Expert Picks: Transitions Championship

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Mar. 17, 2011

The PGA TOUR travels to the Copperhead course at Innisbrook Resort this week for the Transitions Championship. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders:
MAKE YOUR PICK: Tell us who you expect to win this week's Transitions Championship

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: Transitions Championship

Expert	Pick order	Player selected
Chris Dunham			MARTIN KAYMER. I'm an idiot for leaving the hottest player on the board last week won't make the mistake of passing on the world's best player this week. Kaymer thrives on tough tracks like this one.
Brian Wacker			NICK WATNEY. I never like picking a player the week after a win, but Watney has finished in the top 10 every week that he's played, was fourth in Tampa a year ago and is about as relaxed as they come when it comes to handling victory.
If Wacker had the top pick ... Watney
Ryan Smithson			ZACH JOHNSON. I've about had it. I had Kuchar two weeks ago. No top-10. Had Graeme last week. He struggled. Got to go against the grain this week. The good news: Zach's down-the-middle game is perfect for this course. If the wind blows, he's golden.
If Smithson had the top pick ... Watney
Anne Szeker			BUBBA WATSON. Assuming his health has returned after sitting out last week, I like Bubba's chances at this course. He finished two strokes off the lead here last year and currently ranks first in driving and GIR on TOUR.
If Szeker had the top pick ... Bubba
John Schwarb			VIJAY SINGH. Hasn't appeared at Innisbrook since 2007, but is a former champ who also has a runner-up finish on his resume. Singh's re-vamped putting stroke looks great and has him five top-30s in seven starts.
If Schwarb had the top pick ... Watney
Helen Ross			PADRAIG HARRINGTON. Here's hoping the luck of the Irish is with Harrington this week. He played well as he tied for 10th at Doral on Sunday and got over his weekend jinx. Maybe the pot of gold is at Innisbrook, where he tied for eighth last year.
If Ross had the top pick ... Watney
Lauren Deason			BILL HAAS. He finished T16 at this event last year, plus he's one of the hottest players on TOUR in 2011 with three top-10 finishes. I expect him to earn his third PGA TOUR victory this week.
If Deason had the top pick ... Watney
John Swantek			JONATHAN BYRD. Whether it's been played in March or October, Byrd has always been a factor at this event with 4 top 15 finishes, including a T8 last year. Looked more like the guy who won in Maui to start the season after that T10 last week at Doral.
If Swantek had the top pick ... Harrington
Mike McAllister			K.J. CHOI. He's won, finished second and tied for sixth at Innisbrook in four starts since 2006. Choi hasn't missed a cut since the Sony Open and tied for 7th last month on another very tough track at Riviera.
If McAllister had the top pick ... Kaymer

Standings after Week 10

LAST WEEK: No one on the panel found great success in Puerto Rico, but Mike McAllister hit the jackpot in Doral, notching the first victory of the season and further increasing his commanding lead.
Position	Name	Wins	Top-5s	Top-10s	Top-25s	FedExCup points
1	Mike McAllister Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM	1	5	5	8	1717.38
2	Lauren Deason Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	0	4	6	6	862.90
3	Brian Wacker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	3	7	638.58
4	Chris Dunham Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	5	5	482.49
5	Ryan Smithson Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	2	3	5	482.32
6	Anne Szeker Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	1	2	7	470.54
7	John Schwarb Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	2	6	428.87
8	John Swantek Host, On The Tee	0	2	3	5	422.58
9	Helen Ross Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM	0	0	3	5	399.40