Expert picks: Quail Hollow Championship

text size
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size
Email This Story Print This Story RSS
Apr. 28, 2009

Some of the biggest names on the PGA TOUR will be in Charlotte, N.C., this week for the Quail Hollow Championship. 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: Quail Hollow Championship
Expert
 
Pick order Player selected
 
Win
McMurry
TIGER WOODS. The 2007 champion did not have a chance to defend his title in 2008, but look for him to earn his second Quail Hollow win in 2009. And seriously, how can you bet against Tiger?
 
Helen
Ross
PHIL MICKELSON. Lefty has never won at Quail Hollow, but he does have three top-10s in five starts, including a T3 in 2007. This major championship-caliber venue would be a great place to pick up his third win of '09 -- and the momentum that goes with it.
If Ross had the top pick ... Woods
Brian
Wacker
STEWART CINK. It's been a pretty disappointing season for Cink so far, but Quail Hollow is the perfect place to turn it around. It's a big course that suits his game and he's played well there before, finishing T8 last year and T5 in '07.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Woods
Mike
McAllister
JIM FURYK. It has been hit or miss for Furyk at Quail Hollow. In five starts, he has three top 10s (including one win) and two MCs. He has been inconsistent this year as well, but he has played his best when the fields have been strongest (CA Championship, Masters).
If McAllister had the top pick ... Woods
Mark
Spoor
GEOFF OGILVY. Ogilvy has three top-15 finishes in his past four starts, including the match-play win. That alone should be enough to warrant a pick. Add Ogilvy's incredibly consistent record at Quail Hollow and he's an easy selection.
If Spoor had the top pick ... Woods
Ceri
Mobley
STEVE STRICKER. Runner-up in '07 -- the year of Steve Stricker -- he can work Quail Hollow. Stricker is having another banner year, so I like his chances in Charlotte, plus he's got a little Wisconsin momentum going on right now thanks to Jerry Kelly.
If Mobley had the top pick ... Woods
Ryan
Smithson
ANTHONY KIM. I think the person last in the standings (myself) should pick first every week. Kind of like the Detroit Lions. Matt Stafford. $42 million. Laugh out loud.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Mickelson
T.J.
Auclair
SERGIO GARCIA. It's been a slow start to the season for Garcia, who is No. 130 in the FedExCup standings. But, he has a title defense at THE PLAYERS next week and has tied for second at Quail Hollow in the past. He has to break out of the slump soon.
If Auclair had the top pick ... Woods
Lauren
Deason
DAVIS LOVE III. Older players seem to be grabbing all the headlines on TOUR this year, and veteran Love would continue that trend. Plus, I'm a tad biased and rooting for a fellow Tar Heel to win another championship, especially near his old stomping grounds.
If Deason had the top pick ... Woods
John
Swantek
VIJAY SINGH. Tried to trade for the fifth pick to get Mark Sanchez. Major championship type course. Major championship type field. Major champion wins.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Singh

LAST WEEK: Both Win McMurry and Helen Ross had players tie for second at Zurich Classic of New Orleans last week. 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 16:

Standings after Week 16
Pos. Expert Wins Top 5s Top 10s Top 25s FedExCup points
1 Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
1 4 4 5 1,813.23
2 Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM
2 1 2 5 1,735.03
3 Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 1 6 - 1,261.42
4 T.J. Auclair
Interactive Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 1 - 5 1,110.25
5 Mark Spoor
Coordinating Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 1 1 3 1,086.59
6 Ceri Mobley
Associate Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 2 2 7 965.53
7 Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM
- 4 - 4 853.43
8 John Swantek
Fantasy Insider, PGA TOUR Productions
- 2 - 6 681.35
9 Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 1 2 670.22
10 Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
- 1 3 1 548.12
Email This Story   Print This Story   RSS   Bookmark and Share
SHOP.PGATOUR.COM

Shop your favorite brand name golf equipment and accessories at SHOP.PGATOUR.COM

FAN ZONE

Fan Zone
© 1995-2009 PGA TOUR, Inc. | Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Nationwide Tour and the swinging golfer logo are registered trademarks.
TurnerPGATOUR.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network