Fantasy Central

Fantasy Island: Waste Management Open

By Golf Channel Digital
Feb 1, 2011 3:29 PM ET

GolfChannel.com experts offer up their picks for the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Each week, senior writers Rex Hoggard and Randall Mell, contributors John Hawkins and Charlie Rymer, and editorial director Jay Coffin will give their picks from three groups of players based on Golf Channel's new fantasy game, Fantasy Challenge. We will also keep track of their scores and standings.

You can battle the experts and play along as well. Just click here to get into the game.

Waste Management Phoenix Open

Rex Hoggard

Rex Hoggard

Score:

1,050,044

Group A:
Phil Mickelson

Group B:
Bill Haas

Group C:
Gary Woodland

Lefty began Sunday with a one-stroke lead and closed with 69. Under normal circumstance that would have been more than enough, but he discovered you can’t trade birdies with a Bubba on a bomber’s course.

In consecutive weeks he’s lost in a playoff at the Bob Hope Classic and teed off in the final group at Torrey Pines on Sunday. Third time’s a charm.

Doesn’t have much history at TPC Scottsdale, but bombers seem to do well in the Arizona desert (see: Holmes, J.B.) and his playoff loss at the Bob Hope Classic is a sign he’s ready to win.

Randall Mell

Randall Mell

Score:

670,421

Group A:
Phil Mickelson

Group B:
Jhonattan Vegas

Group C:
Chris Couch

No laying up this week, attack mode gets Lefty the victory.

Doubling down with Vegas on a roll.

The big man stood tall in Palm Springs, and he'll come up big in another desert.

Charlie Rymer

Charlie Rymer

Score:

927,096

Group A:
Dustin Johnson

Group B:
J.B. Holmes

Group C:
Tommy Gainey

DJ finished well at Farmers and that may just be the spark he needs to get the season jump-started.

Holmes has been a a one-man, flame-throwing, golf-ball launching, grass-scorching, wrecking crew at this event. Why stop now?

They call him "Two gloves" for a reason – he actually wears two gloves. And it's supposed to be cold in Phoenix this week.

John Hawkins

Score:

612,694

Group A:
Rickie Fowler

Group B:
Ryan Moore

Group C:
J.J. Henry

I can just smell that first win coming. Weird layup cost him a shot here last year.

Bad Saturday (74) killed his chances in 2010. Rarin' to go; a home game for him.

Tied for second here in 2006. A long time ago, sure, but Henry remains strong tee to green.

Jay Coffin

Score:

1,181,884

Group A:
Phil Mickelson

Group B:
Ryan Moore

Group C:
Billy Mayfair

I was tempted to go with Rickie Fowler, but Lefty had too much game last week in San Diego and will be in the hunt this week.

Vegas is the sexy pick and Moore is coming off an illness but a T-14 and T-6 the last two years shows he can handle the pressure of the elements.

He’s played here every year for the last 20 years. Here’s hoping he can find a little magic just one more time around these stomping grounds.

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