Apr. 15, 2009
The PGA TOUR travels to Hilton Head Island, S.C., for the Verizon Heritage. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:
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SLEEPER PICKS How it works: Our 10 experts from PGATOUR.COM select any player who isn't ranked in the top 20 of the FedExCup rankings, the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking and hasn't won that season. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. EXPERT PICKS Who do our experts think will capture the Verizon Heritage title? Here's who they've picked to win. Click here |
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| Sleeper picks: Verizon Heritage |
John Swantek |
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TIM CLARK. Somehow, this pea shooter keeps contending at monstrous Augusta National (T13). Harbour Town suits his small ball style even better and is the perfect venue for the maiden victory. |
Win McMurry |
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AARON BADDELEY He won the Verizon Heritage in 2006 for his first PGA TOUR title. This course suits his game and would be the perfect place to win for the third time.
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Mike McAllister |
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JOHN SENDEN. He currently ranks fourth on TOUR in greens in regulation, so that will serve him well this week. And he's playing well, with two top 10s this season.
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T.J. Auclair |
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DAVIS LOVE III. He returns to a course where he's won several times, so Love is always a favorite at Harbour Town. He's also likely raring to go after missing out on the Masters, so watch out for the five-time Verizon Heritage winner. |
Ceri Mobley |
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TREVOR IMMELMAN. The 2008 Masters champ seems to have found his missing game of late. It's a risky pick, but I think our Trevor might finally have recovered from last year's celebrity. |
Mark Spoor |
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RORY SABBATINI. He's coming off a satisfying tie for 20th last week at Augusta National. That's satisfying if you're playing the way he's played this year. Plus, he's just due. |
Lauren Deason |
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BRIAN GAY. Reason No. 1: He's missed just one cut this year. Reason No. 2: He's fourth in driving accuracy in 2009, which will serve him well on the tight layout. Reason No. 3: He's notched top-16 finishes in two of the last three years in Hilton Head.
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Brian Wacker |
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D.J. TRAHAN. He's got a couple of top 10s this year, but more importantly is second on TOUR in greens in regulation -- very important at Harbour Town -- and fourth in total driving and 12th in birdie average.
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Helen Ross |
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LUCAS GLOVER. The South Carolinian tied for seventh last year and has been playing well early in 2009. He's been one round away from really contending so maybe the return to Harbour Town will serve Glover well. |
Ryan Smithson |
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JEFF KLAUK. This rookie isn't playing like one. He is 36th in FedExCup points and finished fourth several weeks ago. |
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LAST WEEK: Brian Wacker selected Angel Cabrera as his sleeper pick last week and earned 600 points to vault from last place into first. Each week, we'll update the standings based on the FedExCup points accumulated by the players selected by our experts. Here's how it stands after Week 14:
| Standings after Week 14 |
| 1 |
Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
892.54 |
| 2 |
Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM |
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2 |
1 |
3 |
892.25 |
| 3 |
Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
2 |
1 |
3 |
744.25 |
| 4 |
Mark Spoor Coordinating Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
1 |
2 |
3 |
593.4 |
| 5 |
John Swantek Fantasy Insider, PGA TOUR Productions |
- |
1 |
- |
4 |
492.47 |
| 6 |
Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
2 |
2 |
2 |
481.58 |
| 7 |
T.J. Auclair Interactive Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
1 |
2 |
3 |
478.31 |
| 8 |
Win McMurry Host, PGA TOUR Today |
- |
- |
1 |
3 |
466.72 |
| 9 |
Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM |
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- |
2 |
4 |
418.75 |
| 10 |
Ceri Mobley Associate Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
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- |
1 |
3 |
355.5 |
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