Week 30 Power Rankings: Buick Open

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Mike Vitti is a stats guru who analyzes all kinds of data from our ShotLink numbers.

LISTEN: Brian Wacker 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.

Last week, the RBC Canadian Open was decided in a playoff by two players tied at 18 under. That score would not have been low enough to win in seven of the last nine years at the Buick Open -- and in five of those years, it would have been at least three shots behind the winner.

In 2008, Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club had the second-lowest scoring average relative to par for events that use only a single host course for the week.

Overall, it was only one of two courses on the PGA TOUR where the field accumnulated at least 2,000 birdies and eagles during the four days of play, the other being the TPC Summerlin.

This year should be another birdiefest led by the following players ...

Power Rankings: Buick Open

Rank Player   Comment Tiger WOODS Coming off a missed cut in Scotland, Woods returns to the TOUR at an event he has played well over the years. In eight starts here, Woods has finished outside the top 10 once and has had top-threes in his last five starts here, including two wins. Jim FURYK Buick Open champ in '03, Furyk has eight top-10s in 14 starts here. He has top-10s in four of his last six starts. He's 17th in driving accuracy percentage, 10th in proximity to the hole, fifth in scrambling, seventh in total putting and fourth in scoring average. Woody AUSTIN Austin has tied for second at the Buick Open the last two years and has six top-10s in 14 starts here. He has missed his last two cuts, but he had posted his first two top-10s of the year in his three prior starts. Scott VERPLANK Verplank ranks in the top 10 on the PGA TOUR in driving accuracy, greens in regulation, putting average and three-putt avoidance. He won the Buick Open in 1988 and has finished in in the top 25 eight times in the last nine years. Daniel CHOPRA Chopra has finished in the top 20 in two of his last three starts. Ranking 21st in par-breaker percentage, Chopra can handle the low scores it takes to win this event, but he needs to avoid the big numbers as he also averages about three bogeys per round. Kevin NA With a withdrawal, missed cut and tie for 34th, Na has not had great success at the Buick Open. However, he arrives this year with seven top-10 finishes and ranks in the top 25 in scrambling, putting average and scoring average. Jonathan BYRD Byrd is always a player to watch on the courses where it takes a bunch of birdies to win. He is currently 12th in birdie average and finished third on the PGA TOUR in that category in 2006 and 2007. Nathan GREEN Green is coming off of his first career victory on the PGA TOUR, and it was also his first top-10 of the season. He is in the top 25 in putting average this season and has ranked in the top 10 in putting average the last two seasons. Lee JANZEN Janzen's top-five finish at the RBC Candian Open was his third top-25 finish in his last six starts. Janzen has been starting strong this season as he ranks 13th on the PGA TOUR in first-round scoring average. John DALY Daly missed the cut in '08 but was second in '04 and T16 in '07. He hasn't played enough to be ranked in any categories in '09, but his proximity to the hole stats in those three events were above average; if he can get the putter working, he could be a factor.