Expert picks: Deutsche Bank Championship

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The second leg of the 2009 PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup takes place this week in Norton, Mass. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:

EXPERT PICKS How it works: Our 10 experts from PGATOUR.COM select the player they think will win this week's event. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. SLEEPER PICKS Of the players who didn't make the cut for our top 10 picks, which have the best chance as sleepers? Here's how our experts see it. Click here

Expert picks: Deutsche Bank Championship

Expert   Pick order Player selected   Ryan Smithson TIGER WOODS. Tiger had 114 putts last week and still only lost by a shot. I am still amazed by that. I am almost as amazed that John Swantek didn't take Steve Stricker second this week.   John Swantek PADRAIG HARRINGTON. He caught the bad second-round draw, shot 75 in the nasty morning weather, and still finished one shot out of the lead. His game is peaking at the right time. I'm riding the Irish train for another week, from New York to Boston. If Swantek had the top pick ... Harrington Brian Wacker STEVE STRICKER. I'm either a glutton for punishment or think his missed putt on the 72nd hole last week was an aberration. I'm hoping it's the latter -- he ranks 5th on TOUR in putting. He's also been consistent this season with nine top-10s, including two wins. If Wacker had the top pick ...Woods Helen Ross ERNIE ELS. I like the way he's been playing since the British Open -- and particularly last week when Els closed with a 66 and tied for second at The Barclays. Most of all, though, I like the confidence I see in him. I think he'll be back in the winner's circle soon. If Ross had the top pick ... Woods Win McMurry CAMILO VILLEGAS. After not playing the weekend at Liberty National, look for Camilo to come back hot at the second Playoffs event. He tied for third at TPC Boston in 2008 before winning the final two events to place runner-up in the FedExCup race. If McMurry had the top pick ... Woods Mike McAllister PHIL MICKELSON. Will we see the Mickelson who won at TPC Boston in 2007 or the one who was T73 last year? Lately, he's been playing like the latter one (T58, 73, T52 in last three starts) but perhaps he'll turn it around this week. If McAllister had the top pick ... Harrington Ceri Mobley HUNTER MAHAN. This was a really tough pick to make, but I like Mahan's three top-25s here, and he's still playing better than most right now. He shot 64 in the second round last year, so he should be fine at TPC Boston. If Mobley had the top pick ... Harrington Mark Spoor SERGIO GARCIA. Sure, he had that 76 on Friday, but I prefer to think of the Thursday 65 and the Sunday 70. He's on the right track. Plus, he tied for fifth last year at TPC Boston despite a final-round 72. This could be his week. If Spoor had the top pick ... Woods T.J. Auclair VIJAY SINGH. I'm shocked that the defending champ is still available. How about a little respect for a guy who has top-4 finishes -- including two wins -- in four of five starts at TPC Boston? This is the week he gets his first '09 win (he hasn't gone winless since '01). If Auclair had the top pick ... Woods Lauren Deason JIM FURYK. I was torn between Furyk and a red-hot Brandt Snedeker, but Furyk has a better record at TPC Boston (T7 in 2008, T13 in 2003) and he tends to shine in the Playoffs. In nine Playoffs starts, he has seven top-15 finishes, including last week's T15. If Deason had the top pick ... Woods

LAST WEEK: Win McMurry took the lead in the standings thanks to Jim Furyk's tie for 15th at The Barclays, while Brian Wacker, Ryan Smithson and John Swantek all made big moves when their players tied for second last week: