SEPP STRAKA 125/1 £5EW WH 8PLS
AARON RAI 100/1 £5EW WH 8PLS
ROGER SLOAN 250/1 £5EW SKYBET 8PLS
JHONATTAN VEGAS 50/1 £5EW WH 8PLS
CHRISTAAN BEZUIDENHOUT 50/1 £5EW WH 8PLS
TOMMY FLEETWOOD 20/1 £5EW PP 8PLS
BRENDON TODD 80/1 £5EW PP 8PLS
ALEX NOREN 33/1 £5EW WH 8PLS
RUSSELL KNOX 55/1 £5EW PP 8PLS
2 TOP TEN BETS
LEE WESTWOOD 6/1 £10 VARIOUS BOOKIES
RUSSELL KNOX 11/2 £10 VARIOUS BOOKIES
The Honda Classic
The Honda Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in south Florida. It was founded in 1972 as Jackie Gleason’s Inverrary Classic, and prior to a schedule change in 2021 was frequently the first of the Florida events in late winter following the “West Coast Swing.”
PGA National Champion Course
The PGA National Champion Course is an 18-hole golf course located at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States.
The PGA National Champion Course was opened on November 17, 1981. It was the site of the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship (won by Larry Nelson), and the Senior PGA Championship for 19 years, from 1982 to 2000. The course underwent a $4 million renovation in December 2002, and in 2007 became the home of The Honda Classic.
Originally designed by Tom and George Fazio for major tournament play, The Champion was redesigned by Jack Nicklaus in 2014 and hosts the PGA TOUR’s Honda Classic each spring. It features The Bear Trap, which spans three demanding holes designed by Nicklaus, and is called “one of the toughest stretches in golf.”
According to a story by The New York Times, “The Champion’s layout at PGA National is 7,045 yards of venom, a king cobra of a course that rises without warning to strike down the world’s best golfers. Snake charmers may have a better chance of taming it than the players at The Honda Classic.”
We have noticed that the Champion golf course has five sets of tees to make the course more of a challenge for the Pros this week. However, even though the course has generous landing areas and spacious and accepting TifEagle greens, golfers are presented with course management challenges throughout the round. It’s unquestionably one of the best golf courses in Florida and the entire country!
The course rating is 75.3 and it has a slope rating of 147 on Bermuda grass.
Course knowledge and good course management combined with well executed golf shots is a must around here.
The Teams Main Key Trends
- Course Experience
- Good long approach game
- Bermuda grass Scrambling over 65%
- SG Putting a must
- Proximity to hole 35” is the average over the past eight winners
Hosts Through the Ages
YEARS
NUMBER
VENUE
2007–21
2003–06
1997–2002
1996
1992-95
1984–91
1972–83
15
4
6
1
4
8
11
PGA National Resort and Spa
Country Club at Mirasol
TPC at Heron Bay
TPC Eagle Trace
Weston Hills Golf and C.C.
TPC Eagle Trace Coral Springs
Inverrary Country Club (East Course)
PAST WINNERS
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
Matt Jones 80/1
Im Sung-jae 35/1
Keith Mitchell 300/1
Justin Thomas 12/1
Rickie Fowler 16/1
Adam Scott 20/1
Padraig Harrington 400/1
Russell Henley 300/1
268 −12 5 strokes
274 −6 1 stroke
271 −9 1 stroke
272 −8 Playoff Luke List
268 −12 4 strokes
271 −9 1 stroke
274 −6 Playoff D Berger
272 −8 Playoff Knox/R McIlroy/Palmer
OUR PICKS
SEPP STRAKA 125/1
Coming into this week in a hot fun of form 5 straight cuts made is unheard of with Sepp. He has mangaged three top fives over the past few years on the PGA Tour. So still looking for his breakthrough he has been steady here in the past so should have a good week.
AARON RAI 100/1
We knew Aaron was a bit of class many years ago now coming through the challenge tour school. Now making a name for himself on the biggest Tour on the planet. Course fit should suit his game he loves windy tough courses and this place will be a tough test. Only concern is it will be his first visit here.
ROGER SLOAN 250/1
Latest edition as Tringale has pulled out. He has been on our radar for a while now and he seems a wild card that is why i like him here this week. This place also likes to throw in the big priced winners as you can see from the past. You can still get 300/1 with bet365 today. Mike is all over this guy and thinks it could set up our 2022.
JHONATTAN VEGAS 50/1
We liked what we saw at the Saudi International this year. Missed cut here in 2014 he has since then made five straight cuts 4-72-16-27-30. He just loves the challenge here and will be in the weekend so you never know.
CHRISTAAN BEZUIDENHOUT 50/1
Everything is ready to go for the BEZ Man he just needs a week on the greens and he will win for sure. Plus he is also a newbie to the bear trap so will have no bad memories as yet anyway.
TOMMY FLEETWOOD 20/1
Tough school specialists with the likes of Lowry and Willett were on the list here but my two picks from England were Lee and Tommy. Tommy could be low on the odds and for good reason played here twice and two top fives. NAP of the week in my book. Might cover top 5 top 10 win bet and each way here.
BRENDON TODD 80/1
Always keen to make us some money is Todd. Very good straight placement player who also enjoys tough courses as was proven a few weeks back at the AT&T where he had a solid top 20 finish. Lots to like here and could be bagging us plenty of cash this week to close Feb in a winning way.
ALEX NOREN 33/1
He will win on the PGA Tour we followed him yesterday. Won his three ball against Fowler and Higgs and is looking good. Top five in 2018 here expect another great week.
2 TOP TEN BETS
RUSSELL KNOX 11/2 TOP 10 BET
Based on his previous rounds of late we like his chances here this week. Coming off 4 missed cuts out of his past five events here not many people will be backing him but he is playing some of his best ever golf and could be back to the same he was here in 2014/2015 with a runner up spot and a 3rd place.
LEE WESTWOOD 7/1 TOP 10 BET
Lee missed the cut here last year but I feel this year the leaderboard will be mainly dominated by the Europeans players within the top 30 and Lee will be in that mix for sure.
