Young guns who could win

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- THE PLAYERS Championship annually has the best field of any PGA TOUR event but that doesn't seem to faze the younger players. In the tournament's first 34 years, 13 winners were younger than 30 years old at the time they dropped in their final putt at Sawgrass.

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Adam Scott won the 2004 PLAYERS Championship.

Certainly, the 20-somethings are on a roll this PGA TOUR season, with 22-year-old Anthony Kim the latest young gun to claim a title (at Sunday's Wachovia Championship). Will the trend continue this week at THE PLAYERS? If so, here are our five top 20-something picks for Sawgrass:

1. Adam Scott (27 years old): This is a no-brainer. He's the 2004 winner of THE PLAYERS and he's had three top-10s since. The supremely talented Aussie was playing so well that he cut short a vacation, returning to the U.S. and winning the EDS Byron Nelson Championship two weeks ago.

2. Anthony Kim (22): Forget that missed cut and final-round 83 in his PLAYERS debut last year. This kid has game -- and motivation -- and he comes to TPC Sawgrass with momentum after that win last week at Quail Hollow Club.

3. Brandt Snedeker (27): He tied for 12th a year ago in his first appearance at THE PLAYERS, then went on to pick up his first win later in the year on the way to Rookie of the Year honors. He has four top-10s already this year, including a tie for third at the Masters.

4. Sean O'Hair (25): This course owes O'Hair after his meltdown at the 17th hole last year. He's playing well this year, too, with a win at the PODS Championship in March and a tie for third the following week.

5. Sergio Garcia (28): He hasn't won on the PGA TOUR since 2005 and he still looking for his first major championship. THE PLAYERS would be a great place to take the next step. Garcia was second last year and fourth in 2002, so he should have confidence.

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