Expert Picks: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

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May. 17, 2011

The PGA TOUR travels to Colonial Country Club this week for the Crowne Plaza Invitational. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:

MAKE YOUR PICKS: Tell us who you think will win this week at Colonial.

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: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Chris Dunham			BEN CRANE. After releasing some bottled up picks frustration at the snake shaker, I've come to Ben Crane to solve my woes. Crane has two top-5s in three years here, and seven top-25s already in 2011.

Amanda Balionis			ZACH JOHNSON. The defending Crowne Plaza Invitational winner finished strong with a closing 66 at THE PLAYERS. Combined with a solid T6 finish at the Wells Fargo Championship the week before, I think he is about to hit his stride just in time to repeat.
If Balionis had the top pick ... Johnson
Helen Ross			DAVID TOMS. I'm looking for the veteran to bounce back quickly from his Sunday at THE PLAYERS. He should take strength from that performance, and Colonial is a course where he has prospered with four top-10s, including ties for second in 2002 and third in 2005.
If Ross had the top pick ... Crane
John Schwarb			JEFF OVERTON. "Boom Baby" Overton hasn't heated up yet in 2011, his only top 10 is a T6 at The Honda Classic in March. So this is a little bit of a flyer, but then again with T3 and T13 finishes at Colonial the last two years, it's a valid one.
If Schwarb had the top pick ... Johnson
Mike McAllister			JIM FURYK. He's never won at Colonial, but he does have two second-place finishes among his six top-10s there. Furyk's looking for that breakout tournament this year -- and judging by his record, this might be the place for it to happen.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Crane
Lauren Deason			SERGIO GARCIA. Sergio stormed up to T12 at THE PLAYERS with a Sunday 65. That's good momentum to take to Colonial, where he won in 2001. Corey Pavin won Colonial two times a decade apart, so there is precedence.
If Deason had the top pick ... Garcia
John Swantek			HUNTER MAHAN. I'll overlook a less than stellar record at Colonial (no top 25s in seven trips) because of his strong season; the Dallas resident's T6 at THE PLAYERS was his 6th top 10 of the season. Tenth in greens hit, precise iron game will help this week.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Mahan
Anne Szeker			STEWART CINK. Things seem to be clicking for the king of Twitter, who has finished T30, T9 and T19 in his last three starts. Last year he shot three rounds in the 60s at Colonial for a T22.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Mahan
Brian Wacker			MARTIN LAIRD. He's very quietly put together a very good year with five top-10s, including a win. Laird also tied for 10th at Colonial last year and also played well in last trip to Texas, tying for ninth in San Antonio.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Crane
Ryan Smithson			BRIAN GAY. Shocked no one grabbed this guy. Hasn't missed a cut since February and has broken par in seven of the last eight rounds. Game sets up beautifully for Colonial, where the winner must shoot around 20 under. Gay is 11th on TOUR in birdies this year.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Gay

Standings after 20 events

LAST WEEK: Anne Szeker made a jump in the standings to No. 6 thanks to Sergio Garcia's solid Sunday.
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	1	6	6	12	2102.71
2	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	2	6	8	9	1977.65
3	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	5	6	10	1373.82
4	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	3	5	12	1330.58
5	John Swantek Host, On The Tee	1	3	6	10	1182.78
6	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	2	11	810.32
7	Chris Dunham Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	0	2	7	9	796.99
8	John Schwarb Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	5	9	741.37
9	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	3	8	582.40
10*	Amanda Balionis Host, PGA TOUR Today	0	0	0	1	170.00