Expert Picks: The Greenbrier Classic

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Jul. 28, 2010

The PGA TOUR travels to The Old White Course for The Greenbrier Classic in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., 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.
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 GREENBRIER: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the Course | FANTASY GOLF: Play our game -- FREE!
Expert picks: The Greenbrier Classic
Expert
 
Pick order Player selected
 
Mike
McAllister
JIM FURYK. On a course that's hosting a PGA TOUR event for the first time, the safe choice is to go with a veteran. And Furyk generally seems to do well on the shorter, classic layouts.
 
Helen
Ross
MATT KUCHAR. He's been quietly having a great year, missing only two cuts in 2010. Not to mention, four of his eight top-10s have come in his last five starts -- including a tie for fourth last week in Canada.
If Ross had the top pick ... Kuchar
Brian
Wacker
JEFF OVERTON. How good has Overton been the last three months? He's finished in the top 3 in four of his nine starts and also has a tie for 11th (British Open) and a tie for 12th (the Memorial tournament).
If Wacker had the top pick ... Overton
Lauren
Deason
JOHN ROLLINS. My original pick, Nick Watney, withdrew on Wednesday morning. This is a regional tournament for Rollins, a Richmond native. He hasn't had the best year, but most of that has been lackluster putting. He remains one of the TOUR'S best tee-to-green.
If Deason had the top pick ... Furyk
Anne
Szeker
J.B. HOLMES. A bomber like Holmes might be a risky pick at Greenbrier, where accuracy and a strong short game are key, but it's hard to ignore how well he's playing. Two runner-ups this season and nine top-15s. Fingers crossed this is his week.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Kuchar
Casey
Black
CHARLIE WI. One of the hottest players on TOUR, he lit up the leaderboard in July -- 4th at AT&T National, T15 at the John Deere Classic, and T4 last week in Canada. Should be ready for his first TOUR victory this week in West Virginia.
If Black had the top pick ... Kuchar
John
Swantek
SERGIO GARCIA. Remember him? Slowly emerging with a T22 at the U.S. Open and a T14 at the British Open, he remains one of the purest shotmakers in the game and will love this week's old-style layout. And he performs best when expectations are lowest.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Furyk
Ryan
Smithson
CARL PETTERSSON. He didn't get enough credit for that fabulous weekend in Canada, where he looked like Ben Hogan in his prime. It's tough to ask someone to win two weeks in a row, but I am honestly surprised Carl was left on the board this long.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Furyk
Standings after Week 30
LAST WEEK: The standings remained the same after last week's RBC Canadian Open, but Ryan Smithson increased his commanding lead after Luke Donald's third-place finish in Toronto.
Position Name Wins Top-5s Top-10s Top-25s FedExCup points
1 Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
5 7 9 15 3606.58
2 Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
1 8 8 10 2200.18
3 Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM
1 2 4 12 1815.08
4 Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM
1 2 7 12 1600.99
5 Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM
1 2 4 14 1576.72
6 John Swantek
Host, On The Tee
1 2 2 11 1524.83
7* Anne Szeker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM
2 5 5 7 1332.66
8* Casey Black
Host, PGA TOUR Today
1 3 2 3 1169.00
* - Joining the panel a little late
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