Aug. 31, 2010
The PGA TOUR travels to TPC Boston in Norton, Mass. this week for the Deutsche Bank Championship. 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 |
| DEUTSCHE BANK: Power Rankings | Inside the Course | Inside the Field | FANTASY GOLF: Play our game -- FREE! |
|
| Expert picks: Deutsche Bank Championship |
Brian
Wacker |
 |
 |
STEVE STRICKER. Having the first pick is a huge advantage this week -- Stricker is red-hot (tie for third last week) and is the defending champion at TPC Boston. He's automatic this time of year, with eight career top-10s in 13 Playoffs events.
|
| |
Ryan
Smithson |
 |
 | TIGER WOODS. This is probably not the smartest pick and I am going to wish I had taken Dustin Johnson when this week is over. I snagged Tiger because he'll have an extra day of range time this week. Not the worst thing in the world.
|
| If Smithson had the top pick ... Stricker |
Helen
Ross |
 |
 |
MATT KUCHAR. He's made it look almost effortless this year as he's compiled 10 top-10s, including last week's win at The Barclays. I don't look for a letdown from the man who tied for 15th at TPC Boston last year.
|
| If Ross had the top pick ... Stricker |
Mike
McAllister |
 |
 |
JIM FURYK. Finished tied for seventh here two years ago and tied for eighth last year, so he likes TPC Boston. And he'll be extra motivated after last week's gaffe. Plus, one thing I do know -- he will not oversleep any tee time the rest of the year.
|
| If McAllister had the top pick ... Stricker |
Casey
Black |
 |
 |
DUSTIN JOHNSON. He always finds a way to bounce back. Coming off the PGA Championship, he found himself in the final pairing at The Barclays and tied for ninth. He's played well at TPC Boston, tying for fourth last year.
|
| If Black had the top pick ... Stricker |
Anne
Szeker |
 |
 |
ADAM SCOTT. I would have picked Johnson, but Casey beat me to it. One of these days, he'll get it done! Was impressed with the way Scott stayed in it at The Barclays. A past champion at TPC Boston, if he can get the putter going, he could win it again.
|
| If Szeker had the top pick ... Johnson |
John
Swantek |
 |
 |
JASON DAY. Love the way he's trending; T22 at Bridgestone, T10 at the PGA Championship and T5 at The Barclays. Also had a taste of TPC Boston last year with a top 20. In a season punctuated by young, international stars, this Aussie breaks through.
|
| If Swantek had the top pick ... Stricker |
Lauren
Deason |
 |  |
PHIL MICKELSON. One can never tell which Phil is going to show up, but he's had some success on at TPC Boston. Beacuse he missed the cut at The Barclays, he's had nearly a week to work out the kinks in his game.
|
| If Deason had the top pick ... Stricker |
|
| Standings after Week 34 |
LAST WEEK: Lauren Deason surged to the lead when her pick, Matt Kuchar, scored a 2,500-point victory in the Playoffs opener:
|
| Position |
Name |
Wins |
Top-5s |
Top-10s |
Top-25s |
FedExCup points |
| 1 |
Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM |
2 |
3 |
8 |
17 |
4,379.72 |
| 2 |
Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
5 |
7 |
9 |
17 |
3,737.83 |
| 3 |
Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
9 |
10 |
11 |
2,571.84 |
| 4 |
John Swantek
Host, On The Tee |
1 |
3 |
4 |
15 |
2,500.83 |
| 5* |
Anne Szeker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
2 |
5 |
8 |
10 |
2,408.82 |
| 6 |
Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
2 |
6 |
13 |
1,945.39 |
| 7 |
Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
2 |
6 |
16 |
1,887.95 |
| 8* |
Casey Black
Host, PGA TOUR Today |
1 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
1,680.66 |
|
PGATOUR.com is part of Turner - SI Digital, part of the Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network 