Expert Picks: Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic

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Jul. 7, 2009

Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung: Tee times | Field | Power Rankings | More: John Deere Classic picks | Sleepers

PGATOUR.COM will have expert picks and sleepers for each Nationwide Tour event this year. Our experts -- Nationwide Tour producer Ceri Mobley and marketing assistant Jordan Crampton, who formerly worked for the Nationwide Tour -- will each choose two players they consider favorites that week and a sleeper pick (a player who is not inside "THE 25"). Here are their selections for this week's Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic presented by Samsung.
Crampton's picks Mobley's picks
Matt Every. This hasn't been the most consistent season for Every, who has only made seven of 13 cuts. But he's made his last four and has been playing very well of late -- besides a final-round 79 in West Virginia. Every tied for fifth here last season; look for his solid play to continue on courses he is clearly comfortable playing.
Cameron Percy. This Aussie is riding a wave of success right now -- all that's missing is a win, which I'm trying to help facilitate this week. He's fourth in "THE 25," thanks to two runner-ups, three top-10s and two top-25s in 2009. Forget knocking on the door -- he's switched to a battering ram, and now he has me helping him to bash it in.
Dustin Risdon. Since Risdon is playing a home game this week in Canada, I'm hoping he can continue his solid play, which features 10 made cuts and four top-25s. Risdon is currently 29th on the Money List; a win here would probably solidify his spot on the PGA TOUR next season. Plus, who wouldn't want that new No. 99 jersey in their closet?
Jon Mills. You have to go with a Canadian in Canada. It's the rule. So I'm taking Mills. He was playing the TOUR last year, so this is his first time wielding a club for Mr. Gretzky, but fresh off of a tie for 24th at the Nationwide Tour Players Cup, he should feel good coming in. If not, I'm going to blame Crampton ... because he's Canadian.
Crampton's sleeper Mobley's sleeper
Andrew Parr. This might be a long stretch for those who don't know Parr or his game, but this young player has a lot of talent. Parr played in the U.S. Open this year, barely missing the cut, and he shot a stunning second-round 65 here last year to miss the cut by just one. He's played solidly on the Canadian Tour this season; I would not at all be surprised if he finished well here this week.
Justin Hicks. Some people might say this isn't a true sleeper pick; Hicks is the defending champion after all. But I'm not some people. He's coming off three consecutive missed cuts, and he's 80th on the money list, so don't tell me I'm being sneaky here. He's had some good finishes in '09: T11, T13, T27. So hopefully the good vibes of returning to a win site will be enough to motivate his game.

LAST WEEK: Mobley improved last week, with all three picks making the cut, but a tie for 13th from Josh Teater for Crampton kept Mobley from closing the gap.

Standings after week 14
Pos. Expert Wins Top 5s Top 10s Top 25s Money earned
1 Jordan Crampton
Marketing Assistant, PGATOUR.COM
2 - 4 6 $372,906.28
2 Ceri Mobley
Associate Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 4 2 6 $249,344.68
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