Week 17 Power Rankings: JELD-WEN Tradition

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Editor's note: Vartan Kupelian is the Champions Tour Insider and a PGATOUR.COM Contributor. Each week, Kupelian will size up the field and provide his top 5 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc. | POWER RANKINGS: Wyndham Championship | Christmas in October Classic

Fred Funk, who recently captured the U.S. Senior Open Championship title in his last start on the Champions Tour, won his first major last year at the JELD-WEN Tradition.

Funk's closing 3-under-par 69 was good for a 3-shot victory over Mike Goodes last year in Sunriver, Ore. His total score for the week of 19-under 269 included a bogey-free 65 in the third round. It was in the third round that Funk chased down early leader Jay Haas, who ended up tied for third with Tom Watson.

"He wasn't going to be denied," Haas said afterwards.

Funk closed the deal in style with birdies at the 11th, 14th and 15th holes in the final round before a bit of a falter coming in, but by then the issue was settled.

This week's Power Rankings for the JELD-WEN Tradition:

Power Rankings: JELD-WEN Tradition

Rank Player   Comment Fred FUNK All the stars are aligned. Funk is coming off a victory at the U.S. Senior Open and he is the defending champion at the JELD-WEN Tradition. Plus, Funk's win at Crooked Stick marked the seventh consecutive time he has finished in the top five in a Champions Tour major. Loren ROBERTS His two wins and eight top-10s in '09 make him a threat every time he tees it up. He won the Senior Open in a playoff over Funk. In his last eight events, he has a victory, a pair of T3s and a pair of T4s, including the U.S. Senior Open. He's also ninth in putts per round. Bernhard LANGER For the first time this year, he enters a tournament trailing in the Charles Schwab Cup points list. Langer tied for seventh last year at JELD-WEN. A four-time winner this year, Langer also has the most top 10 finishes (10 of 14). Mark O'MEARA O'Meara, who's currently in a good stretch, has seven top-10 finishes this year, including a T6 at the U.S. Senior Open and has three runner-ups. O'Meara is sixth in scoring average (69.80), third in the All-Around statistical category and seventh on the money list. Jay HAAS He remains statistically impressive despite the lack of a victory in '09. For instance, he's fourth in putting average, 10th in GIR, second in birdie average and fifth in scoring (69.70). Need more? He is third in par breakers, averaging nearly one every four holes.