In any other year, Bubba Watson’s season might have generated a little attention.

Golf’s mercurial marvel won twice during the P.G.A. Tour season, including a World Golf Championships stop. He finished second on three occasions and third on two others.

That’s eight starts out of 19 in which Watson finished no worse than third. Who wouldn’t be thrilled with that kind of performance chart?

“I was,” Watson said, “but Jason kept beating me.”

That would be Jason Day, the Australian at the forefront of the International Team in the Presidents Cup, which starts Thursday in Incheon, South Korea. Day, 27, shot to No.1 in the world rankings with four victories since late July, including the P.G.A. Championship and two FedExCup playoff events.

There’s also the American Jordan Spieth, 21, who put a halt to Day’s run at the top, adding the season finale, the FedExCup, to his Masters and United States Open titles. You might even bring up Rickie Fowler, 26, who with three victories since May is the golfer many think is most likely to expand the “Big Three” of Spieth, Day and Rory McIlroy.