Week 20 Power Rankings: HP Byron Nelson Champ.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Officially, Mike Vitti is the Director of Research and Development in the TOUR's Marketing Department. Unofficially, he's a stats guru who analyzes all kinds of data from our ShotLink numbers.

LISTEN: Mike Vitti discusses this week's rankings on the PGA TOUR Network. Click to listen

Vitti will size up the field each week and provide his top 10 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc.

In prior years, the HP Byron Nelson Championship was a dual-course event, and players had to deal with two different layouts in the early rounds. However, starting last year, the event is now held exclusively at the TPC Four Seasons Resort, which presents its own challenges to the field.

The week will be completely different from the birdiefest that we witnessed in San Antonio at the Valero Texas Open. Players will really have to take advantage of scoring opportunities, especially on the par 5s, as last year only the two par 5s had a scoring average below par. The remaining holes all had scoring averages over par, with two holes on the course -- the third and the 15th -- ranked among the 25 hardest holes on the PGA TOUR. Both of these holes are par 4s, measuring over 500 yards on the card, and, combined, they yielded a total of only 41 birdies for the week in 2008.

With that, here are the players to watch. ...

Power Rankings: HP Byron Nelson Championship

Rank Player   Comment Ian POULTER Leading the TOUR in scrambling, Poulter has been able to get up and down almost 75 percent of the time. His second at THE PLAYERS was his sixth top-25 finish in seven starts this season, and he tied for third here in 2007. Charley HOFFMAN Making his 21st consecutive cut last week, Hoffman posted his third top 10 this year. He ranks in the top 25 in driving distance, greens in regulation, total putting and scoring average. Hoffman has two top 10s in three career starts here. Phil MICKELSON Mickelson has five top 10s in his last seven starts and enters this week ranked in the top 25 in putting average, driving distance, birdie conversion percentage and par-5 birdie percentage. He won here in '96 and tied for third in his last start here in '07. (UPDATE: Mickelson has withdrawn) Kevin NA Na's tie for fifth in his last start at THE PLAYERS Championship was his fifth top 10 on the PGA TOUR this season. He is second in total putting, first in sand save percentage and seventh in scoring average. Na also ranks 12th in par-5 scoring. David TOMS Toms has two top 10s and a tie for 18th in his last three starts. He ranks in the top 10 in driving accuracy, putting average and scoring average. Toms is making his first start at this event since 2004. Brian DAVIS Davis tied for eighth in his first career start here but missed the cut in '07 and '08. He recorded his second, consecutive tie for fifth last week and extended his TOUR-leading, rounds-of-par-or-better streak to 16. He also ranks sixth in par-5 scoring. Scott VERPLANK Verplank won the HP Byron Nelson Championship in '07 and has eight top 25s in 22 starts. He finished in the top 25 last week and is ranked fifth in driving accuracy, 20th in putting average and sixth in three-putt avoidance. Vijay SINGH Tying for ninth at THE PLAYERS, Singh showed signs of returning to form, particularly around the greens, where he was third for the week in scrambling. Singh won the HP Byron Nelson Championship in 2003 and has three other top-25 finishes at this event. Briny BAIRD Baird has four top-25 finishes this season, ranks second on the PGA TOUR in greens in regulation and is in the top 30 in both driving accuracy and proximity to the hole. Baird tied for 13th at last year's event. Brian GAY Gay finished in the top 10 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship last year. He withdrew from his last start at THE PLAYERS, but has finished in the top 25 in 12 of his starts this season. Gay is in the top 10 in driving accuracy, scrambling and scoring average.