Sleepers: Valero Texas Open

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May. 13, 2009

The TOUR heads to San Antonio this week for the first leg of a new three-week Texas Swing. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders at the Valero Texas Open:

SLEEPER PICKS
How it works: Our 10 experts from PGATOUR.COM select any player who isn't ranked in the top 20 of the FedExCup rankings, the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking and hasn't won that season. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same.
EXPERT PICKS
Who do our experts think will capture the Valero Texas Open title? Here's who they've picked to win. Click here
Sleeper picks: Valero Texas Open
Expert
 
Pick order Player selected
 
Mike
McAllister
JOHN MALLINGER. He tied for third at THE PLAYERS Championship. And the last time he was in Texas, he tied for sixth at the Shell Houston Open. He's making his 76th TOUR start this week. Maybe he's due.
Ceri
Mobley
CHARLIE WI. The still-winless Korean came close here last year with a tie for second, and he's been flirting with victory all season long, including a tie for second a couple of weeks ago in New Orleans.
John
Swantek
TIM CLARK. At 31st in the Official World Golf Ranking and 32nd in FedExCup points, he's the No. 1 seeded sleeper this week. Clark thrives on short venues (runner-ups at Brown Deer and Colonial) and has to win one of these weeks, right?
Win
McMurry
RICHARD S. JOHNSON. He was off to an impressive start last week at THE PLAYERS (opened with a 66), and at this week's shorter, friendlier LaCantera, he'll be riding high off momentum. In six starts, he's had success here with two T15s and a T7.
Lauren
Deason
CHRIS STROUD. A born-and-bred Texan with a T6 at Pebble Beach already on his 2009 resumé, Stroud has also tied for sixth in his two previous starts at the Valero Texas Open. The course suits his game, and he should be rested after a week off.
T.J.
Auclair
PATRICK SHEEHAN. The PGA TOUR/Nationwide Tour swingman is coming off a recent win on the Nationwide Tour and should carry a lot of confidence into San Antonio.
Mark
Spoor
DANIEL CHOPRA. Chopra has two top-15 finishes in his last five starts, including a tie for 14th last week at THE PLAYERS that included a 65 on Friday. Is he turning the corner?
Brian
Wacker
LEE JANZEN. This year has been a bit of a resurgence for Janzen, who has had a strong season with the putter and, as a result, has three finishes inside the top 17, including a T4 at the Verizon Heritage. Here's hoping he continues that run in Texas this week.
Helen
Ross
BOB ESTES. Estes is a former champion of the Valero Texas Open, and he has five top 10s in 20 starts there. His experience will be key, and Estes is playing solidly this year with five top 20s and a tie for fourth at Pebble Beach.
Ryan
Smithson
HARRISON FRAZAR. If I can't pick Justin Leonard, his college roommate is the next best thing. Frazar shot 65-66 on the weekend here last year.

LAST WEEK: Ryan Smithson had the best sleeper finish last week with a tie for ninth out of Tim Clark. However, there really weren't enough points gained to see much movement. Each week, we'll update the standings based on the FedExCup points accumulated by the players selected by our experts. Here's how it stands after Week 18:

Standings after Week 16
Pos. Expert Wins Top 5s Top 10s Top 25s FedExCup points
1 Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM
- 3 1 4 1,111.75
2 Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 - 1 2 934.4
3 Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM
1 - 2 4 918.75
4 Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 2 2 3 838.15
5 Mark Spoor
Coordinating Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 3 3 673.4
6 Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM
- 3 2 3 629.91
7 T.J. Auclair
Interactive Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 2 5 601.25
8 John Swantek
Fantasy Insider, PGA TOUR Productions
- 1 - 4 557.47
9 Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
- - 1 4 548.22
10 Ceri Mobley
Associate Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- - 1 4 486.25
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