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Sleeper Picks: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun
 
Feb. 21, 2007
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• Who will win? • Tournament Coverage • Play TOUR Fantasy Games
Which player could sneak up on the field in this weekend's Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun? Our experts weigh in:

T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Esteban Toledo
Toledo, a former boxer, has not been a regular on the PGA TOUR since 2004 where he missed the cut 28 times in 36 events. So why in the world do I have him as a sleeper pick? I expect Toledo to rise to the occasion, teeing it up in a TOUR event on home soil.
Lauren Deason
PGA TOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Michael Putnam
Putnam hasn't made quite the splash on the PGA TOUR that he'd probably hoped, but there will be plenty of time for the 24-year-old to do that. Since tying for fourth in just his second TOUR appearance at the 2005 Buick Invitational, Putnam has only two top-25 finishes. After a successful college career, where the Pepperdine alum finished second at the 2005 NCAAs, he competed on the Nationwide Tour in 2006 and earned two second places there as well. Maybe he can finally get a victory at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riveria Maya-Cancun this week.
Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Craig Kanada
Haven't heard much about him? You will. He came out of the pack at the Nationwide Tour Championship to write a fairytale ending with back-to-back chip-ins on the last two holes and a closing 66. He's playing solid and giving himself a lot of chances.
Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Contributor
Pick: Bill Haas
He's been playing well and he could be ready to challenge this week.
John Maginnes
PGA TOUR Network on XM Radio analyst
Pick: Vance Veazey
My dark horse this week is Vance Veazey. That's right I am picking the man with the worst nickname on the PGA Tour, "terrible." That is how the savant, Mo Norman, described Vance's swing to a reporter several years ago at the Canadian Open after watching him on the range. Mo was wrong about Vance. Vance won two years ago in the season-opening Nationwide Tour event in Panama. He loves hot weather and Bermuda greens. Furthermore, if Vance can put it all together this week it will be one of the most popular victories of the year. At least in the locker room.
Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Vaughn Taylor
Taylor has two PGA TOUR victories -- ironically, both coming in an opposite field event like the Mayakoba Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun. Perhaps Taylor, who tied for 11th at the FRB Open, will find Mexico as much to his liking as Reno.
Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Graeme McDowell
A native of Northern Ireland, McDowell has had chances to win on the PGA TOUR in the past, most notably at the 2005 Bay Hill Invitational, when he finished runner-up to Kenny Perry. Making his '07 TOUR debut, McDowell hasn't contended but one time on the European Tour this year, and in his last two starts he ended up well over par. Maybe a change of scenery will help.
Mike Vitti
PGATOUR.com ShotLink Analyst
Pick: Arjun Atwal
Atwal has only played in one event so far in 2007, but it looks like he has regained his putting old form as he finished first in putts per round and one putt percentage.

Wondering how our 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 Nissan Open
PGATOUR.com Experts 1st 2nd 3rd Top 10s Missed Cuts Total FedExCup Points
Helen Ross 2 1 1 3 3 16,311
T.J. Auclair 1 1 2 3 1 12,267
Melanie Hauser 2 0 0 2 2 11,248
John Maginnes 2 0 0 2 3 10,895
Dave Shedloski 1 0 1 3 3 9,091
Lauren Deason 1 0 1 3 3 7,875
Dave Lagarde 1 0 0 1 3 7,079
Brett Avery 1 0 0 0 4 6,038
Mike Vitti 0 1 0 1 4 4,875

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