Sleeper Picks: Turning Stone Resort Championship
 
Sep. 19, 2007
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T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Nick Flanagan

Why not? This is the first tournament Flanagan plays as an official member of the PGA TOUR after earning a performance promotion for winning three times on the Nationwide Tour. This event, arguably more so than most, should provide a level playing field for all seeing as it's only the second time the TOUR has visited Atunyote Golf Club.

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Brett Avery
The Fantasy Insider
Pick: Nick Flanagan

Think this guy's eager for the first round at Turning Stone? He snagged an in-season promotion from the Nationwide Tour by winning the Xerox Classic on Aug. 19, finally completing the trifecta with the Henrico County Open (April 29) and BMW Charity Pro-Am at The Cliffs (May 20). Of course, instead of getting a PGA TOUR start immediately after hoisting the Xerox Classic trophy, he's had to wait through the Playoffs for his first TOUR start since the 2005 British Open (where he tied for 23rd). Here's what's to like about him in the Fall Finish, where courses tend to yield better scores: He was third on the Nationwide Tour in birdie or better conversion percentage at a whopping 35.36 percent.

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Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com
Editorial Coordinator Pick: John Rollins

He has plenty of luck in the Northeast since his two PGA TOUR victories and one Nationwide Tour victory came in Hershey, Penn.; Ontario, Canada; and Verona, N.Y. Though Rollins isn't technically the defending champion at the Turning Stone Resort Championship -- it's complicated, but suffice it to say that this is a new tournament held at a venue where Rollins won last year -- he has a history of performing well in New York in the past. But there's good and bad news with picking Rollins: he played in all four Playoff events, unlike most of the others in the field, which means he won't be rusty but might also be worn out.

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Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Nick Flannagan
Why? Why not? He's got game and he's -- fortunately or unfortunately -- rested. Timing isn't always everything, but patience is. He earned this shot a month ago with his third Nationwide Tour win but got sidelined by the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. It's time to show us what he's got.

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Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Rich Beem

He got hot at The Barclays but cooled down with a poor weekend at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Perhaps he found his game after sitting idle for two weeks.

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John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor
Pick: Nick Flanagan

Nationwide Tour players who earned the mid-season promotion haven't always faired well in their first few starts. Nick may be different. His three Nationwide Tour wins have guaranteed him a spot on the TOUR next year, so now he can freewheel for a couple of months and make some big coin.

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Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondants
Pick: John Rollins

He showed signs of getting untracked last week with an opening 64 at THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. Rollins is the defending champion at the Atunyote Golf Club, too, so the positive vibes could be just what the talented Virginian needs to regain the form that marked the first half of his season.

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Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: John Rollins
He won the B.C. Open last year at Turning Stone Resort, but, like our favorite selection Robert Allenby, Rollins is coming off four starts in the last four weeks as he competed in the entire PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. He might need sleep rather than be a sleeper pick, but he's a strong man with a track record, so why not give him the benefit of the doubt?