Expert Picks: Viking Classic

text size

Jul. 14, 2011

The Viking Classic is this week at Annandale Golf Club. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders. Make your picks here.

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.
MORE: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the Course | FANTASY GOLF: Play our game -- FREE!

Expert Picks: Viking Classic

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Ryan Smithson			TOMMY GAINEY. It's gonna be hot, and that won't bother this South Carolina boy one bit. Still having a decent year despite his recent slowdown. Missed the cut here back in 2008, but he's a much better player this time around.

Mike McAllister			HEATH SLOCUM. He won this event six years ago, and also has a couple of other top 20s to go with it. He ranks third in driving accuracy and sixth in GIR ... but, oh, those putting stats (186th on TOUR).
If McAllister had the top pick ... Slocum
Brian Wacker			WILL MACKENZIE. He won this event in 2008, so I'm hoping a return to Mississippi will spark some good play in what's been a down year for MacKenzie, who has one finish inside the top 50 in eight starts.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Slocum
John Swantek			D.J. TRAHAN. After missing half of his first 14 cuts, has turned his season around with two top-20 finishes in his last four starts. The former Clemson star always plays well at Annandale; T3 last year and the title in 2006.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Trahan
Lauren Deason			BRENDON DE JONGE. He tied for seventh at last week's John Deere Classic, giving him his second top-10 finish of the year. de Jonge is ranked 55th in FedExCup points, so a solid showing this week would help him move up in the rankings.
If Deason had the top pick ... Slocum
Helen Ross			JOHNSON WAGNER. Already has a win this year and could easily pick up another. The heat won't bother him, and neither will Annandale's slick greens. Surprised he was still available at No. 6.
If Ross had the top pick ... Slocum
John Schwarb			CAMERON BECKMAN. The three-time TOUR winner missed seven consecutive cuts from mid-April through June, finally playing weekends at AT&T National and the John Deere. Just a hunch that he'll put together four good rounds at Annandale, as he often does in these spots on the schedule.
If Schwarb had the top pick ... Slocum
Anne Szeker			CHRIS KIRK. The rookie has been pretty solid in his first full season on TOUR. Two top-25s in his last two starts. A runner-up at the Shell Houston Open. Should definitely be in the mix late Sunday at Annandale.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Kirk
Amanda Balionis			MATT MCQUILLEN. This PGA TOUR rookie refused to fade over the weekend at the John Deere Classic, finishing tied for third. He can lock up his TOUR card for next season if he can back it up this week at Annandale.
If Balionis had the top pick ... Kirk
Chris Dunham			BRINY BAIRD. The man in the P.F. Changs hat is looking to regain full status and played his last 36 holes at TPC Deere Run in 10 under. Baird has made five cuts in seven Viking Classic starts and is 3-for-3 at Annandale since 2005.
If Dunham had the top pick ... Baird

Standings after 28 events

LAST WEEK: Chris Dunham picked up his first win of the season when Steve Stricker decided to snatch the John Deere Classic from rookie Kyle Stanley. Brian Wacker retains the overall lead:
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	7	10	19	2540.91
2	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	1	6	7	16	2401.71
3	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	2	7	9	12	2306.55
4	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	2	6	7	13	2038.32
5	John Swantek Host, On The Tee	1	5	9	14	1742.11
6	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	1	2	6	13	1557.10
7	Chris Dunham Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	1	3	9	13	1496.99
8	John Schwarb Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	1	2	7	12	1414.87
9	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	3	5	18	1348.82
10*	Amanda Balionis Host, PGA TOUR Today	0	2	2	5	597.50