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Expert picks: Mercedes-Benz Championship sleepers
 
Jan. 3, 2007
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Who could sneak up on the field this week at the Mercedes-Benz Championship? Here are our experts' picks:

Brett Avery
PGATOUR.com Fantasy Insider
Pick: Corey Pavin
OK, so the last time he played this thing Bill Clinton was prepping to take the oath of office a second time and La Costa Country Club was the tournament's venue. Big deal. He's a two-time Sony Open in Hawaii champ (do you remember 1985 and 86?) and can maneuver his way around tough courses. In his book, this start is found money, one of the nice bonuses for that U.S. Bank in Milwaukee triumph. Other first-timers at Kapalua will have their eyes spinning this week. This guy knows how to handle it.
T.J. Auclair
PGA TOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Joe Durant
Aside from the fact that this gentleman, who is the epitome of the title, "Average Joe," finished off 2006 as the hottest player on the planet (six top-10s in his last nine events, including a win at Disney -- his first in five seasons), he's got to be the sentimental favorite. With the tragic, untimely death of his sister-in-law on Christmas Eve, Durants mind could be as far away from his golf game as Maui is from his home in Pensacola, Fla. That, along with the fact that he is one of the purest ball-strikers on TOUR and has a caddie in Bob Low, who is arguably the most positive, encouraging person you'll ever meet, leads me to believe that while I'm picking him as I sleeper, I wouldn't be surprised in the least to see Joe hoisting the trophy and being handed the keys to a new Benz on Sunday.
Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Will MacKenzie
It's hard to deem anyone a sleeper pick at this event, but the closest thing to an unknown guy who could come out of nowhere is MacKenzie. Even with his win at the Reno-Tahoe Open last year, MacKenzie has remained a little-known TOUR pro, ending the year at No. 100 on the money list. That could change this week, as the winds at Kapalua can further reward a strong driving performance. MacKenzie was 26th in total driving on TOUR last year and 40th in driving distance, so if he performs well in that category he has a chance. Besides, the snowboarding, rock-climbing, kayaking outdoor enthusiast seems like just the type to do totally radical in the exotic locale.
Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Vijay Singh
Hard to think about Vijay Singh as a sleeper, but it's true. He struggled last season, missing cuts at the last two majors. He's ready to re-establish himself in '07. And before you grumble that he's no sleeper -- when was the last time you picked him to win?
Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Nationwide Tour columnist
Pick: Troy Matteson
The Nationwide Tour earnings record holder finally found his comfort zone near the end of his PGA TOUR rookie season. Can great play carry over? It just might.
John Maginnes
PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio analyst
Pick: Dean Wilson
You have to go with the home-state boy. He knows exactly how to handle his mai-tais and the trade winds. Not to mention the fact that the only golf course on the PGA TOUR that has more elevations change than Kapalua is Castle Pines, which hosts The INTERNATIONAL, where he is the defending champion. Seems like this Hawaiian has a little billy goat blood thrown in for good measure.
Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Trevor Immelman
He'll be playing in his first Mercedes-Benz Championship this week, but 2006 was a year of firsts for Trevor Immelman and he didn't do too badly, did he? The PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year beat Tiger Woods at the Cialis Western Open and had consecutive runner-up finishes earlier in the season. No less than Ernie Els called his countryman "a hell of a player and Kapalua would be a great place to lend credence to the Big Easy's words.
Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Corey Pavin
In a field of winners, does anyone qualify for this distinction? OK, if you have to pick a longshot, it's going to be someone who doesn't have long shots, which would be Corey Pavin. The course is playing short with the trade winds, but Pavin will still be the most challenged hitter in the field and will have to take alternate routes while the big hitters cut corners.
Mike Vitti
PGATOUR.com ShotLink Analyst
Pick: Brett Wetterich
Power off the tee is definitely a benefit at Kapalua and Brett Wetterich, who ranked fourth in driving distance in 2006, is one of the biggest hitters in the field. With the receptive landing zones on this course, Wetterich is free to attack par 4s and par 5s from the tee setting up favorable approaches from the fairway -- where he ranked 17th in birdie or better percentage in 2006.