PGA / Chris Ryan / 30 October 2009 / Leave a comment Bet Now

I'm not one to pat myself on the back too much but here's what I said last week: "Most likely this week at the Frys.com Open at the warm and wonderful Grayhawk Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, we'll see another similar story, someone or someones clinging to their professional lives and possibly making their mark(s) on the world of golf," writes Brian Heard.

Enter stage left: Troy Matteson (who, by the way, I said was one to watch last week; pat, pat). The 29-year-old American came to Arizona last week ranked 131st on the PGA Tour money list and preparing to go to Q-School and left $900,000 richer and secure in his professional future for the next two years (winner's on the PGA Tour get at least a two-year full exemption).

"It's just been unbelievable," Matteson said afterwards. "This week, on Thursday if you would have told me that I could get into a playoff to try to win this tournament, I would have said you're absolutely out of your mind."

I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is what the Fall Series is all about my friends.

And you know what, in a lot ways it's more exciting than when the big boys are out in force. There seem to be only two story lines at such events: 1) Does Tiger win?; 2) Does someone beat Tiger? Gets monotonous after awhile. Every week in the Fall Series we get told a whole new story and get to know guys we're not all that familiar with.

That said next week's marquee lineup at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai should be exciting.

But this week it's the fourth of five events in the Fall Series, which goes on hiatus for a week before finishing up in Florida with the Children's Miracle Network Classic from Nov. 12-15.

And like its three predecessors in the series, the Viking Classic in Madison, Mississippi, does not have a lot of big names in the field, but it should have some good stories to tell.

The field

Not surprisingly, it's not star-studded. With one of the smallest purses on Tour ($3.7 million; winner's share $666,000) only four 2009 winners - Matteson, Matt Kuchar, Nathan Green and Michael Bradley - are in Mississippi. No one who can see the top of the money list is in attendance.

But there are some interesting names set to tee it up this week, including mighty mite Rickie Fowler. The diminutive (5-foot-9) 20-year-old who's violent off the tee (300-plus-yard average on his drives) but gentle on the greens has taken the Tour by storm with back-to-back top-10 finishes, including almost winning last week in Arizona - he lost out to Matteson in a playoff that also included Jamie Lovemark.

Then there's Nationwide Tour money winner Michael Sim. The 25-year-old Scotsman won three times on that tour and tied for 18th at the U.S. Open in June. We'll be seeing a lot more of him next season and maybe we'll see a lot more of him this week.

Some notables on the money-list bubble and in need of a strong outing this week include David Duval (125th), Rich Beem (124th), Steve Flesch (122nd), Ricky Barnes (121st), Tim Herron (128th), Rocco Mediate (141st), Stuart Appleby (134th), Corey Pavin (145th) and Chris DiMarco (138th).

Predictions

Like last week we should see guys go low. Weather-permitting, Annandale Golf Club will yield plenty of birdies, so scorers will be favored, not necessarily long hitters though, because the course is fairly short.

Picks to win:

Chad Campbell - Last victory came at Annandale back in 2007. Along with David Toms is probably the best-rounded player in the field and has been hitting it pretty well. He lost in a playoff two weeks ago to Martin Laird in Las Vegas, finished in a tie for 33rd last week and has eight straight rounds in the 60s.

Rickie Fowler - Hey, why not? I know he's probably the trendy pick, but the kid's got game and is a lot of fun to watch, long stringy, hair notwithstanding.

Tom Pernice Jr. - Tom Watson's British performance has given the 50-somethings a kick in the pants - a "We can do this" kind of thing. No one of that age is better suited than Pernice, who turned 50 seven weeks ago. He's in good form - tied for seventh in Vegas, tied for 13th last week, and he won his first-ever Champions Tour event, the SAS Championship, in late September. The relatively short course should help him as well.

Others to watch:

David Toms - One of the bigger names in Mississippi with one of the best games. Has had a great season, seeing his scoring average dip below 70 for the first time since 2003. Has three runners-up this year, but hasn't won since 2006. Why not now? Plus, he's a Southerner (from Louisiana) and would love to win in Mississippi.

Ken Duke - Yeah, I know his game looks like it's in the toilet (hey, when you're missing cuts during the Fall Series as he did the last two weeks you're gonna be the target of some bathroom humor). But this is a guy who took so long to make it on Tour and he was so steady the last two seasons. And, he's a Southern feller (Arkansas), it just seems right he'll break out of his funk this week. He needs to if he's going to retain playing privileges for next year - he's 158th on the money list.

Brandt Snedeker - He's not playing for his professional life (54th on the money list), but he too is a Son of the South (Tennessee) and is expected to play well at Annandale. After a near-disastrous start to the season - nine missed cuts in his first 12 outings - the 28-year-old has rounded into good form. Plus, Snedeker and Boo Weekley won the ADT Skills Challenge in Florida on Monday, so he has some momentum coming in. A win would exorcise any lingering demons from his Sunday meltdown at the BMW Championship last month.