Expert Picks: the Memorial Tournament

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Jun. 1, 2010

The PGA TOUR heads to Muirfield Village for the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley. 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
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Expert picks: the Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Casey Black			PHIL MICKELSON. Even though he missed the cut for the first time in over a year last week, I'm going with Mickelson. I have confidence in the 2010 Masters champ, who has finished in the top 20 in four of the last five years at the Memorial.

Anne Szeker			TIGER WOODS. He's a wildcard for sure, but Muirfield Village should be a comfort zone for the four-time champ -- as Augusta was earlier this season, where despite everything going on he finished T4.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Mickelson
Helen Ross			JIM FURYK. Last year's runner-up at the Memorial Tournament, Furyk returns with 2010 wins already under his belt. He's won Jack's event once (2002) and has 10 top-25 finishes in 14 starts.
If Ross had the top pick ... Mickelson
John Swantek			K.J. CHOI. Has produced an amazingly consistent season, rising to 15th in the FedExCup standings after a T13 at Colonial, where he was one disastrous hole (quadruple bogey on 18 Saturday) away from contending. Strong Memorial record, where he won in '07.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Choi
Mike McAllister			MATT KUCHAR. He's been sniffing around the top of the leaderboard all year, with nine top 25s in 14 starts. And he loves Muirfield Village, finishing T13 or better in the last three years.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Furyk
Lauren Deason			ERNIE ELS. How did he fall all the way to No. 6 in our draft? He's already won twice this year, plus Els has only missed the cut once in 16 starts at Muirfield Village, where he won in 2004 and has nine top-15 finishes.
If Deason had the top pick ... Els
Ryan Smithson			GEOFF OGILVY. Talk about flying under the radar. This guy either wins or misses the cut. His 63 in the third round at Muirfield Village last year was one of the best rounds by anyone all season. I think I am getting him on a good week.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Mickelson
Brian Wacker			JEFF OVERTON. There wasn't exactly a treasure trove of players to pick from, but I like players with momentum and that's what he has with three top-3 finishes in his last five starts. Another reason: He hits it long (and reasonably straight) and makes putts.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Woods

Standings after Week 21

LAST WEEK: Brian Wacker selected Ben Crane, who finished T3 last week, while Ryan Smithson gained points thanks to Scott Verplank's T5:
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	4	5	8	12	2740.33
2	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	6	6	7	1602.43
3	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	1	2	3	9	1496.98
4	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	1	2	3	11	1303.72
5	John Swantek Host, On The Tee	1	1	2	8	1169.58
6	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	1	1	4	9	1043.99
7*	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	3	3	3	532.5
8*	Casey Black Host, PGA TOUR Today	-	-	-	-	176.5