This week the FedEx Cup regular season concludes in Greensboro, NC with the Wyndham Championship. Webb Simpson returns as defending champion to the site of his first Tour victory. Each week, a panel of experts will offer up their picks from four groups of players based on Golf Channel’s new fantasy game, Fantasy Challenge. We will also keep track of their scores and standings. The panel consists of: senior writers Rex Hoggard, Randall Mell and Jason Sobel; contributors John Hawkins and Win McMurry; editorial director Jay Coffin; RotoWorld.com’s Rob Bolton; ‘Morning Drive’ host Gary Williams and staff writer Ryan Lavner.
Rex Hoggard
Group 1: Brandt Snedeker: As the pressure builds to impress U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III, Snedeker will struggle to control his emotions - but the Wyndham may be his best chance to emerge from the pack. He won the event in 2007 and has three top-10 finishes in Greensboro.
Group 2: Chez Reavie: Didn’t have the best week at Kiawah (four rounds of 73 or worse), but he has top-10 finishes in both of his starts at Sedgefield (T-10 in 2009, T-9 in 2011) and at 132nd on the FedEx Cup points list, he needs a big week.
Group 3: Tim Clark: He’s been slow to find his way after an extended stay on the disabled list, but last week’s T-11 at the PGA - and a T-15 at the Canadian Open - suggest he is finally shaking off the rust.
Group 4: Heath Slocum: Your FedEx Cup bubble boy at 128th in points has been here before. In 2009 he began the playoffs 124th on the points list, won The Barclays and finished the season eighth.
Win McMurry
Group 1: Carl Pettersson: This NC transplant from Sweden is a popular pick this week as the 2008 champ coming off a T-3 finish at the PGA Championship a few hours south last week.
Group 2: Jamie Donaldson: He finished T-7 last week, so he’s coming in hot as a player in Group 2. No regular PGA Tour history, although he’s competed enough on the big stage to feel comfortable this week.
Group 3: Tim Clark: Three top-20 finishes this summer for ‘Two Gloves’ shows promise that he can contend down south this week. Oh yeah - he was solo third here last year too.
Group 4: Heath Slocum: Slocum’s T-17 here last year is solid history for the four-time Tour winner. He’s right outside the bubble at 128th in the FedEx Cup points list, so he needs a good week to continue his season.
Randall Mell
Group 1: Carl Pettersson: ‘A man with no country,’ Pettersson certainly feels at home in North Carolina.
Group 2: Bud Cauley: With three fourth-place finishes this year, he’s ready to close out his first victory.
Group 3: Tim Clark: Strong PGA Championship finish last week (T-11) is another key part of his re-emergence.
Group 4: Heath Slocum: Ready to cycle his game back up again as the FedEx Cup Playoffs approach.
Ryan Lavner
Group 1: Carl Pettersson: His close call at the PGA was his fourth top-3 finish of the season, and with a sterling record in Greensboro in his past five starts there - he has a win, T-4 and fifth-place finish - expect more of the same.
Group 2: Ryan Moore: Though he’s been hit-or-miss at Sedgefield (he won in 2009, but also missed the cut here twice), Moore was T-8 last month at the John Deere and has three other top-10 finishes this season.
Group 3: Tim Clark: Clark has played a limited schedule this season due to injury, but he’s clearly rounding into form: T-15 and T-11, respectively, in his past two starts. The T-11 at Kiawah, in fact, represented his best finish in a major since 2006.
Group 4: Heath Slocum: Hey, at least one of the bubble boys has to play well at Sedgefield. So why not Slocum, who has shot in the 60s in four of his six rounds there?
Rob Bolton
Group 1: Carl Pettersson: Despite the sting of a rules-debating two-stroke penalty in the final round of last week’s PGA Championship, his share of third place is a career-best in a major. Chased a solo second in Houston with a win at Harbour Town earlier this year, so I’m not expecting his disappointment at Kiawah Island to influence his focus at Sedgefield, where he won in 2008 and established the course record (61). Also placed T-4 here last year.
Group 2: Ken Duke: While scoring may rise due to Champion Bermuda greens this year, sign me up for this guy in a shootout as many times as possible. He’s recorded one top 10 finish in every month from February through July, which means he’s due.
Group 3: Tim Clark: This is a surprisingly deep sample size with more potential than Group 2, but I can’t ignore how well the South African is striping it lately. Top-15s in his last two starts, including a T-11 at the PGA Championship. Built for classic tracks like Sedgefield, where he shared sixth place in 2008.
Group 4: Heath Slocum: Still one of the best in getting his ball tee to green, and he recorded a season-best T-13 at the True South Classic just four weeks ago. Tied for 17th at Sedgefield a year ago and ranked T-3 in birdies.
