Power Rankings: SAS Championship

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Editor's note: Vartan Kupelian is the Champions Tour Insider and a PGATOUR.COM Contributor. Each week, Kupelian will size up the field and provide his top 5 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc.

If the Champions Tour Power Rankings for this week's SAS Championship have a familiar ring, that's as it should be.

All five players listed here were high on the leaderboard a year ago at Prestonwood Country Club, including those who finished first, third and T4.

With a closing 1-under 71, Russ Cochran posted a 2-stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jr. Still firing on all cylinders after his victory in Korea, Cochran opened 64-67 and was never headed.

Cochran began the final round with a four-shot lead and posted a 14-under total at Prestonwood.

Pernice, who won this event in his Champions Tour debut two years ago, closed with 68 to keep the pressure on. The '09 victory made Pernice the 15th player to win his Champions Tour debut.

This week's Champions Tour Power Rankings for the SAS Championship:

Power Rankings: SAS Championship

Rank Player   Comment John COOK Lost playoffs in two of his last three starts. No surprise. This is Cook's time: He loves the fall and as two-time defending champion, he's getting pumped for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. He was third at Prestonwood last year. Russ COCHRAN There will be fond memories of the SAS Championship for the defending champ who capped his breakthrough last year with back-to-back wins in Korea and North Carolina. Was third wire-to-wire winner in tournament history a year ago. Mark CALCAVECCHIA He's only missed a top 10 finish once in his last six starts. He won his first Champions Tour victory at the Boeing Classic to set himself up for a big finish. Calc has won more than $900,000 in that stretch. Fred COUPLES Won his first major on the Champions Tour at the Senior Players Championship, then was disappointed again in Seattle. The SAS Championship gets him ready for next weeks return to The Woodlands, where he is the defending champion. Peter SENIOR You've got to love the guy's consistency and determination. One of these weeks, the door will swing open. He's finished top six in four of last five events, including a playoff loss in Korea. Tied for 11th at Prestonwood last year.