Sleeper Picks: Verizon Heritage

text size

Apr. 14, 2010

The PGA TOUR heads to Hilton Head for the Verizon Heritage this week. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts size 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. Click here
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.
MORE VERIZON HERITAGE: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the course | FANTASY GOLF: Play our game -- FREE!

Sleeper picks: Verizon Heritage

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Nick Zaccardi			BRYCE MOLDER. Four top-10s this year, but also three missed cuts. It's hard to believe this is his first start at Harbour Town. I'm hoping for some beginner's luck.
Ryan Smithson			CHRIS COUCH. Like Matt Kuchar, he's a big guy who hits it straight. He's been a good story this year; hurt for a couple of years, then tied for fourth at Bay Hill. We'll see if he keeps it up.
Lauren Deason			JONATHAN BYRD. The Clemson grad and Sea Island resident should feel right at home in the Low Country. Hes a three-time winner on TOUR who's made six cuts in nine starts this year, including a T8 at the Transitions.
Casey Black			RICKY BARNES. With two top 10 finishes in his last two major starts, Barnes has proven he has the game to win. It's only a matter of time!
Anne Szeker			JOSH TEATER. This rookie had Masters week off and celebrated his 31st birthday. He's made his last four cuts, and was T14 in Houston.
Mike McAllister			SPENCER LEVIN. Has cashed in seven of eight starts this year but still looking for first top 10 finish. Two reasons to like him this week -- he's fifth in greens in regulation, and he tied for 13th here last year.
Brian Wacker			BLAKE ADAMS. The rookie, who placed third on the 2009 Nationwide Tour list to graduate to the PGA TOUR this season, has finished in the top 15 twice already. He's also made the cut in five of nine starts.
Helen Ross			BRANDT SNEDEKER. Another in the stable of players who train at Sea Island, Snedeker should be comfortable playing Low Country golf. He's one of the TOUR's best putters and ready to break out.
John Swantek			STUART APPLEBY. Two straight top 50 finishes is nothing to get excited about -- unless you missed 5 of your first 6 cuts. Stu's game is showing signs of life; I expect a relaxing week in Hilton Head to produce a top 25.

Standings after Week 14

LAST WEEK: Helen Ross jumped up the standings with her Steve Marino Masters pick:
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	1	1	3	473.92
2	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	-	1	1	1	315.07
3	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	2	2	2	295.5
4	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	1	2	285.75
5	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	1	2	267.83
6	John Swantek Host, PGA TOUR Today	-	-	1	2	238.83
7	Nick Zaccardi Associate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM	-	-	-	1	216
8*	Casey Black Host, PGA TOUR Today	-	-	-	1	103.5
9*	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	-	-	-