2015 Honda Classic Betting Preview; Feb 26 - Sunday Mar 1, 2015 ; PGA National (Champion) • ...
2015 Honda Classic Betting Preview; Feb 26 - Sunday Mar 1, 2015; • Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
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The Course
It’s a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire after Riviera for the PGA Tourists as The Champions Course at PGA National Resort & Spa is no less tough a test than last week. It’s a Nicklaus redesign with the signature “Bear Trap”; the 15th a par-3, 16th a par-4 and 17th another par-3.
The course is a 7110 yard par 70 that traditionally ranks in the top three toughest par70’s on the PGA Roster.
Ball striking, especially on the par-3’s is vital for anyone looking for success here. Weather is set warm and windy with the odd shower each day.
Bookies Favourite: Rory McIlroy 7/2
Tied for second at The Honda last year after withdrawing controversially in 2013. Rors won the event in 2012, doing enough then to hold off a charging Tiger Woods. Winner also in Dubai last time out after five straight seconds in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Scotland and Atlanta. The king of world golf right now.
Doc’s Five To Watch
1. Hideki Matsuyama 25/1
Needs to arrest his trend of having one good week then a bad one straight after. Hideki followed his T3 at the Tournament of Champions with a tank at the Sony, then scored a T2 in Phoenix only to suck again at Torrey Pines. I’m just hoping he can follow his excellent T4 at Riviera last week with another good performance on an equally tough course that will require the same skillset. Doesn’t have the course experience of some of the others after withdrawing on his debut last year. Then again, he’s not carrying the mental scars inflicted by PGA National on some of the others either!
2. Keegan Bradley 33/1
Kind of came back onto my radar after starting and finishing well in Phoenix and showed his Major championship credentials with a T4 at the ultra-tough Northern Trust Open last week. Fifth appearance at The Honda for Keegan and he has always hit the greens in regulation as good as the best on the Champions Course. That has yielded three top 15’s in his last three visits including a best of T4 in 2013.
3. Graham DeLaet 40/1
After missing the cut on his first two visits to The Honda, Graham figured it out last time he played in 2013 scoring a T9 thanks to an excellent driving, GIR and putting stats performance. Coming off a recent T7 in Phoenix and T8 in Riviera I think the Canadian is in the form to post his best Honda Classic result yet.
4. Justin Rose 22/1
I think missing the cut on the number at The Farmers was a minor achievement for Justin given that he played with a strapped thumb that week after falling and injuring it. Showed enough with top 15 finishes in Qatar and Abu Dhabi early doors to make me confident he will take up where he left off at The Honda. Not a regular visitor to this tournament but has three top fives on his last three visits (T4 in2013, T5 in 2012 and solo 3rd in 2010). Thumbs up for me for ball striker on a ball striker’s course.
5. Graeme McDowell 33/1
Seemed to run completely out of steam last time out in Malaysia after sharing the first round lead and what brought him there to play after a T9 in Dubai I just cannot figure out. Will be looking to play better than last year when he finished T46 after a nightmare week of +6 on the par-3’s. Three consecutive top 10’s before that however ( T9 in 2013 and 2012, T6 in 2011) suggest GMac has what it takes to handle the Bear Trap and all the other Bear crap strewn around this track! If the wind plays a role as forecast it could also help.
Long Odds Glory Shots
Will MacKenzie 125/1
Willy Mac makes his return from injury and season debut this week in Florida. Finished last season really well with a T2 at the McGladrey and T9 at Mayakoba but has been out since with damage to his left hand. Seems to have the knack for this place with a T6 in 2014, T12 in 2010 and T5 in 2009 and has made the cut on each of five visits since this course first hosted in 2007.
Freddie Jacobson 100/1
Freddie always plays this event and I cannot remember him being outside the top 30 once since 2009. Finished T5 that year and T6 the next. Showing decent form this season too with a T7 in Phoenix thanks to a Sunday 64. Wily coyote 10/1 to finish in the top 10.
Best Of The Rest Discussion:
Harris English 40/1 impressed me so much with his T2 at Torrey Pines that he nearly scraped into my top five. He’s been top 40 in his last six starts so has the consistency. Best of T18 in 2012.
Phoenix winner Brooks Koepka 33/1 is another I considered after a well deserved week off. He was T33 on his debut last year.
Paul Casey 50/1 played well here in 2010 scoring a T4 but left himself too much to after a bad first round. He played great last week also with a T2 at Riviera.
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