the last seven Masters, should contend again in his title defense at Augusta National and don't forget that he was runner-up in 2001 when the PGA was last played at Atlanta Athletic Club. It's been a long major drought for Jim Furyk but the confidence he regained last year in winning the FedExCup could be quite a springboard.

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Brian Wacker: I'm going with the Americans. Just look at the track record. As good as the Europeans were in 2010, the major venues all set up pretty well for American players. Phil Mickelson won the Masters last year, Tiger Woods won at Congressional the last time his AT&T National was played there (though it will obviously be set up much different for the U.S. Open), Ben Curtis was victorious in the British Open's last trip to Royal St. George's and David Toms was a winner the last time the PGA was at Atlanta Athletic Club.

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