Expert Picks: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun

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Feb. 23, 2010

The PGA TOUR heads to El Camaleon GC in Mexico for the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun this week. 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.
MORE MAYAKOBA: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the course

Expert picks: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Ryan Smithson			K.J. CHOI. This is a risky pick, but accuracy is everything at Mayakoba, and Choi's only worries so far this year has been with the putter. It'll be interesting to watch his first start at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Mike McAllister			CHARLES HOWELL III. The last time Howell won on TOUR came three years ago in February of 2007. With two top-10 finishes in his first three starts this year (he missed the cut in his fourth start), it's time for him to end that lengthy drought.
If McAllister the top pick ... Howell
Brian Wacker			BRINY BAIRD. He tied for 12th at the Sony Open in Hawaii, his first event this season. In three starts at the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, he's finished T6, T12 and T63.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Choi
Lauren Deason			MARK WILSON. The defending champ has been relatively quiet in 2010, making four of five cuts with just one top-25 finish. He finished 32nd in the FedExCup standings last year, so this consistent two-time winner could pick up another Mayakoba victory.
If Deason had the top pick ... Wilson
John Swantek			DAVID DUVAL. He displayed more than just flashes of the old World No. 1 brilliance and looked extremely sharp in all phases during his runner-up showing at Pebble Beach. He's ready to win again and will handle this field.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Duval
Helen Ross			STEVE ELKINGTON. The smooth-swinging Aussie hung around all week at Pebble Beach and came up with his second top-20 in as many starts. Elkington's a ball-striker, not a bomber and those are the players who have prospered at Mayakoba.
If Ross had the top pick ... Choi
Nick Zaccardi			HEATH SLOCUM. He missed the cutoff for the Match Play by more spots than I thought (ranked 77th), but Slocum has followed up his Barclays win with a steady start to 2010. His best '09 finish outside of The Barclays? A T3 right here.
If Zaccardi had the top pick ... Slocum

Standings after Week 6

LAST WEEK: Nick Zaccardi picked the winner correctly last week in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and moved into second place:
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	3	3	3	894.83
2	Nick Zaccardi Associate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM	1	2	4	4	832.83
3	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	1	1	1	5	712
4	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	-	1	2	3	338.5
5	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	1	3	251.5
6	John Swantek Host, PGA TOUR Today	-	-	1	4	248.83
7	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	-	-	1	3	199.83