Expert Picks: Hyundai Tournament of Champions

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Jan. 7, 2011

The season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions features winners from the 2010 season on the PGA TOUR. 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 (for the first week, the order was random).
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Expert picks: Hyundai Tournament of Champions

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
John Schwarb			ERNIE ELS. I'm bullish on the Big Easy after his two-win 2010 and busy offseason which included a fifth South African Open title. He's got a winning history at Kapalua (2003) and will get a jump on another big season here.

Anne Szeker			DUSTIN JOHNSON. Part of me wanted to pick Geoff Ogilvy, but in the end, I went with Dustin. Ended his season on a high note and will be looking to come out strong at the beginning of the year.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Johnson
Brian Wacker			ADAM SCOTT. Since Geoff Ogilvy withdrew, I'm going with another Australian. The track record of Aussies at Kapalua speaks for itself with someone from Down Under having won there five of the last seven years. Plus, Scott has renewed confidence.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Els
Chris Dunham			MATT KUCHAR. The most consistent golfer on TOUR last season, Kuchar racked up 11 top-10s in 23 starts. A third-place finish at Kapalua got things rolling for Kooch and I look for another good showing in the season opener for the reigning money winner.
If Dunham had the top pick ... Kuchar
Lauren Deason			GRAEME MCDOWELL. By taking down Tiger Woods in the Chevron World Challenge, the 2010 U.S. Open champ ended his season perfectly. McDowell won four times in seven months last year and hopes to keep up the good work in 2011.
If Deason had the top pick ... McDowell
Ryan Smithson			STEVE STRICKER. Is usually an exceptionally strong starter every year, which is weird. You'd figure it would take the Wisconsin native longer to thaw out. Actually hit a 424-yard drive here last year, which means Bubba Watson will hit a 600-yard one this week.
If Smithson had the top pick ... D. Johnson
John Swantek			BUBBA WATSON. With the widest fairways on Tour, the Plantation Course will taste Bubbalicious to the TOUR's second longest driver. The only thing more prodigious than his tee shots will be the breaching whales off the coast of Kapalua.
If Swantek had the top pick ... D. Johnson
Helen Ross			JIM FURYK. I look for the FedExCup champion to start the season like he ended 2010 at East Lake -- with a victory. In nine appearances at Kapalua, the veteran has seven top-10 finishes, including a win in 2001.
If Ross had the top pick ... Furyk
Mike McAllister			ANTHONY KIM. I'm banking on the expectation that his wrist is now healed and he's itching to make up for lost time after a throwaway 2010. In his only appearance in this event, Kim finished tied for second (in '09) so it's a place that has good vibes.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Furyk