Expert Picks: WGC – CA Championship (PGATOUR.com)

March 9, 2010

The second World Golf Championships event of the season takes place in Doral, Fla., this week at the TPC Blue Monster. Here’s how the PGATOUR.COM experts—including the newest member of our editorial team, producer Anne Szeker—size up the top contenders. Since Anne is the new kid on the block, we’re giving her the honor of the first pick this week.

EXPERT PICKSHow 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 CA CHAMPIONSHIP: Power Rankings | Inside the Field | Inside the courseMORE EXPERT PICKS: Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular Expert picks: CA Championship Expert Pick order Player selected AnneSzeker STEVE STRICKER. He moved to No. 2 in the world earlier this year, with three top 10s in his first three starts. He’ll step up again this week with former No. 2 Phil Mickelson in the field. LaurenDeason PAUL CASEY. Just can’t pull the trigger on picking Phil with the way he’s been playing lately, so I’m going with the Englishman who’s finished T10, second and T4 in his three starts of the season. If Deason had the top pick … Casey RyanSmithson PHIL MICKELSON. Obviously, he’s been struggling, but a feel player like him can make a minor adjustment and be back to normal. For Phil, “normal” includes shooting 15 under at TPC Blue Monster. If Smithson had the top pick … Mickelson HelenRoss CAMILO VILLEGAS. He was T5 at TPC Blue Monster in ’09 and joint second when the course hosted the Ford Championship. He’s also on a major-league hot streak right now, so it seems like a no-brainer. If Ross had the top pick … Villegas JohnSwantek ANTHONY KIM. With improved results in each of his five ’10 starts, AK is peaking after Honda runner-up. Finishing five strokes back of another young star, Camilo Villegas, will provide added incentive. If Swantek had the top pick … Kim BrianWacker JIM FURYK. Mr. Top-10 hasn’t had any so far this year, but Doral sets up perfectly for his game and the results have proven that with a third last year and a second the year before. If Wacker had the top pick … Kim NickZaccardi LEE WESTWOOD. I’ll take Europe’s No. 1 again this week. His last three stroke-play finishes were T3, 2 and T9. Throw out that third-round 78 in Doral last year, and he places much higher than T61. If Zaccardi had the top pick … Mickelson MikeMcAllister OLIVER WILSON. In his last four WGC starts in the U.S., he’s finished no worse than a T11—including a T5 at Doral in ’09. He’s bound to break through with a win soon, so why not this week? If McAllister had the top pick … Casey Standings after Week 9 LAST WEEK: Nick Zaccardi grabbed the top spot from Brian Wacker when Lee Westwood tied for ninth at The Honda Classic, while Mike McAllister moved from last into third with Camilo Villegas’ win: Position Name Wins Top-5s Top-10s Top-25s FedExCup points 1 Nick ZaccardiAssociate Site Producer. PGATOUR.COM 1 2 6 7 1008.83 2 Brian WackerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM 1 4 3 3 988.93 3 Mike McAllisterManaging Editor, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 2 6 766.33 4 Lauren DeasonEditorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM 1 1 1 5 738 5 Ryan SmithsonSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM - 1 2 4 366 6 Helen RossChief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM - - 1 4 293 7 John SwantekHost, PGA TOUR Today - - 1 4 291.83 8* Anne SzekerSite Producer, PGATOUR.COM * – Making her first appearance as an expert