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Expert Picks: Nissan Open
 
Feb. 14, 2007
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PGATOUR.com Staff

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Which player will take the honors in this weekend's Nissan Open? Our experts weigh in:

T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Adam Scott
It's hard to bet against Phil Mickelson after his dominating performance in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last week, but I'm going to. Leftys best finish in eight trips to Riviera was a T15 in 1999 and he hasnt played there since missing the cut in 2001. Because of all that, I'm going to pick Adam Scott to win. The young Aussie won the tournament in 2005 (though it didnt count as an official TOUR win because weather forced it to be reduced to 36 holes) and backed that up with a solo-second in 2006. So he's finished 1-2 in two starts.
Brett Avery
The Fantasy Insider
Pick: Adam Scott
Five weeks off since that Mercedes-Benz Championship runner-up finish, not a bad life, huh? I'm touting him while understanding that three of his four missed cuts around the world in the past two years came after at least one week off. Still, he's too tempting with last year's second and 2005 win at Riviera.
Lauren Deason
PGA TOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Adam Scott
Scott, with his movie star looks and youthful charm, fits in well in L.A. Not to mention, the Australian finished second at the Nissan Open in 2006 and unofficially won the weather-shortened tournament in 2005. In his only PGA TOUR start of this year, Scott placed second at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, an event he qualified for after winning THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola in 2006. He could claim his first official victory at the Riviera Country Club this week if he continues his stellar play.
Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Adam Scott
No, not Phil. He has a hot hand, but that would simply be too easy. Instead, the choice here is Adam Scott. He was an accidental winner, of sorts, with the rain-shortened in 2005, but he stepped up again last year to disprove the naysayers. He's got the game and he's prepping for big things in the next few months.
Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Contributor
Pick: Adam Scott
He's nearly perfect at Riviera, finishing with the old 1-2, a first in 2005 and a second in 2006. Apparently, he is crazy mad about the track that Tiger can't seem to get the hang of and if his putting improves just marginally, Scott might be ready to thrust himself into a serious challenger's role to Woods.
John Maginnes
PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio analyst
Pick: Jonathan Byrd
I am going with Jonathan Byrd for two reasons. We are at Hogan's Alley, after all. He looks like Hogan, he dresses like Hogan and when he is at his best, he plays like the Wee Iceman. The second reason is that at the FBR Open he tweaked his shoulder and was forced to withdraw. He smartly took an extra week to make sure that it was good enough to withstand 72 holes. That shows a significant amount of patience for a young player and patience is what is required at Riviera.
Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Phil Mickelson
OK. So I know Adam Scott's record here is unparalleled - an unofficial win in 2005 and second last year on the heels of a final-round 64. But particularly after seeing my cohorts' picks, I wanted to be different, and I think you can make a strong case for Phil Mickelson. He was positively Fred-Funkish with his driver last week and nothing short of dominant in that five-stroke win at Pebble Beach. He's making his first trip to Riviera since 2001, and it seems like fortuitous timing.
Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Adam Scott
With respect to the red-hot Phil Mickelson, Scott has to be the choice given his second-place finish last year and his "unofficial" win in 36 holes the year before, a result that rings official in the book of the TOUR Insider, if nowhere else. A win is a win is a win. Let's see if he can handle Riviera in what well could be major championship conditions. His suspect major record aside, I think he can.
Mike Vitti
PGATOUR.com ShotLink Analyst
Pick: Ian Poulter
On a course set-up that should favor solid shot-making and a precise short game, Poulter may be well prepared to tackle Riviera as he enters the week ranked sixth in scrambling and 11th in proximity to the hole. Add to that the fact that he has finished in the top 15 in five of his last six events in the U.S. and the Nissan Open could very well be the site of his first victory on the PGA TOUR.

Wondering how our experts are doing so far this season? Here's a look:

How they're doing
The 2007 record of PGA TOUR.com experts after last week's AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
PGATOUR.com Experts 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10s Missed Cuts Total FedExCup Points
Helen Ross 2 0 1 3 3 13,386
Melanie Hauser 2 0 0 2 2 11,060
T.J. Auclair 1 1 1 3 1 10,917
John Maginnes 2 0 0 2 2 10,670
Lauren Deason 1 0 1 3 3 7,766
Dave Shedloski 1 0 0 3 3 7,741
Dave Lagarde 1 0 0 1 3 7,029
Brett Avery 1 0 0 0 3 5,988
Mike Vitti 0 1 0 1 2 4,875

The Nationwide Tour heads to Australia this weekend for the Jacob's Creek Open Championship. Nationwide Tour correspondent Dave LaGarde weighs in:

Dave Lagarde
PGA TOUR.com contributor
Pick: Brett Rumsford
In a tournament dominated by Australians, let's take a flier on non-Nationwide Tour member Brett Rumsford.

Meanwhile, the Champions Tour heads to Tampa for the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. Champions Tour correspondent Lauren Deason gives her pick:

Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Tom Watson
A week ago at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Watson tied for 19th and earned 293 FedExCup points. If the 57-year-old Watson can still compete with the young guys, then who's to say he cant win this weeks pro-am on the Champions Tour -- the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am at TPC Tampa Bay? Watson, an eight-time Champions Tour winner, tied for ninth at the MasterCard Championship in Hualalai earlier this year.