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Expert Picks: Sony Open in Hawaii
 
Jan. 10, 2007
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PGA TOUR.com staff

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Which player will take the honors in this weekend's Sony Open in Hawaii? Our experts weigh in:

T.J. Auclair
PGA TOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Vijay Singh
After the way he played last week, how can you bet against Vijay Singh? Even at 43 years old, he's still recognized by his peers as the hardest-working player on TOUR. Singh prides himself on his work ethic. While he's already matched his 2006 win total, don't forget that Vijay racked up 13 top-10s a season ago. He's always on his game.
Brett Avery
The Fantasy Insider
Pick: Vijay Singh
The hardest working man in golf (with apologies to the late James Brown) can continue stacking up FedExCup points like cord wood and climbing closer to idle Phil Mickelson, the No. 4 man in the Official World Golf Ranking. The winds aren't expected to hit Honolulu with the same intensity as last week at Kapalua, although the stiffest breezes are forecast for Sunday. That would seem to favor the 2005 champ at Waialae Country Club, who remains unfazed despite almost any conditions.
Lauren Deason
PGA TOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Davis Love III
The logical choice is Vijay Singh after the 43-year-old won his 30th TOUR event last week. But that's just too predictable, so I'm going to wager that Davis Love III - who is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Mercedes-Benz Championship -- will keep Singh from a consecutive-wins streak. In the eight times he has played the Sony Open in Hawaii, Love has made seven cuts with five top-10 finishes, including a tie for second, a solo second and, most recently, a third-place finish in 2004. Besides, he can draw inspiration from his No. 1-ranked Tar Heel basketball team.
Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Vijay Singh
Oh, how I'd love to pick Trevor Immelman or Luke Donald. But the bottom line? When Veege starts playing like he did last week, it's like picking against Tiger. You don't do it.
John Maginnes
PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio analyst
Pick: Vijay Singh
It would be redundant to pick Vijay again this week. On the other hand, it would be ludicrous not to pick him. The only question that remains for me is this: If you do not have a belly can it be called a belly putter? I think that we should go with the term "body putter." Although, "metal wood" is OK, "fairway metal" seems a bit fabricated. Oh, yeah ...my pick. Vijay wins two in a row, with the body putter.
Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Vijay Singh
I picked him to win last week, and he did - so why mess with success? He is supremely confident right now after Sundays win at the Mercedes-Benz Championship. Singh has confidence in his new driver and the belly putter he picked up after watching the World Golf Championships-Barbados World Cup was dependable at Kapalua. Plus, Singh won the Sony Open in Hawaii two years ago and finished sixth at Waialae last year.
Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Vijay Singh
He didn't even putt that well down the stretch at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, but he has fixed a swing flaw that flummoxed him last year and he enters 2007 in arguably the best shape of his career. A former winner at Waialae Country Club, Singh should be right there at the end.
Mike Vitti
PGATOUR.com ShotLink Analyst
Pick: Vijay Singh
Vijay is obviously ready to go this year, and I like his aggressive style of play at this week's venue where the winning score is usually well under par. Last year, Singh was eighth in going for it birdie percentage, 10th in par breaker percentage, and 14th in birdie or better conversion percentage -- all key attributes to success at Waialae. It also does not hurt that he has posted four top-10s in 10 starts at this event, including a win in 2005.

Wondering how are experts are doing so far this season? Here's a look:

How they're doing
The 2007 record of PGA TOUR.com experts after last week's Mercedes-Benz Championship
PGATOUR.com Experts 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10s Missed Cuts Total FedExCup Points
Helen Ross 1 - 1 2 0 6200
Melanie Hauser 1 - - 1 0 4983
John Maginnes 1 - - 1 0 4678
T.J. Auclair - 1 - 1 0 3113
Mike Vitti - 1 - 1 0 2960
Lauren Deason - - 1 2 0 2733
Dave Lagarde - - - 0 0 1083
Brett Avery - - - 0 0 668
Dave Shedloski - - - 0 0 560