Expert Picks: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

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Feb. 8, 2011

The PGA TOUR travels to the Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am 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? To see who our experts picked, click here.

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Expert picks: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Chris Dunham			DUSTIN JOHNSON. When we last saw DJ at Pebble Beach... Well, let's not talk about that one. He's the two-time champion at this event and rolled through three rounds in U.S. Open conditions last year. He's bounced back and should be favored here yet again.

Ryan Smithson			PHIL MICKELSON. Having the second pick is murder. I can't get Dustin Johnson and I am too chicken to leave Phil on the board. Honestly, I feel it's the Dustin and J.B. Holmes show this week. Time will tell if I am wrong yet again.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Johnson
Brian Wacker			NICK WATNEY. Two starts, two top-10 finishes. Watney thrives on the West Coast and in 2006 tied for seventh at Pebble Beach. He's also very good ball-striker and putter -- both are great assets to take to Pebble Beach.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Watney
John Swantek			TIM CLARK. With all 3 courses in the rotation playing under 7,000 yards, short-iron play will be critical. The reigning PLAYERS champion tied for 10th at this event in 2010 and will employ the perfect brand of small ball.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Watney
John Schwarb			J.B. HOLMES. From my spot in the Expert Picks basement (sigh), I need guys who are sure to make it to the weekend. Holmes is 4-for-4 in that department at the AT&T, including a tie for second last year. Music to my ears.
If Schwarb had the top pick ... Johnson
Anne Szeker			PADRAIG HARRINGTON. Harrington might be a bit of a long shot. His season hasn't gotten off to a great start over the European Tour, but he has two top-20 finishes at this event, so I'm hoping he puts together some solid rounds.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Johnson
Helen Ross			VIJAY SINGH. Few know Pebble Beach better than Singh, who has one win and three runner-up finishes there. And the way he played at Phoenix -- tying for third and finishing second in birdies with 24 -- indicate this could be a season of rebirth for the Fijian.
If Ross had the top pick ... Johnson
Lauren Deason			JIM FURYK. The defending FedExCup champion hasn't finished outside the top 40 in a start here since 1999. He's finished in the top 30 in six of nine starts during that span. At age 40, he finished 2010 playing some of the best golf of his career.
If Deason had the top pick ... Johnson
Mike McAllister			HUNTER MAHAN. Last year, he shot 66-77 playing Pebble Beach in the last two rounds, so it's tough to know what to expect. His track record in this event is spotty, but he's had three solid finishes this year.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Watney

Standings after Week 5

LAST WEEK: Mike McAllister and Lauren Deason each notched top-5 finishes last week, but McAllister won on a tiebreaker to place him at pick No. 9 for the second consecutive week.
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	0	3	4	4	612.00
2	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	2	4	479.94
3	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	0	2	2	3	479.00
4	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	2	2	2	286.07
5	Chris Dunham Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	3	3	269.16
6	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	2	3	267.50
7	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	2	2	168.00
8	John Swantek Host, On The Tee	0	0	1	2	180.00
9	John Schwarb Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	0	2	148.00