Expert picks: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya

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Feb. 25, 2009

The PGA TOUR will play the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun for the third year. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:

EXPERT PICKS
How it works: Our 10 experts from PGATOUR.COM select the player they think will win this week's event. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same.
SLEEPER PICKS
Of the players who didn't make the cut for our top 10 picks, which have the best chance as sleepers? Here's how our experts see it. Click here
Expert picks: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun
Expert
 
Pick order Player selected
 
Mike
McAllister
BRENDON DE JONGE. My first pick, J.B. Holmes, pulled out after we began selecting players. So my alternate is last year's Nationwide Tour Player of the Year, who comes off a tie for 10th at the Northern Trust Open.
 
Brian
Wacker
DAVID TOMS. How can you not like Toms in this event? He finished T2 at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, T4 at the FBR Open and he boasts probably the best driver/putter combo in the field, ranking fourth in driving accuracy and fouth in putting average.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Toms
T.J.
Auclair
RICHARD S. JOHNSON. He earned win No. 1 on TOUR last season at the U.S. Bank Championship and has played well to start the 2009 season with five cuts made, highlighted by a tie for ninth at the Bob Hope Classic.
If Auclair had the top pick ... Holmes
Lauren
Deason
JOHN MERRICK. This was a no brainer. Merrick is currently playing extremely well -- he was runner-up at the Bob Hope Classic -- and he tied for third at the Mayakoba Golf Classic last year.
If Deason had the top pick ... Toms
Mark
Spoor
KEVIN NA. He finished third at the FBR Open a few weeks back. Also, he tied for 25th last week at the Northern Trust Open after closing with a Sunday 69.
If Spoor had the top pick ... Holmes
Ryan
Smithson
JERRY KELLY. He's had a decent start to '09 -- just nothing spectacular. Interesting stat: He's sixth in front nine scoring average, and 60th in back nine scoring average.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Toms
Ceri
Mobley
BRIAN GAY. This defending champion is not too shabby this season with two top 25s and two top 10s in just five starts. It might be a long shot to have two title defenses in two weeks, but I'll take it.
If Mobley had the top pick ... Gay
Win
McMurry
BRINY BAIRD. Look for someone who's been knocking to finally break through in Mexico this week, as Brian Gay did in 2008 in his 293rd career start on the PGA TOUR. Baird has played 279 events without a victory. Last year, Baird tied for 12th at Mayakoba.
If McMurry had the top pick ... Toms
Helen
Ross
JOHN ROLLINS. Rollins played too well at the Buick Invitational. He needs to put that final hole behind him and build on what he accomplished at Torrey Pines. Maybe a trip south of the border will do the trick.
If Ross had the top pick ... Toms
John
Swantek
CHRIS DiMARCO. Veterans have thrived south of the border. DiMarco returns to the winner's circle, making it back-to-back Florida Gators winning at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Merrick

LAST WEEK:

Mike McAllister took a chance on Phil Mickelson last week and earned his second win of the season. 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 7:

Standings after Week 7
Pos. Expert Wins Top 5s Top 10s Top 25s FedExCup points
1 Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM
2 1 1 - 1,310.5
2 Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 1 1 - 819.5
3 Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
- 2 - 2 479
4 Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 - 1 437
5 John Swantek
Fantasy Insider, PGA TOUR Productions
- 1 - 3 384.72
6 Ceri Mobley
Associate Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 1 2 334.5
7 T.J. Auclair
Interactive Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 - 2 324
8 Mark Spoor
Coordinating Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- - 1 1 249.16
9 Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM
- - - 3 221.72
10 Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- - 1 - 110.20
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