Expert Picks: Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Apr. 21, 2010
The PGA TOUR heads to the Zurich Classic of New Orleans this week. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts size up the top contenders.
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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 |
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| Expert picks: Zurich Classic of New Orleans |
Mike
McAllister |
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STEVE MARINO. My original pick, Steve Stricker, withdrew late Wednesday, leaving me to scramble for a replacement. So let's go with Marino, who also happens to be the guy I picked as my Sleeper on Monday. That's right, I'm double-dipping with Marino this week. |
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Helen
Ross |
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 | DAVID TOMS. This is Toms' personal major and the Louisiana native is a former champ at New Orleans. Not to mention, he's posted top-20 finishes in two of his last four starts, including a T14 at the Masters. If his shoulder continues to cooperate, he should contend.
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| If Ross had the top pick ... Toms |
Casey
Black |
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RORY SABBATINI. Last year's runner-up at TPC Louisiana played very well at Harbour Town last week, shooting 67-69 on the weekend. Sabbatini is never going to be the most accurate player off the tee, and that doesn't hurt him much here. |
| If Black had the top pick ... Sabbatini |
Brian
Wacker |
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JERRY KELLY. I've had pretty good luck with defending champions (see Geoff Ogilvy in Hawaii) and Kelly finally has swing back in the groove. As long as he doesn't eat too many oysters, he'll be fine. |
| If Wacker had the top pick ... Kelly |
Lauren
Deason |
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K.J. CHOI. He hasn't missed a cut in 2010 and has six top-25 finishes, including a runner-up at Transitions and T4 at the Masters. He's won this event before (though not at TPC Louisiana) and, in the midst of a down year in '09, Choi still earned a top-25 here. |
| If Deason had the top pick ... Choi |
John
Swantek |
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CHARLES HOWELL III. He's quietly delivered one of the most consistent performances of '10. He's fifth in scoring average and second in total birdies, which is the perfect recipe to cook up a win at TPC Louisiana, where he was runner-up in '09.
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| If Swantek had the top pick ... Howell |
Nick
Zaccardi |
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STEPHEN AMES. Mr. Consistency on the PGA TOUR this year. In nine starts, he has finished between sixth and 33rd eight times. The outlier was a WD after an opening-round 68 at the Northern Trust Open.
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| If Zaccardi had the top pick ... Choi |
Anne
Szeker |
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JUSTIN ROSE. The Englishman has played well this season, picking up five top-25 finishes in his first nine starts of the year. Rose, who's ranked eighth in scoring average, could earn his first TOUR win this week.
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| If Szeker had the top pick ... Choi |
Ryan
Smithson |
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BOO WEEKLEY. He's actually striking the ball as well as he was before his injury, and he's driving the ball better than anyone on TOUR. Throw in some fried food and familiar accents this week, and you have yourself a winner.
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| If Smithson had the top pick ... Rose |
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| Standings after Week 15 |
LAST WEEK: Ryan Smithson picked up his third win of the season with Jim Furyk's victory at the Verizon Heritage:
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| Position |
Name |
Wins |
Top-5s |
Top-10s |
Top-25s |
FedExCup points |
| 1 |
Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
3 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
1991.5 |
| 2 |
Nick Zaccardi
Associate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
5 |
10 |
11 |
1510.33 |
| 3 |
Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1245.43 |
| 4 |
Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1186.1 |
| 5 |
John Swantek
Host, PGA TOUR Today |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
1030.58 |
| 6 |
Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
964.50 |
| 7 |
Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
940.49 |
| 8* |
Anne Szeker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
3 |
3 |
3 |
455.00 |
| 9* |
Casey Black
Host, PGA TOUR Today |
- |
- |
- |
- |
84 |
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