Sleeper Picks: Buick Open

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Jun. 24, 2008

Editor's note: PGATOUR.com has tried to make our experts work a little harder when they make their picks each week. The favorite can be anyone in the field, although Tiger Woods can only be used seven times during the year. Sleepers can't have won in 2008 or had a top-10 in their last five starts. A sleeper can't be ranked in the top 30 in the field, either.

Who could win? Expert picks
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T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: John Rollins
Shockingly, Rollins has yet to post a top-10 finish in 2008. Last year, Rollins tied for fifth at the Buick Open thanks to matching 67s on the weekend. He is a strong player and has transformed his body this season in an effort to become a frequent contender. While the latter half of that sentence hasn't happened just yet, it will soon. With his dedication and work ethic, Rollins has got to break out soon. Why not this week in Michigan?

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Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Woody Austin
If anyone can take down Jim Furyk (my winner pick), it's Woody Austin. He was a co-runner up last year, tied for seventh the year before and won the 1995 tournament in a playoff. Austin's year has been inconsistent -- he's had just two top-10 finishes and missed four cuts in 2008 -- but Austin is a horse for this Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club course.

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Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Chris DiMarco
More than decent record here, including a couple of runner-up finishes. His season is on the upswing after a rocky start, plus he's coming off a tie for 13th at the Travelers Championship. And, yep, that Ryder Cup thing is dangling out there.

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Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Chris DiMarco
Sure, he's experiencing a terrible season, but he's also coming off a solid tie for 13th in Hartford, his best finish of the year. He should have more confidence this week. Can he improve? Yes.

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John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor
Pick: Fred Funk
The theme of straight hitters doing well at Warwick Hills lets the oldest man in the field in as a darkhorse this week. Funk is only a darkhorse these days because he is splitting time between the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour but his game seems to be an ideal match for the Buick Open. The only time he has ever missed the cut at this tournament was in his first start in 1989. Since then he has had several solid finishes. Expect another this week.

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Win McMurry
Host, PGA TOUR Today
Pick: Woody Austin
After missing the cut at the Travelers Championship, he's coming into this week fired up to win again on the PGA TOUR. While he won here in 1995, his first of three TOUR victories, he also tied for second here last year. And the year before that, he was also inside the top 10 with a tie for seventh. I think Aquaman is stepping it up this week to show that his game can still hold up, and this is the time of the season when he's traditionally played the best. All three of his wins came in the summer months.

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Scott Pianowski
PGATOUR.com Fantasy Insider
Pick: Chris DiMarco
His swing is starting to come around (four checks in five starts), and he's had decent success at Warwick Hills with a couple of seconds this decade. Wouldn't it be fun to see DiMarco, and his engaging personality, in the hunt on Sunday? Go get 'em, Gator.

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Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Lucas Glover
Glover showed some signs of life last week at the Travelers Championship, where he tied for 19th and shot three rounds in the 60s. He's played well at Warwick Hills in the past, too, with a tie for 10th last year and a share of 15th in 2006. Could this be the week?

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Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Pick: Nathan Green
Leading the TOUR in putting doesn't always mean you're going to do well, but it sure can't hurt at Warwick Hills, where birdies are always flying and you need to stay with the pack.

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John Swantek
PGATOUR.com Productions Fantasy Insider
Pick: Dustin Johnson

The fact that he's 188th on TOUR in driving accuracy doesn't matter this week. The rough at Warwick Hills was the easiest to get it close from of any course on TOUR last year. This rookie is long (308.8-yard driving average) and fearless. That's the perfect combination on this course..



Expert Standings
How our experts are faring after the Travelers Championship
PGATOUR.com Experts 1st 2nd 3rd Top-10s Missed Cuts FedExCup Points
Win McMurry 7 3 3 15 9 49,758
Melanie Hauser 5 3 - 15 10 44,557
Lauren Deason 4 6 1 14 10 41,692
Dave Shedloski 2 6 1 14 9 36,802
Scott Pianowski 2 6 2 16 13 35,851
Helen Ross 2 5 - 15 13 35,085
John Maginnes 3 3 2 10 15 31,099
Dave Lagarde 3 2 - 13 9 28,723
T.J. Auclair 3 1 - 9 10 26,637
John Swantek 2 3 1 9 11 23,667
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