Expert Picks: Farmers Insurance Open

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Jan. 26, 2010

The Farmers Insurance Open takes place this week at Torrey Pines' North and South courses. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:

EXPERT PICKS
How it works: Our 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. The player who wins the previous week picks last the following week.
SLEEPER PICKS
Of the players who didn't make the cut for our top picks, which have the best chance as sleepers? Here's how our experts see it. Click here
MORE FARMERS INSURANCE OPEN: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the course | Round 1 Tee Times
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Expert picks: Farmers Insurance Open

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Lauren Deason			PHIL MICKELSON. Let's see -- the event is held in his hometown, he's won three times at Torrey Pines (1993, 2000, 2001) and he capped off last season with back-to-back wins. What's not to like about Lefty?

John Swantek			ROBERT ALLENBY. Not a stellar record at Torrey Pines, but playing too well to pass up. Runner-up at Sony Open followed December wins in South Africa and Australia. The nine-year TOUR victory drought is quenched this week.
If Swantek the top pick ... Mickelson
Mike McAllister			LUCAS GLOVER. Played well in the opener at Kapalua until he blew up on Sunday. He's hit-and-miss at Torrey Pines (two top-5s and three MCs in six starts), so who knows what we'll see. Hopefully this will be one of those good weeks.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Mickelson
Helen Ross			JOHN ROLLINS. Too many positives to overlook this week. He nearly clipped Nick Watney last year at Torrey, and he's already racked up two top-15s in two starts this season, including a 67-65 weekend at Waialae.
If Ross had the top pick ... Mickelson
Ryan Smithson			RYAN MOORE. The way he's playing, I am going to use him until he flames out, if he ever does. Two starts in 2010, two top-10s. Shot 68 in his lone round on the South last year.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Mickelson
Nick Zaccardi			NICK WATNEY. Defending champs are faring pretty well so far this season (Ogilvy wins SBS, Johnson T12 at Sony, Perez T26 last week). I predict Watney continues that trend.
If Zaccardi had the top pick ... Mickelson
Brian Wacker			LUKE DONALD. He missed the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii in his only start of the year, but Donald has a very good track record at Torrey Pines with four career top-10s, including second-place finishes in 2005 and 2004. Last year, he tied for seventh.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Mickelson

Standings after Week 3

LAST WEEK: Brian Wacker extended his lead with Tim Clark's runner-up finish at the Bob Hope Classic:
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	3	3	3	843.33
2	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	1	2	3	313
3	Nick Zaccardi Associate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM	-	1	2	2	223
4	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	-	1	118.5
5	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	-	2	114.5
6	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	-	2	112.5
7	John Swantek Host, PGA TOUR Today	-	-	-	1	80