May. 26, 2009
The TOUR is in Texas for the third and final week. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial:
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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 30 of the FedExCup rankings, the Official World Golf Ranking and the Race to Dubai. The player also must not have won in 2008 or 2009. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. EXPERT PICKS Who do our experts think will capture the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial title? Here's who they've picked to win. Click here |
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| Sleeper picks: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial |
Win McMurry |
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JASON DUFNER. He tied for ninth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and tied for fifth at the Quail Hollow Championship. Look for Jason to be atop the leaderboard again soon. |
Mike McAllister |
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ROD PAMPLING. The two-time TOUR winner has knocked on Colonial's doors several times -- a T2 last year, a third in '06, a T6 in '05. But he has just one top-10 finish in 11 starts this year.
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Lauren Deason |
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TOM LEHMAN. The 1995 winner at this event, Lehman also tied for fifth at Colonial as recently as 2007. The 50-year-old won on the Champions Tour in late April -- in his debut event, no less -- and hasn't missed a cut on the PGA TOUR in his last four starts.
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Mark Spoor |
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JUSTIN ROSE. Clearly, this is a bit of a gamble, considering his withdrawal last week from a European Tour event due to a nagging back. Still, call it a hunch, but I think he's gonna come back strong this week. |
Brian Wacker |
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LEE JANZEN. Missed cuts in three straight years and an opening-round 80 last year normally don't inspire confidence, but Janzen is playing right now more like he did in '04 and '03, when he finished in the top 20 at Colonial both times. |
Ryan Smithson |
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PAUL GOYDOS. He hasn't won his final PGA TOUR event yet. I truly believe that. He's smart enough to tailor his schedule to courses that suit him. |
John Swantek |
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BEN CRANE. He's finished fifth and T4 in his last two trips to Colonial. In good form after a final-round 66 in Dallas, the Oregon Duck flies at the home of The Hawk.
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Ceri Mobley |
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STEVE FLESCH. The only other lefty to win this tournament, Flesch can definitely handle Colonial. He's had a topsy-turvy year, but his last three starts have built on each other, and I think he's ready to have another Masters-like week on TOUR.
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T.J. Auclair |
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KEN DUKE. He's due for a win. The former Nationwide Tour Player of the Year has knocked on the door so many times for a PGA TOUR win, but hasn't been able to pick one up just yet. |
Helen Ross |
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D.A. POINTS. I rode the hot hand with my expert pick in Rory Sabbatini, so why not with the sleeper? Points posted a career-high third at Las Colinas and fired consecutive 65s on the weekend so he has to have confidence. He also has two other top-10s this year. |
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LAST WEEK: Helen Ross increased her lead by picking Briny Baird, who tied for eighth at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. 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 19:
| Standings after Week 19 |
| 1 |
Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM |
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3 |
2 |
5 |
1,240.75 |
| 2 |
Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
963.36 |
| 3 |
Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
- |
2 |
4 |
918.75 |
| 4 |
Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
2 |
2 |
3 |
880.65 |
| 5 |
Mark Spoor Coordinating Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
1 |
3 |
4 |
715.9 |
| 6 |
Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
3 |
2 |
3 |
653.91 |
| 7 |
T.J. Auclair Interactive Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
1 |
2 |
6 |
652.25 |
| 8 |
John Swantek Fantasy Insider, PGA TOUR Productions |
- |
1 |
- |
4 |
615.97 |
| 9 |
Win McMurry Host, PGA TOUR Today |
- |
- |
1 |
4 |
550.27 |
| 10 |
Ceri Mobley Associate Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
- |
1 |
4 |
514.25 |
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