EDS Byron Nelson Championship
Monday May 18 – Sunday May 24, 2009

Sleeper Picks: EDS Byron Nelson Championship

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Apr. 22, 2008

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T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.COM Interactive Producer
Pick: Steve Marino
As a rookie in 2007, Marino tied for 10th at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. He's got a couple of nice finishes in 2008 -- a tie for fourth at the Sony Open in Hawaii and a sole second at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. The only thing missing from Marino's resume is a victory. It's a silly thing to say for a second-year player, but Marino's transition from life on the mini tours and the Nationwide Tour to the PGA TOUR has been amazing. He's excelled at every level and will eventually get the win that eludes him. This could be that week.

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Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.COM Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Brett Wetterich
The 2006 champion at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, Wetterich's off to a shaky start in 2008. Two missed cuts, three finishes no better than 60th and just one inside the top 40. Given his comfort level at TPC Las Colinas, though, his season could turn this week. Wetterich tied for 10th there in 2007, proving 2006 was no fluke. Will he earn career victory No. 2 this week?

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Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Pick: Omar Uresti
It came down to a trio of fellowTexans. Harrison Frazar and J.J. Henry would be great choices since they were consultants on the tweaks here, but ..... Uresti tied for sixth and tied for third the last two times he played here. A reach? Maybe, but that's what sleepers are. Plus, it's a Texas thing. We know how much this means to him.

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John Maginnes
PGATOUR.COM Contributor
Pick: Colt Knost
I am going all the way back to the Nationwide Tour --.sort of -- for my darkhorse this week. Knost is playing on a sponsor's exemption this week, a year older and a year wiser. The former U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links champion is playing on the Nationwide Tour this year. He is off to a decent start, but I think that there are good things ahead for this young man,.and they may just start this week.

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Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
Pick: Brett Wetterich
Brett has spent the last few months recovering from a shoulder injury, but he's back. The 2006 champion's sole PGA TOUR victory is here in Dallas and his tie for 10th in 2007 made him the first defending champion of the event to finish in the top 10 since Fred Couples in 1988. He's ready to get back in contention and this is a setting where he feels extremely comfortable.

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Scott Pianowski
PGATOUR.COM Fantasy Insider
Pick: Ben Crane
Completing my tortoise-and-hare selections for this week (I've got Sabbatini on the other side of the bracket), let's give Crane a shot. He's quietly having a solid year -- nine straight checks, 10th in scoring average, eighth in total driving -- and he's made 4-of-5 cuts here, including a second-place finish in 2002.

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Helen Ross
PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
Pick: John Rollins
This is a home game for Rollins, who is coming off a tie for 14th at the Verizon Heritage. He's had three top-20s already this year -- and three at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. Maybe this will be the week he contends.

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Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.COM Senior Correspondent
Pick: Justin Leonard
Fourteen starts in his hometown tournament has produced just two top-10 finishes. Three wins in the Valero Texas Open shows he can excel in the Lone Star State just fine. Perhaps it's his turn to win now that Scott Verplank has gotten his.

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John Swantek
PGA TOUR Productions Fantasy Insider
Pick: J.J. Henry
Hard to imagine anyone more comfortable on D.A. Weibring's dramatic re-design of TPC Four Seasons than Henry, who was the player consultant on the project. Add to that three straight top-15 finishes in Big D for the Fort Worth resident; sleeper value while sleeping in his own bed.

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Expert Standings
Following the Verizon Heritage
PGATOUR.com Experts 1st 2nd 3rd Top-10s Missed Cuts FedExCup Points
Win McMurry 4 3 2 11 8 32,074
Dave Shedloski 2 5 1 12 5 31,677
Scott Pianowski 2 4 2 13 8 29,410
Lauren Deason 2 5 1 11 8 28,535
Helen Ross 2 4 - 11 13 27,892
Melanie Hauser 2 2 - 8 9 21,201
T.J. Auclair 2 1 - 7 7 18,903
John Maginnes 1 3 2 7 11 17,762
John Swantek 1 3 1 7 8 16,663
Dave Lagarde 1 1 - 7 7 13,692
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