Predictions: Who will be top 5 in FedExCup?

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Luke Donald is a popular pick for 2012 FedExCup champion.

Jan. 4, 2012
By PGATOUR.COM staff

MORE FEDEXCUP: 10 Who could earn a first top-10 | Potential East Lake first-timers | Impact rookies

Prior to this week's start of the 2012 season, we've asked our experts who they think will occupy the top five spots in the FedExCup standings prior to the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, and who their pick is to win the FedExCup. Here are their predictions:

AMANDA BALIONIS, Host, PGA TOUR Today
1. Rory McIlroy 2. Luke Donald 3. Tiger Woods 4. Zach Johnson 5. Hunter Mahan	Prediction: McIlory is coming off a breakthrough season in 2011 with his memorable victory at the U.S. Open. With his mental game figured out, the young Northern Irishman has the talent to be the most consistent player on the PGA TOUR this season.

ROB BOLTON, PGATOUR.COM Fantasy Columnist
1. Jason Day 2. Nick Watney 3. Adam Scott 4. Webb Simpson 5. Luke Donald	Prediction: While the vagaries of the Playoffs preclude a hearty endorsement, especially this early in the season, Day's propensity to contend so frequently and stay hot for an extended period of time are factors too strong to ignore.

CHRIS DUNHAM, PGATOUR.COM Producer
1. Tiger Woods 2. Jason Dufner 3. Trevor Immelman 4. Matt Kuchar 5. Luke Donald	Prediction: This is a difficult pick because your top five will likely be your players who get hot in the Playoffs and the champion may or may not come from those five. If Tiger Woods makes it back to East Lake this year, I think he'll be the man to beat.

MIKE McALLISTER, PGATOUR.COM Managing Editor
1. Phil Mickelson 2. Rory McIlroy 3. Tiger Woods 4. Jason Day 5. Luke Donald	Prediction: Phil loves Bethpage Black and will win The Barclays and get a top-5 seed going into East Lake. That will set up the biggest payday of his career.

HELEN ROSS, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents
1. Luke Donald 2. Dustin Johnson 3. Webb Simpson 4. Matt Kuchar 5. Steve Stricker	Prediction: He doesn't have the length of a Dustin Johnson but Donald does everything else extremely well. His consistency will be rewarded after third-place finishes the last two years.

JOHN SCHWARB, PGATOUR.COM Producer
1. Luke Donald 2. K.J. Choi 3. Nick Watney 4. Gary Woodland 5. Bo Van Pelt	Prediction: The Englishman is due, maybe overdue, to add some big-time hardware to those money titles and No. 1 rankings.

RYAN SMITHSON, PGATOUR.COM Producer
1. Luke Donald 2. Dustin Johnson 3. Tiger Woods 4. Hunter Mahan 5. Phil Mickelson	Prediction:If he hit the ball 10 yards further off the tee, Donald might win seven times a year. Will be world's best player for at least a couple more years.

JOHN SWANTEK, Host, On the Tee
1. Rory McIlroy 2. Luke Donald 3. Nick Watney 4. Gary Woodland 5. Matt Kuchar	Prediction: The sky is the limit for the 2011 U.S. Open champion, who will distinguish himself as the TOUR's best player in 2012.

ANNE SZEKER, PGATOUR.COM Producer
1. Tiger Woods 2. Luke Donald 3. Adam Scott 4. Dustin Johnson 5. Jason Day	Prediction: No doubt Donald is going to have another stellar year, but I think this is the season Woods turns the corner once again gets a hold of his third FedExCup trophy.

BRIAN WACKER, PGATOUR.COM Producer
1. Luke Donald 2. Steve Stricker 3. Phil Mickelson 4. Webb Simpson 5. Tiger Woods	Prediction: Donald has finished in the top 3 in the final standings each of the last two years. In 2012, he'll add another trophy to the mantel: His first FedExCup title.