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An admission from the Weekly 18 staff: This is our favorite column of the year. Anyone can predict a Masters win for Phil Mickelson or another huge year for Tiger Woods. But it takes some skill to forecast which players will reach a higher echelon during the season. Check that: It takes some skill to correctly forecast which players will reach a higher echelon – and it's not as easy as it looks.

We call it "The Leap." It's what happens when a rookie keeps his PGA Tour card, or a decent player becomes a champion, or a past winner earns his first major victory.

Who's No. 2?
Will the Weekly 18's prediction of Adam Scott reaching No. 2 in the world come true? Or will another elite player hold that honor throughout the season? Vote now!

In this spot last year, we successfully foretold the fortunes of Geoff Ogilvy and Aaron Baddeley, though we're still waiting (and not giving up hope) as Bo Van Pelt and Pat Perez each search for a first PGA Tour victory. (And since we're on the topic, what the heck ever happened to Brendan Jones?)

So what will 2007 hold for the following 18 players? We can only gaze into our crystal golf ball and write what we see. Time will tell if we get it right.

The Leap: No. 2 player in the world
Analysis: No one's getting near Tiger. Let's get that fact out of the way right now. The difference between Woods' World Ranking points and those of second-ranked Jim Furyk is greater than the difference between Furyk and your great-great-grandmother. In other words, Tiger's gonna be the top cat for a long, long time. But the race for No. 2 should be pretty exciting throughout the year. Furyk currently holds that spot. Mickelson, who's No. 3, has been there, too. Same goes for Ernie Els and Vijay Singh. But it's Scott, after finally making the full-fledged transition from phenom to superstar, who will outdo all other competitors and gain the coveted spot just behind Woods in the ranking. This may be a long-term deal, too. At 26 and already the fourth-ranked player in the world, Scott's best golf is still ahead of him. His first major victory could be right around the corner (though it's debatable which of the four setups most suits his game) and any less than three wins this season will be considered a disappointment.

	Cink

The Leap: Major championship winner
Analysis: Yup, that's right. Tiger can't win 'em all. Phil, Vijay and the boys have already earned their fair share. So it's time for this veteran, workmanlike player to claim a deserved victory in a major. And not just any major, either. Woods excluded, Cink will become the story of the year when he avenges leftover demons from the 2001 U.S. Open at Southern Hills and claims this season's PGA Championship on that very same course. For those who don't recall that fateful Sunday afternoon, Cink was one stroke off the lead on the final green. He missed his 15-foot birdie putt, then rushed his par attempt from 18 inches away, trying to get out of the way for presumed champion Retief Goosen, and missed that, too. Little did Cink know, Goosen would also three-putt (from 12 feet), sending him into a playoff with Mark Brooks – one that would have included Cink had he simply two-putted. All will be exorcised on Aug. 12, as Cink's brutal six-year wait for redemption at Southern Hills concludes with a happy ending.

	Ochoa

The Leap: Major championship winner
Analysis: OK, this might not be such a stretch, considering everything else Ochoa has accomplished as of late. She won six times on the LPGA in 2006, earning Player of the Year honors and the tour's money title. She was also named the AP's Female Athlete of the Year earlier this week. The only thing left? That elusive major title. "I can imagine the taste of a major victory," Ochoa says. "I am really motivated to do it." It'll come this season. Heck, just for good measure, let's say she wins two of 'em.

	Moore

The Leap: Presidents Cup team member
Analysis: In his first two professional seasons, Moore has shown flashes of brilliance despite being hampered by injuries. Expect greater consistency and better results, including his first career tour victory (and maybe his second, too), in '07. Simply put, Moore is easily one of the 10 most talented American golfers right now, meaning even if he doesn't earn his way onto this year's Presidents Cup team, don't be surprised if Captain Jack makes him a special selection.

	Casey

The Leap: Major championship contender
Analysis: Forget whatever you think you know about Casey. He doesn't "hate Americans," as his words were twisted to imply following the 2004 Ryder Cup. And he isn't an underachiever on the course – at least, not anymore. In '06, the 29-year-old Englishman won three Euro Tour events, was voted Player of the Year and became a key cog at The K Club. That said, he didn't fare better than 15th in any of his three major starts and, despite a T-6 at the Masters in '04, has never seriously contended in a big one. That changes this season, as Casey makes a run up the leaderboard at Augusta National, Carnoustie and maybe Southern Hills. He might not earn his first major title, but Casey will be right in the thick of things on at least one major Sunday this year.

	Kim

The Leap: LPGA Rookie of the Year
Analysis: In 2005, Seon-Hwa Lee earned the money title on the Futures. One year later, she parlayed that into a ROY performance on the LPGA. Meanwhile, Kim followed her fellow South Korea native atop the Futures money list in '06, claiming five victories in the process. Expect her to continue following in Lee's footsteps now that she's hit the big time. By one count, there will be at least eight players with the surname "Kim" on the LPGA this year, but Song-Hee will certainly make a name for herself early and often.

	Quigley

The Leap: PGA Tour winner
Analysis: Skip Kendall, you're almost off the hook. (And no, not in the cool slang way that kids use the phrase these days.) Kendall is currently the PGA Tour's career money leader without a victory, but Quigley is barreling down on him in a hurry. The New England native trails Kendall by a mere $54,270, but don't think he'll remain winless much longer. Quigs had a career year in '06, earning 10 top-10s and reaching the Tour championship for the first time, but he's still lacking a trophy on the shelf. Here's saying he gets it this year, likely at a tight course like Harbour Town or Colonial.

	Wi

The Leap: PGA Tour top 50 money winner
Analysis: The best player in the world named Wie isn't a Wie at all; it's Charlie Wi, whose surname is pronounced just like Michelle's but whose on-course success has exceeded the more popular Wie's. After finishing 186th on the PGA Tour money list as a rookie member in 2005, Wi was 40th on the Nationwide money list and third on that of the Asian Tour last season. And don't expect him to get all choked up when squaring off against the world's best players. As a collegian at Cal, Wi was on the same All-America team as Woods and Cink.

	Chopra

The Leap: Tour Championship competitor
Analysis: First things first: This dude can putt. He ranked first in putting average on tour in 2006. Expect that to equate to at least one victory in '07. (The only surprise, really, is how a title has eluded his grasp so far.) Now for the icing on the cake: He plays just about every week and seems to hit his peak late in the year. The good news for Chopra is that a good late-season run will have him in the mix for a $10 million payday at East Lake in September.

	Goggin

The Leap: Tour Championship competitor
Analysis: Like Chopra, another guy who may earn his first career victory in '07. And like Chopra, he's a guy who may shine during the FedEx Cup playoffs. Last season, he finished T-9 at the Barclays (this year's first round of the playoffs) and T-2 at the Western Open (now the BMW and third round of the playoffs). Similar results may net him some profitable gains this time around.

	Stadler

The Leap: PGA Tour winner
Analysis: Book it now. Tell your friends. Write it in ink. The son of the Walrus wins a PGA Tour event in 2007. He's the most talented player to graduate from the Nationwide Tour this season, having earned two victories on the lesser circuit last year, plus a title at the prestigious Johnnie Walker Classic against a strong field. Stads struggled in his initial PGA Tour go-round two years ago, earning just two top-10s in 33 starts, but he's a more mature player now, one who's going to make a big impact in his return.

	Kim

The Leap: Fan favorite
Analysis: There will be plenty of stories written about Kim this year, most of which will include the following adjectives: brash, confident, cocky. At 21, the University of Oklahoma product will be the youngest PGA Tour regular in '07, but don't think that will faze him much. After all, this is a kid who turned pro last year, finishing T-2 at the Texas Open in his first big-league event, then calmly rolled through all three stages of Q School in the fall. It's that type of moxie that should endear him to galleries throughout the season.

	Langer

The Leap: Champions Tour winner
Analysis: We've heard that good things come to those who wait, but if you're looking to bank on the two-time Masters champ in your upcoming Champions Tour office pool, don't hold your breath. After all, the guy doesn't turn 50 until Aug. 27. Once he does, though, watch out. Langer still has as much game as more than half the guys on the regular circuit, so expect him to tear apart the older folks once he can show proof of age.

	Siem

The Leap: European Tour top 10 money winner
Analysis: If you paid close attention – and we mean really close – during golf's supposed "offseason," you may have caught Siem teaming with Langer to win the World Cup for Germany. The 26-year-old was hardly riding his elder's coattails toward the title, though. The ponytailed Siem was 50th on last year's Order of Merit, but already owns two top-10 results in the '07 season (yes, it started already) and should build on the 2004 Dunhill Championship, which stands as his lone individual victory to date.

	Snedeker

The Leap: PGA Tour winner
Analysis: Those who have seen this Nationwide Tour grad know he has plenty of game, especially on the short grass. So where might he win this year? Well, if you're inclined to partake in some entertainment-only sweepstakes, check out these facts: He's a Tennessee native, was the two-time high school state champion, earned All-America honors at Vanderbilt, lost a Nationwide playoff in Chattanooga last year, and resides in Nashville. Hmmm … Stanford St. Jude Championship, anyone?

	Fernandez-Castano

The Leap: European Tour rising star
Analysis: When it comes to Spanish golfers, the trend has been quality over quantity. Though not many Spaniards have hit the big time, those who did became one-name stars. Seve. Ollie. Sergio. Can Gonzalo be next in line? A close inspection of his statistics shows Fernandez-Castano, 26, doesn't do anything particularly well (though he does bang it a long way off the tee), but the 2005 Euro Tour Rookie of the Year does know how to win, as evidenced by Euro Tour victories in each of his last two seasons.

	Buckle

The Leap: PGA Tour top 125 money winner
Analysis: One tour official who spends a lot of time on the Nationwide circuit says this Aussie has "a chance to be really good." That was enough to make us keep our eyes on him for much of the season and we liked what we saw. Buckle was second on the Nationwide Tour's All-Around ranking, which is the best measure, statistically, of how good a player really is over the long haul. Making the top 125 won't be an easy feat for any rooks this season, but expect Buckle to be there.

	Reifers

The Leap: PGA Tour top 125 money winner
Analysis: In his first Nationwide Tour start after graduating from Wake Forest, Reifers shot a final-round 11-under 61 and won the Chattanooga Classic in a playoff. A one-hit wonder? Not exactly. One week earlier, Reifers had won in his first pro start on the Tarheel Tour, which came on the heels of a second-place finish in the NCAA Championship. Though he never finished better than T-12 in his 14 subsequent events, this kid is the real deal. Look for a late-season push to give him full playing privileges once again for 2008.

Jason Sobel is ESPN.com's golf editor. He can be reached at Jason.Sobel@espn3.com.