Aaron Baddeley hits his approach on the way to victory at Harbour Town in 2006. (Ehrmann/Getty Images)

Each week, PGATOUR.COM's Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton offers his Power Rankings for the weekly TOUR event as well as his Sleeper picks. But what about the players who don't make the Power Rankings but who can't really be considered Sleepers? Bolton will make one "wild card" selection from the large group of players who fall into that middle range but might rise up to claim the title. This week's pick is ...

AARON BADDELEY

Had the week off following a T15 at the Valero Texas Open, his third top-15 finish of the season among seven cuts made in nine starts. Ranked fourth in strokes gained-putting at TPC San Antonio. Also sits fourth on TOUR in the stat for the year as well as 41st in scrambling and 59th in adjusted scoring. After winning the RBC Heritage in 2006, he added five consecutive top 25s at Harbour Town before missing last year's cut by four strokes.

Each week, PGATOUR.COM's Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton offers his Power Rankings for the weekly TOUR event as well as his Sleeper picks. But what about the players who don't make the Power Rankings but who can't really be considered Sleepers? Bolton will make one "wild card" selection from the large group of players who fall into that middle range but might rise up to claim the title. This week's pick is ...

AARON BADDELEY

Bolton's explanation: Ended a nine-event drought without a top-35 finish worldwide with a T27 at the Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation, and then backed it up with a top 25 at the Farmers Insurance Open. The Scottsdale resident has been a fixture at the Waste Management Phoenix Open since his rookie year of 2003. He picked up his second career PGA TOUR victory at TPC Scottsdale in 2007, posting 21-under 263. It matches the lowest anyone has gone since the track was stretched to its current length of 7,216 yards.

You can also check out Bolton's other predictions for the Waste Management Phoenix Open:

Power Rankings for Waste Management Phoenix Open

Check them out, then join the discussion below.

LA JOLLA, Caif. -- The Golf Coaches Association of America will receive a $15,000 donation thanks to the 68 that Aaron Baddeley shot in the third-round of the Farmers Insurance Open.

The donation, which is being made by Farmers Insurance as part of its "University Day" celebration, was destined for the golf team of the player's alma mater. Since the Aussie turned pro at 19 and did not attend a university the decision was made to give it to the GCAA.

Six players tied for second after shooting 69s so their schools received $2,000 each -- Tiger Woods (Stanford), Brandt Snedeker (Vanderbilt), Gary Woodland (Kansas), Hunter Mahan (Oklahoma State), Camperon Tringale (Georgia Tech) and Adam Hadwin (Louisville).

Halleran/Getty Images

To preview the 2013 PGA TOUR season, PGATOUR.COM is counting down the Top 100 Players to Watch in 2013. For an archive page with the top 100 players and for an explanation on how the list was compiled, click here .

MORE TOP 100: Back to No. 40 | Forward to No. 38 | Top 100 archive

2013 PREVIEW: Aaron Baddeley will likely spend the offseason working on his iron play as he dropped from 97th to 190th on TOUR in GIR -- dipping more than seven percentage points. His scoring average dipped nearly a stroke, while his strokes gained-putting improved 26 spots. Put it all together again and that fourth TOUR win can't be far off.

2012 DEFINING MOMENT: The tie for eighth at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational wasn't Baddeley's highest finish of the year -- that joint fourth at Pebble Beach was. But the two 66s at Firestone, coupled with the caliber of the field, had to be a confidence boost. –- Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

ALBERS’ QUICK TAKE: I think Aaron might have the best putting stroke on TOUR. He can get on a roll where everything seems to drop. He is a very family oriented and very well respected among fellow players. -- Fred Albers, SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio

BOLTON’S FANTASY OUTLOOK: Although he regressed severely with his irons, there were enough signs that it's again time to buy in at $1.215 million. In addition to top 10s at Muirfield Village and Firestone, he ranked eighth in strokes gained-putting and seventh in birdie-or-better percentage. For all intents and purposes, it was about as bad a year as he could have. Entering his 11th season on the PGA TOUR, but won't turn 32 until March, so the Aussie is entering his prime. -- Rob Bolton, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy expert

SOCIAL MEDIA: Find him on Twitter

2012 QUICK REVIEW

Regular Season ranking 65th

Final Playoffs ranking 78th

NOW IT’S YOUR TURN

What is your prediction for Aaron Baddeley in 2013? Fill out the form below and let us know

NORTON, Mass. – When Aaron Baddeley started Monday’s final round of the Deutsche Bank Championship, his target score was to shoot 66. That would put him at 6 under for the tournament and assure his place inside the top 70 who’ll advance to next week’s BMW Championship.

Alas, he came up short, shooting a 1-under 70. And it appears he also came up short to make it to Crooked Stick. Having started the week ranked 85th in FedExCup points, Baddeley is projected at 73. It’s not official yet, but he knew after walking off the course Monday that his fate was essentially sealed.

Baddeley

“We’re having a baby, which we’re excited about. So I’m not sure if I’m going to play any of the Series yet. Just take some time off, enjoy the family and enjoy the baby.

“I really have no idea. I wasn’t planning on being out of the Playoffs.”

Baddeley was in great shape early, with birdies on three of his first four holes. But he bogeyed the fifth, suffered two more bogeys, and didn’t post another birdie until the par-5 18th.

Even then, an eagle at the last would have slipped him inside the top 70 but he couldn’t hole his bunker shot.

“I didn’t hit the bunker shot that I wanted,” he said. “I thought it might spin over to the right and go in.”

It didn’t … and so he’s going home.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Aaron Baddeley looks young enough that he could practically pass for a teenager and Bubba Watson sometimes acts like one.

On Tuesday at the Olympic Club when the two good friends played a practice round prior to the U.S. Open, they were joined on the first tee by a 14-year-old -- and he wasn't there to ask for autographs, either.

Andy Zhang will be playing with the pros after nabbing a spot in the national championship when Paul Casey withdrew with a shoulder injury on Monday. The teenager is believed to be the youngest to ever play in a U.S. Open -- and definitely holds that distinction since World War II when the USGA began keeping such records.

Zhang, who will be 14 years and six months old on Thursday, is not the youngest in major championship history, though. Young Tom Morris was two months younger when he played in the British Open in 1865.

Watson came away impressed by the youngster, who came to San Francisco hoping to play with Watson, who is the reigning Masters champ. 

"He's obviously a very quiet guy," Watson said. "...   It was fun talking to him. It was fun getting to know him. He was nervous, didn't talk much.  Maybe I just talk too much. But it was cool hearing the story, talking to his caddie and him about how they got in and what all happened for them to get in. ...
 
"He's a big boy for 14, and he can hit it good. Obviously at 14 he's got a lot of growing up to do with his game.  Obviously he can play.  He's in the U.S. Open. It's not like it just luckily happened. He can play to get here."

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

AVONDALE, La. -- Years from now, when people are asked what they remember most about the 2012 Masters, they'll undoubtedly talk about the amazing shot Bubba Watson curved out of the trees onto the green on the second playoff hole.

A close second, though, will surely be the tearful and heartfelt hugs after Watson tapped in for the winning par. First, from his mother, Molly, and then from Ben Crane, Rickie Fowler and Aaron Baddeley, who made their way to the 10th green to support their good friend.

Crane and Fowler had been watching the final four holes unfold in the caddy area.

"We kept looking at each other like, he's got a chance, he's got a chance," Crane remembered on Tuesday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. "Rickie was in casual clothes, and I said, buddy, you'd better change. You'd better look presentable if we go out."

Once the playoff with Louis Oosthuizen began, the three decided to follow the action. Knowing his wife Angie was at home with the son the couple had adopted two weeks earlier heightened their sense of urgency.

"We knew that Angie was at home, she wasn't able to come out because of the situation with their baby, and so we just wanted to go out and support our friend who we love," Crane said. "So that's one of the best things about being on TOUR, about winning tournaments -- just the fellowship out here, the community.

"It's so fun to do it with your friends. People ask me what's the highlight of your career. For me it's not like a victory, it's doing it with my friends and family and doing it for the right reasons, which is to glorify God."

The buddies talked a couple of Augusta National members into giving them a ride down the 18th fairway. They ended up at the back left of the green just as Watson hit the shot from the trees.

"I'm like, oh, gosh, is that right at us?" Crane recalled. "Your reaction is like, oh, it's going to hit you. You always think the ball is coming right at you, right? It started out, I'm going, oh, boy, this is way off line, and all of a sudden it put on the blinker.
   
“But I wasn't watching the ball at this point. I'm just like ducking, right?  Fight or flight, right? And then all of a sudden people started clapping. I'm like, what?  I look up and I see the ball, like oh, my gosh. Obviously it will be one of the greatest shots of our era to be hit. Just an incredible shot."

Lecka/Getty Images

Bubba Watson's shot from the pine straw was still being talked about two days later.

By Brian Wacker, PGATOUR.COM

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- As historic as Louis Oosthuizen’s double eagle was during the final round of the Masters, the shot everyone was still talking about Tuesday at the RBC Heritage was Bubba Watson’s escape from the woods on the second hole of sudden death, the par-4 10th at Augusta National.

“Yeah,” Boo Weekley said with emphasis when asked if Watson was in some strange way better off being in the trees than in the fairway. “Where we grew up, at Tanglewood, we had to learn that shot because the trees are real tight. If there’s anybody out there that’s gonna do it, he’s gonna do it every time.”

Weekley and Watson went to the same high school in Milton (Fla.) in the Florida panhandle.

The shot Watson hit Sunday was a wedge off the pine straw, under a tree then over them from 164 yards. It hooked about 40 yards to set up a two-putt par for the win.

It’s the kind of shot that fellow Scottsdale, Ariz., resident Aaron Baddeley, who came out to watch it, has seen dozens of times from Watson.

“When he gets in a spot in the trees it definitely makes him focus,” Baddeley said. “He can hit a 40-yard fade or 60-yard draw because he does it all the time. He can move the ball so far. He can hit a 50-yard fade off the tee because he can hit it 320. If I hit a 50-yard fade, it will go 260. That’s his go-to shot.”

That go-to shot gave Watson his first career major and fourth win in the last two years.

Bill Haas thinks it’s more than Watson’s length that has paid off.

“The rest of his game is a lot better than he got credit for,” Haas said. “I give him the credit now. He’s really good.”

Haas’ younger brother and caddie Jay Jr. said that Watson moves the ball more than any other player in the game.

“He’s entertaining to watch,” Bill added. “Even for us players.”

By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- To say Aaron Baddeley's title defense at the Northern Trust Open didn't get off to the best of starts would be an understatement.

He started on the back nine at Riviera on Thursday and promptly bogeyed the 10th hole, a drivable par 4 that was playing as the fourth-easiest that day, and then made a double bogey at the 12th. The resulting 73 left Baddeley in a distant tie for 53rd.

The Aussie roared into contention on Saturday, though, when he fired a solid 66. So Baddeley will start the final round at 5 under with a very legitimate chance to win at Riviera for the second straight year.

"I got off to that poor start on Thursday, 3 over after 3, and sort of battled well and shot 1 under from there coming in," Baddeley said. "I played well yesterday. I felt like I played better than 2 under. So it was a little disappointing but my game felt good, so I was keen to get out there early, get the best of the greens and post a score, which I did."

Baddeley's round included birdies on his last three holes -- from 33 feet, 13 inches on the par-5 17th and a 3-footer on the final hole. Those brought his total for the day to seven against just two bogeys, and left Baddeley two shots behind Phil Mickelson.

"It's always a great way to finish," Baddeley said. "I hit a great putt on 16, then hit great shots all coming home there. I'll take that tomorrow and try and get another one."

Baddeley, who started the final round a year ago with a one-stroke advantage, knew he needed to go low on Saturday to have a chance to repeat.

"I had to shoot 4 , 5 , 6 under today to give myself a realistic chance," he said. "So it was pleasing, pleasing just the way I played really nicely all day.  Especially finishing off like I did was good."

PACIFIC PALISADES, Calif. -- All of a sudden, defending champion Aaron Baddeley has put himself in contention again.

The Aussie, who started the third round at even par, birdied his final three holes on Saturday for a 66 that puts him at 5 under for the tournament. He's one shot behind Phil Mickelson, who has played 10 holes, and tied right now with Dustin Johnson, Bryce Molder, Zack Johnson, Keegan Bradley and Jonathan Byrd -- all of whom are still on the course.

Baddeley closed with a roller-coaster of a 32 on the back nine that included five birdies, one bogey and just three pars. The bogey came when Baddeley couldn't get up-and-down from the greenside bunker at No. 15. He responded by draining a 33-footer at the next hole, lobbing his third shot on the par-5 17th to 13 inches and made a final putt from 3 feet at the 18th.

Baddeley's birdie at the 18th hole was just the fifth of the day.