Power Rankings: Allianz Championship

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Editor's note: Vartan Kupelian is the Champions Tour Insider and a PGATOUR.COM Contributor. Each week, Kupelian will size up the field and provide his top 5 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc.

The Champions Tour makes its 2011 debut on the mainland this week at the Allianz Championship in Boca Raton and one thing already is abundantly clear: The depth of field will make determining the Power Rankings a challenge this year.

Broken Sound is where Bernhard Langer posted the first of his five victories last year. It took a brilliant hole-out from a greenside bunker for an eagle 3 which won the title in a playoff over John Cook.

While Langer went on to win his third straight Player of the Year crown, Cook also flourished in 2010 with another solid season. He capped it off by winning the season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship for the second straight year.

Cook posted a second straight victory in this year's opener in Hawaii to stake his claim as one of the players to watch weekly in the Power Rankings.

Here is this week's Champions Tour Power Rankings:

Power Rankings: Allianz Championship

Rank Player   Comment John COOK Going for three straight and his performance last year at Broken Sound gives him a solid reference point. Opened 2011 with an impressive two-shot victory at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship, closing with rounds of 64-64. Bernhard LANGER The defending champion was nowhere near his best in Hawaii. Despite an opening 65 he finished T16, but this is a home game for Langer and he'll be ready to defend the title. Tom LEHMAN T5 in his first appearance at Allianz last year and is coming off a strong performance last week in Phoenix against the kids where he finished at 9-under following an opening 65 and a pair of 69s. Nick PRICE He is driving the ball superbly -- 92 percent fairways in Hawaii where he hit 39 of 42 and is No. 1 in both accuracy and total driving; T9 last year at Allianz. Russ COCHRAN The first-round leader in Hawaii with 62, the left-hander couldn't maintain his excellence. A final round 72 was still good enough for T4 and there's every expectation he'll back up his excellent 2010 campaign with another.