honda classic – Page 8 – Syndication Server

Honda Classic has Mickelson, Fowler and Westwood but timing, bad luck have whittled the field

Location, location, location. In golf, it’s not where the course is situated. It’s where the tournament lands on the PGA Tour’s schedule.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — PGA Tour events, like South Florida real estate, rely on the same thing.

Location, location, location.

In golf, it’s not where the course is situated. It’s where the tournament is placed on the PGA Tour’s schedule.

That explains why the Honda Classic that starts Thursday on the Champion course at PGA National is light on star power.

The ever-popular Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler of nearby Jupiter are here. So is the growing-in-popularity Lee Westwood, fresh off consecutive runner-up finishes in the Players and the Arnold Palmer Invitational to move to No. 19 in the World ranking.

So is former Honda Classic champion and Masters winner Adam Scott and defending champion Sungjae Im, 18th in the world. Those are players any tournament would love to have.

But with the Honda now sandwiched between the Players, the Tour’s flagship tournament with a $15 million purse, and next week’s World Golf Championship Match Play event, the field doesn’t have any of the players ranked in the top 14 in the world.

HONDA: Field by the ranking | Tee times, TV info

There’s also bad luck: Hometown favorite Daniel Berger, at No. 15 the highest-ranked player in the field, withdrew Wednesday with a rib injury, following four-time major champion Brooks Koepka (No. 12) having to WD last week after injuring his right knee. Or 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland and two others, who had to withdraw Monday because of COVID-19 positive tests.

However, the tournament will go on, with 144 players vying for a $7 million purse. Ten thousand fans will show up every day, limited by COVID-19 protocols, and millions of dollars will be raised for local charities.

“We don’t get caught up in it too much because it’s something we can’t control,” Honda Classic Executive Director Ken Kennerly said of the field. “It certainly doesn’t help when Brooks hurts his knee and Daniel had his health issue.

“Those players who are not here, there’s no dislike for the Honda Classic or PGA National. We’ve had a very good relationship with all of the players for many, many years. A lot of it comes down to their schedule.”

It’s frustrating for area golf fans to see four of the world’s top 11 players who live within 20 minutes of PGA National—No. 1 Dustin Johnson, No. 2 Justin Thomas, No. 9 Patrick Cantlay and No. 11 Rory McIlroy—skip the event. Thomas and McIlroy are former Honda winners.

And it may not be a good look when all those guys show up on Monday at Seminole Golf Club’s Pro-Member – perhaps the best field in golf – before jetting off to Austin, Texas, for the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in their final tune-up before the Masters.

Yet, this is the same tournament, the same course and the same staff that lured seven of the world’s top 10 players, including Jupiter Island’s Tiger Woods, in 2013. All that’s changed is the increasing number of high-profile events around the Florida Swing.

The Honda Classic — A look through the players tunnel at the 17th tee box during the third round of the 2020 Honda Classic at PGA National (Champion course). (Photo: Reinhold Matay/USA TODAY Sports)

The Champion course, built by Tom Fazio and re-designed by Jack Nicklaus, remains Honda’s main attraction. Having hosted the 1983 Ryder Cup and the 1987 PGA Championship, the Champion has evolved into one of the hardest tests in golf, particularly the Bear Trap from holes 15 to 17.

No lead is safe until the leaders clear the Bear Trap: The par-3 15th, par-4 16th and par-3 17th have accounted for 17 percent of all bogeys, 32 percent of all doubles and 37 percent of all triples or worse on the Champion course in tournament history.

Typically, the better players prefer playing more demanding courses because it separates them from the rest of the field.

“I know this is a strange statement, but I’d like to play tournament golf on a course like this every week,” said two-time Honda Classic champion Padraig Harrington, the European Ryder Cup captain. “I know it would beat you up eventually. There’s a lot of drama and holes that can keep you awake at night.”

Even though the Honda Classic may not have the marquee names of years past, who knows about the ever-changing future of golf? Few people remember that previous champions Todd Hamilton (2004) and Y.E. Yang (2008) weren’t household names when they won. Yet both went on to win majors those years.

Nor did most fans know of Im before he held off Mackenzie Hughes by a shot last year. Im finished second in the delayed Masters and is now 18th in the world.

Honda officials asked the PGA Tour to move this year’s event three weeks later than the usual spot in quest of a better field; that obviously didn’t work out as planned. The tournament is scheduled for the same date next year, though Kennerly said discussions with the tour are ongoing.

“The Honda Classic has become more than a professional golf tournament,” Kennerly said. “It’s become an event for people to gather and come together. There’s a lot of excitement. Some of the actors on the stage have changed a bit, so be it. It’s still the Honda Classic.”

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Honda Classic field by the rankings

Check out the field at the Honda Classic by the Golfweek/Sagarins and Official World Golf Rankings.

The PGA Tour is heading to PGA National this week for the Honda Classic.

One of the toughest tests on Tour, the Champions course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, plays host to the following marquee groups for the first two rounds are: Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley and Lee Westwood; Sungjae Im, Keith Mitchell and Rickie Fowler; Adam Scott, Joaquin Niemann and Ian Poulter; Shane Lowry, Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson.

The entire Players Championship field is broken down below according to the Golfweek/Sagarins and the OWGR.

So far in the 2020-21 Tour season, the average ranking of the winner heading into the week in which he won a PGA Tour event has been 98.04 in the Golfweek/Sagarins and 106.81 in the OWGR.

HONDA CLASSIC: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy

Player	Golfweek/Sagarin	OWGR
Joaquin Niemann	12	29
Zach Johnson	13	113
John Huh	19	309
Adam Scott	20	25
Sungjae Im	26	18
Cameron Tringale	30	92
Russell Henley	31	60
Chris Kirk	35	76
Patton Kizzire	38	196
Matt Jones	47	83
Brendan Steele	52	78
Mackenzie Hughes	53	53
Kevin Streelman	55	59
Talor Gooch	56	64
Lee Westwood	57	19
Cameron Davis	62	136
Doug Ghim	63	238
Ian Poulter	68	65
Adam Hadwin	69	91
Alex Noren	71	94
Richy Werenski	72	102
Jim Furyk	73	236
Keegan Bradley	75	129
James Hahn	76	144
Sepp Straka	78	151
Adam Long	82	67
Matt Wallace	83	55
Wesley Bryan	85	426
Rory Sabbatini	86	116
Michael Thompson	87	105
Harold Varner III	91	137
Shane Lowry	92	40
Brandon Wu	93	163
Steve Stricker	95	251
Mark Hubbard	100	158
Scott Stallings	101	258
Henrik Norlander	104	101
J.T. Poston	105	68
Lucas Glover	106	146
Erik van Rooyen	108	66
Stewart Cink	111	154
Dylan Frittelli	112	69
Chez Reavie	113	71
Wyndham Clark	114	133
Cameron Percy	115	264
Rickie Fowler	118	81
Tyler Duncan	120	168
Adam Schenk	125	253
Maverick McNealy	128	131
Tom Hoge	129	104
Hank Lebioda	131	366
Nick Taylor	132	122
Jhonattan Vegas	133	179
Austin Cook	134	206
Bo Hoag	135	227
Luke List	136	166
Troy Merritt	138	176
Pat Perez	139	231
Peter Malnati	140	157
Martin Kaymer	141	89
Jason Dufner	142	350
Roger Sloan	143	334
Matthew NeSmith	144	147
Will Gordon	145	198
Brian Stuard	147	202
Padraig Harrington	150	228
C.T. Pan	151	171
Patrick Rodgers	152	209
Phil Mickelson	156	99
Ryan Moore	162	192
Charl Schwartzel	167	206
Russell Knox	169	217
Brice Garnett	172	254
Rafa Cabrera Bello	176	103
Kevin Chappell	178	720
Kyoung-Hoon Lee	179	139
Chesson Hadley	180	276
Ryan Armour	183	226
Kris Ventura	184	222
Anirban Lahiri	185	462
Nate Lashley	189	126
Andrew Landry	190	121
Lucas Herbert	194	70
Aaron Wise	195	152
Byeong Hun An	196	86
Harry Higgs	203	128
Joseph Bramlett	206	283
Bronson Burgoon	210	323
Denny McCarthy	214	338
Camilo Villegas	228	401
Tom Lewis	233	93
Rob Oppenheim	236	390
Vincent Whaley	249	465
Kramer Hickok	250	300
Keith Mitchell	251	206
Jim Herman	256	124
Ryo Ishikawa	257	119
Vaughn Taylor	263	211
Chase Seiffert	269	259
Robby Shelton	272	182
Sam Ryder	278	275
Satoshi Kodaira	279	460
Seung-Yul Noh	281	699
Xinjun Zhang	282	249
J.B. Holmes	283	296
Scott Brown	286	256
J.J. Spaun	287	525
Kelly Kraft	288	530
Robert Streb	296	118
Scott Harrington	309	329
Brian Gay	316	204
Tyler McCumber	324	269
Michael Gligic	332	512
Beau Hossler	335	321
D.J. Trahan	342	467
Kiradech Aphibarnrat	353	318
Jamie Lovemark	362	762
Graeme McDowell	367	117
K.J. Choi	369	571
Hudson Swafford	370	189
Erik Compton	371	846
Sean O’Hair	377	761
Henrik Stenson	378	97
Sung Kang	382	130
Grayson Murray	388	322
David Hearn	396	499
Luke Donald	412	548
Ted Potter, Jr.	414	369
Rafael Campos	439	419
Vijay Singh	450	1393
Jimmy Walker	453	496
William McGirt	456	1820
Sebastian Cappelen	473	472
Michael Kim	503	1399
Bo Van Pelt	505	784
Hunter Mahan	520	1691
Martin Trainer	598	751
Zach Zaback	601	1652
Marcelo Rozo	616	1111
Kamaiu Johnson	N/R	1820
Chase Koepka	N/R	1118
Alan Morin	N/R	N/R
Stephen Stallings Jr.	N/R	1820

Traveling across Alligator Alley to get to Honda Classic no sweat for Steve Stricker after last week’s hectic commute

After last week’s tough Players Championship commute, Steve Stricker is braced for the PGA National course at the Honda Classic.

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Even though Steve Stricker traveled across Alligator Alley, his commute to this week’s Honda Classic was much smoother that last week’s last-minute trek to The Player Championship.

On Monday, the USA Ryder Cup captain and his wife and caddie, Nicki, took a pleasant drive across the Sunshine State to get from his home in Naples to PGA National, covering the 160 miles in about 2 hours, 30 minutes.

He arrived in plenty of time to take his COVID-19 test for the Honda Classic, relax, and get a good night’s sleep. Woke up the next day for a practice round and plenty of work on the range and putting green, then played nine holes in the pro-am on Wednesday.

“This is a better way to prepare,” he said.

HONDA CLASSIC: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy

Last week on the day of the first round, Stricker, 54, woke up 300 miles away from the PGA Tour’s flagship event when he got word at 6:45 a.m. that he got in as the last alternate. Stricker got moving quickly and flew up to northeast Florida, during which time he set up a caddie, and secured a car to take him from an airport 45 miles south of the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. As soon as he got on site, he took his COVID-19 test, waited for the results, practiced as much as he could and made his tee time.

And shot 2-under-par 70 to move into a tie for 12^th after the first round. But he lost a little steam and shot 77 the next day and missed the cut.

“I didn’t mind last week, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I really wanted to play. Ultimately, it would have been nice to have played a practice round, or two. The chipping and putting kind of caught up to me at times.

“I think I ran out of gas a little bit. Mentally, I was a little fatigued. The whole week leading up to it. I kept moving up the alternate list, was wondering if I prepare or not, and I needed a little rest.

“Then the anticipation the night before, and then getting the call. And then you spend the whole day trying to get there and trying to play and I came out a little flat on Friday.”

Stricker had two good days of rest before heading to the Honda Classic. But now comes the tough part. Grueling might be a better word. After playing grinding Bay Hill for four days in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and spending two days walking the tightrope that is Pete Dye’s Stadium Course in The Players, he faces the Champions Course, one of the toughest tracks on the PGA Tour.

“I still find fun in all the pain,” Stricker said with a laugh. “I guess that’s golfers in general. You just keep putting yourself through it no matter what.

“I have three weeks off coming up, so I figure I can endure one more week.”

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Lee Westwood returns to Honda Classic on a hot streak

After two second-place finishes on the PGA Tour, Lee Westwood felt an obligation to the Honda Classic.

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PALM BEACH GARDENS — Lee Westwood is in the midst of a grueling stretch of golf. He is one of three golfers to enter all four legs of the Florida Swing and spent two days following last week’s Players Championship playing 54 holes at Augusta National, including 36 on Monday.

Yet, one of the two hottest golfers in the world felt an obligation to the Honda Classic this week, welcoming playing one of the most challenging courses on the PGA Tour, despite admitting to fatigue and “not expecting” too much from himself.

Westwood once called Honda a home game, having lived two miles away at Old Palm for a few years before recently selling his mansion and moving back to Newcastle, England. Westwood maintains a great relationship with Honda executive director Ken Kennerly and appreciates Kennerly offering him an exemption for 2021 that was no longer needed after Westwood finished second at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

HONDA CLASSIC: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy

“I used to live in this area, so I like to come and support this tournament,” Westwood said. “It means a lot to the area. It’s one of my favorite tournaments of the year, as well. I really enjoy this golf course. I find it a good challenge.”

Would be nice if locals Dustin Johnson or Patrick Cantlay felt the same pull to our area as someone who no longer lives here. Neither’s schedule has been as ambitious as Westwood’s, who at 47 is more than a decade older than Johnson and 19 years Cantlay’s elder, and neither has shown the same appreciation of what the Honda has meant to the community as Westwood.

“I never felt like skipping it or thought about it,” Westwood said Wednesday, after playing nine holes of the Pro-Am.

Westwood definitely is golf’s flavor of the month. He entered the Arnold Palmer Invitational two weeks ago ranked 39th in the world and after back-to-back runner-up finishes, he’s vaulted to No. 19. A world-wide fan favorite with 42 international victories and having spent 22 weeks atop the World Golf Rankings, he’s not one to back down from a challenge or a challenging course, unlike some of his much younger peers.

“This is a tough mental test, probably the toughest of the lot, I’d say,” he said when asked about his recent stretch. “Yeah, I’m a little bit tired, I must admit. I feel a little bit drained. My legs are feeling it a little bit. … but hopefully pull myself together and get ready for (Thursday).”

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Westwood’s Pro-Am obligation ended mid-morning Wednesday, so he had more than 24 hours to rest for his first-round tee time (12:53 p.m.). His itinerary for that period: Recharge the batteries by getting a good night’s sleep and eating plenty of carbs.

And while he admits to not setting expectations high, this has been Westwood’s approach for years. He’s done and seen it all, he can have fun without winning, something he has proven each of the last two weeks when finishing one shot off the lead, behind Bryson DeChambeau at Bay Hill and Justin Thomas at TPC Sawgrass.

“I don’t know what to expect from myself at the moment,” Westwood said. “I’m obviously coming off two good results and my game feels good. I’m putting well, and if I’m feeling all right … there’s no reason why I shouldn’t play well. I play well around this golf course. It’s a course that sets up well for me, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Westwood has four top 10s in seven starts at Honda, including fourth a year ago.

Westwood is tempting karma this week by switching up caddies, from his fiancé Helen Storey to his son, Sam. Helen chose to caddy for Westwood the last two weeks, he said, adding “she’s sick” she’s giving up the bag-carrying duty to Sam this week. “She was on a run, wasn’t she?”

Sam is carrying his dad’s bag at Augusta next month and Helen is back on caddie duties for the PGA Championship and British Open. The only solace the field at Honda should have is DeChambeau giving Storey a lot of credit for Westwood’s run the last two weeks. DeChambeau was in the final grouping on Sunday both weekends.

“I think Helen is a big part of it,” DeChambeau said. “She’s keeping him steady and level headed and she’s a rock. Keeps his mind focused on the right things, and she’s been awesome for him, and that’s one of his secret weapons, I think.”

But for Westwood, it doesn’t matter. He says after 28 years as a professional and 817 starts on the European and PGA Tours, there isn’t much a caddie can do to help him.

“I just like being out there with the both of them,” he said. “Both keep me relaxed. We have good chats out there. It’s good bonding time.”

Just a dad and his son, or a man and his future wife, taking a leisurely stroll on a golf course.

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Yes, fun can be had on grueling Champions Course at Honda Classic

The Champions Course during the Honda Classic can be grueling, but there’s also good times to be had. Steve DiMeglio reports.

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PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – How grueling is the Champions Course?

There’s a growling bear standing on his hind legs waiting for you on the 15^th tee, for crying out loud. And that’s just one ominous beast players have to deal with during the Honda Classic at PGA National.

Add in roaring winds, penalizing water hazards, skeleton fairways and firm greens, all combing to potentially spoil of a good walk. For even the best players in the world, the Champions Course can be as painful as getting a root canal.

Which begs the question? Can PGA Tour players actually have fun playing vicious tracks than can batter and bruise their minds and souls?

“It’s a different type of fun,” 2016 Honda winner Adam Scott said. “You have to be very prepared mentally to have fun. That might be the answer for anyone doing well this week. As much as you need to physically play well out here, you need to be really mentally prepared because it’s going to beat you up even playing well.

“It is a different kind of fun, but it’s that fun challenge, so I might try and think about that the next 24, 48 hours and have some fun come Thursday.”

HONDA CLASSIC: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy

The Honda Classic is the last of the four tournaments that make up the Florida Swing and it certainly hasn’t been an easy journey through the Sunshine State. There have been plenty of wrecks and pileups starting with The Concession in Bradenton, which is nicknamed The Concussion and played host to the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship and featured plenty of H2O to avoid and confusing greens to figure out.

Then it was on to Bay Hill in Orlando, which annually plays host to the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Thick, high rough, thin fairways, water on eight of the 18 holes are the course’s multiple signatures.

Then last week players dealt with Pete Dye’s diabolical Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, which yearly is home to The Players Championship, the Tour’s flagship event. Water comes into play on 17 of the 18 holes there, and any one shot can lead to a double bogey and right quick, especially on the 17^th where an island green is but 135 yards away.

And now we have the Jack Nicklaus-designed Champions Course at PGA National that features the Bear Trap, a three-hole stroll down a dark alley.

Only three players will go through the entire Florida fearsome foursome swing – defending Honda Classic champion Sungjae Im, reigning Open Championship winner Shane Lowry and Lee Westwood, who finished runner-up at Bay Hill and TPC Sawgrass.

“I personally like the challenges on the Florida Swing,” Im said. “I know all the players will be struggling, including myself, but I try to have fun playing through the challenges. I tend to play well overall when the courses are more challenging.

“So yes, it is fun.”

Im must have had a blast last year in the Honda Classic. Excluding the major championships, his winning score of 6 under was the highest winning score in relation to par on the Tour since the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open. And last year, 66 was the lowest score of the week, which marked the first non-major on the PGA Tour since 1996 without any players shooting 5 under or better in any round.

Lee Westwood during the final round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. (Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)

Still, Westwood, who has been on a roll the last two weeks, said fun can be had.

“I don’t think you need to be dictated to by how many birdies you make to have fun. I have fun at the U.S. Open,” he said. “When it’s a grind and pars mean a lot, I feel like I enjoy it just as much as when the winning score is 20-under.

“Yes, it’s definitely possible to have fun around here.”

Well then, Padraig Harrington must be a glutton for punishment. The European Ryder Cup captain won the Honda in 2005 and then again in 2015 and relishes every opportunity he puts the peg into the ground at the Champions Course.

“This is a strange statement, but I’d like to play tournament golf on a course like this every week,” he said. “I know it would beat you up eventually. If you play all four rounds here and get in contention, you’ll be tired on Sunday evening because you’ve got to pay attention at all stages out here. There’s plenty of trouble that can not only ruin a round but ruin a tournament in a very quick couple of shots.

“I like the course a lot.”

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Honda Classic issues COVID-19 protocols for fans at PGA National

A Health and Safety Committee will be roaming the course along with security and law enforcement to assist in policy enforcement.

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The Honda Classic has taken advanced measures to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, as health and safety is the top priority for all involved in the tournament. While on the grounds of PGA National Resort & Spa, fans are asked to wear a mask, social distance, and follow all signage posted.

And fans will be closely monitored. A Health and Safety Committee comprised of about 100 volunteers will be roaming the course along with security and law enforcement to assist in policy enforcement and spectator education.

The Health and Safety Committee will have access to report any uncooperative or unruly fans to the Palm Beach Gardens police.

An extensive set of COVID-19 health and safety measures developed in conjunction with CDC guidelines have been implemented to promote a safe environment and quality experience on the golf course.

This includes the three Ws: Wear a Mask, Watch Your Distance, and Wash Your Hands.

Those running the event are asking for the steadfast participation of everyone on-site to ensure a safe environment for guests, players, caddies, volunteers and staff.

HONDA CLASSIC: Tee times, TV | Odds | Fantasy

Social Distancing

It is important that everyone on-site practices social distancing in order to help maintain a safe environment. While on-site, fans are asked to pay attention to visual and verbal cues for capacity, directional flow and viewing area guidelines.

Masks/Face Coverings

Masks are required at at all times, both indoors and outdoors, with limited exceptions. Exceptions include:

Medical Conditions that make wearing a mask difficult
Children under the age of 2
While actively eating or drinking

Fans should bring their own CDC approved face covering or cloth mask from home. Per CDC guidelines, a face shield is not an appropriate substitute for a face covering. Masks will be provided by the tournament to those guests who do not bring their own. Masks should fit snugly around the sides of the face and cover the nose, mouth and chin. Masks must be affixed prior to arrival at the main entry gate.

Prior to Arrival

Those who feel ill or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 will not be admitted to PGA Tour tournaments. Fans are asked to check their temperature before arrival to confirm they do not have a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or more.

Arrival

Upon arrival to the event, each guest will be asked to complete a health questionnaire. After completion, they will proceed through standard security checks and bag search in a safe and socially distant manner.

Rory Sabbatini tees off from the 17th with Anirban Lahiri, right, during a practice round for the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on March 16, 2021. GREG LOVETT/PALMBEACHPOST

Ticketing Admissions

Fans are required to present a valid ticket to enter tournament grounds via the contactless admissions process. They will proceed through the gates once a valid scan has been registered. Spectators are asked to practice social distancing when queuing for entry and wear their mask at all times.

Signage & Guidelines

Spectators will notice increased safety signage throughout the golf course, as well as visual and verbal reminders of safe behavior guidelines and a Code of Conduct that must be adhered to while on-site. Failure to comply with any posted or verbal guidelines may result in consequential action, including expulsion from the tournament grounds.

Onsite Transactions and Payments

The tournament has worked to enable contactless payments across key point of sale locations on-course so guests can purchase the things they love using a safer cashless method in a clean environment.

Mobile Ordering

Fans will have the opportunity to order concessions via their phone and pick up their order at select locations throughout the course. The Goslings Bear Trap will also have mobile ordering in each of the three zones with food and beverage delivered to tables. At the Champagne Lounge featuring Taittinger, mobile ordering will also be available with food and beverages delivered to tables on the lawn.

Ropeline and Bleacher Policy

Consumption of food and beverage is prohibited within 10 feet of the rope line. Masks must be worn at all times within 10 feet of the rope line, even when in possession of food and beverage.

Sanitization

There will be enhanced sanitization protocols in place to ensure all areas are routinely cleaned and sanitized. Sanitization and handwashing are encouraged throughout your time on-site. Guests are permitted to bring their own sanitizer from home.

Autographs

For the health and safety of everyone on property, no handshakes, first bumps, autographs, photographs or selfies, are permitted this year. Fans are asked not to have contact with players.

Honda Classic 2021 matchups and prop bet predictions

These matchups and prop bet predictions for the PGA Tour’s 2021 Honda Classic caught our eye.

The Honda Classic is the third-to-last tournament week ahead of the 2021 Masters Tournament. PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, hosts a relatively weak field following The Players Championship and ahead of next week’s WGC-Match Play. Below, we’ll look for the best value bets in the 2021 Honda Classic odds, with tournament matchups, placings and other PGA Tour picks and predictions.

Justin Thomas jumped to No. 6 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings with victory at The Players last week. Sungjae Im, No. 26, defends his 2020 title.

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 4:37 p.m. ET.

Tournament matchups

Shane Lowry vs. Adam Scott (-110)

Scott, who won here in 2016, is a slight betting underdog against Lowry in this 72-hole head-to-head matchup. Lowry has never finished better than last year’s T-21 in three appearances at this event but is coming off an eighth-place finish last week while Scott tied for 48th at TPC Sawgrass.

Scott is 20th in the Golfweek rankings to Lowry’s 92nd and has the better history at PGA National. He has gained an average of 1.16 strokes on the field per round over 20 laps of the course. Lowry averages 0.73 strokes gained over 12 rounds.

Martin Kaymer (-135) vs. Matt Wallace

Wallace has played on the PGA Tour each of the last two weeks with a T-18 finish last week following a missed cut in a considerably weaker field at the Puerto Rico Open. Kaymer, a former major winner and world No. 1, hasn’t played a PGA Tour event since the 2020 US Open, but he has four top-10 finishes in his last 10 events on the European Tour.

Wallace missed the cut here in 2020 and Kaymer has a top finish of T-4 in this event in 2017. Take the motivated German, as he needs a victory for an invitation to the Masters.

Place your legal, online 2021 Honda Classic bets in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA and WV at BetMGM. Risk-free first bet! Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!

Placing bets

Top 5: Doug Ghim (+1000)

Ghim, a former collegiate award winner, played exceptionally well over 54 holes each of the last two weeks only to shoot 81 Sunday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and 78 in the final round of The Players to finish 36th and 29th, respectively.

The experience coupled with the weaker field in attendance this week should allow him to earn his second top-5 finish of 2021.

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Top 10: Richy Werenski (+700)

Werenski missed the cut last week on the heels of a T-4 finish at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It was his only top-10 finish in 17 events since winning the Barracuda Championship last summer.

The weakened field will help clear room for Werenski to get back into contention. He tied for 17th last year for his best finish in four appearances.

First-round leader

Joaquin Niemann (+3000)

Niemann has the third-best odds to win this event at +1800. The odds nearly double for him to have the 18-hole lead despite the fact he’s sixth on the PGA Tour, and tops in this field, with a first-round scoring average of 68.82 on the 2020-21 season.

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By seeking help for alcohol abuse, Chris Kirk’s biggest victory has come off the course

By seeking help for alcohol abuse, PGA Tour pro Chris Kirk’s biggest victory has come off the course.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Chris Kirk is not going to worry about the pressure of playing one of the most difficult courses on the PGA Tour this week. He would never look at a putt as life or death, even if it’s on the 18th green of the Champion Course Sunday with the Honda Classic title on the line.

That’s because two years ago Kirk, 35, faced a far more difficult, life-altering situation than winning a golf tournament.

Kirk took an indefinite leave from the sport in May 2019 to deal with alcohol abuse and depression. His life was getting out of control. He had attempted to put it back on track on his own and that was not working.

It was time to seek professional help.

When he returned in late 2019, after seven months away, suddenly the golf course grass was greener on the other side. That is only way to explain his mood shortly after squandering a chance to make a move at the Players Championship on Sunday when he entered the final round tied for eighth. He then shot himself out of the tournament with a 79 and finished 48th.

“Was I happy with that? Obviously not,” Kirk said Tuesday after playing nine holes at PGA National to prepare for Thursday’s start of the Honda Classic.

“I was frustrated and upset. But an hour after the round is over, it’s over and I’m able to just kind of move on and look at all the great things that have happened to me over the last few years.”

Chris Kirk Arnold Palmer Invitational — Chris Kirk plays a shot from a bunker on the first hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 07, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

Kirk was able to focus on something else than where he would find that next drink. He focused on his oldest son, who was celebrating his birthday, and, as an Atlanta native, he focused on plans to attend a Braves spring training game on Monday.

“It’s just way easier now to move on from a bad day and realize it’s not the end of the world and get back excited for the next week,” he said

Kirk has been open about his story. He says he’s not “actively trying to send a message” but that talking about the darkest days of his life is cathartic.

Still, he is helping more than himself. His story is powerful and should be heard by anyone who has walked in his spikes. He has a platform each time he steps in front of a camera or a recorder, and the more people he can reach who are going down that same path, the more of an impact he can make.

“Anyone that’s been in my shoes will understand this, that your life just kind of becomes a lot of lies,” Kirk said. “It just feels good to be out there in the open and feel like I have nothing to hide.

“If anybody is going to take anything from my message or what I’m doing, it’s just to kind of realize that everybody has issues that they’re dealing with. It’s easy to portray us as a different class of citizen because we’re professional athletes, but that’s obviously not the case. Not for me, not for anybody out here. Everybody has stuff they’re going through.”

Chris Kirk is not Tiger Woods or Bryson DeChambeau or Justin Thomas, but he is a role model in another, and perhaps much more important and impactful, way.

In 2014, Kirk had career bests with two firsts and five top 10s and earned more than $4.8 million. His world ranking peaked at No. 16 and he made the President’s Cup in 2015.

Slowly, his game started a decline. So many nights sitting alone in hotel rooms were destroying his life.

“I was definitely to the point where I knew that I couldn’t keep going the way that I was going,” he said. “My golf game didn’t matter a whole lot to me one way or the other at that point.”

Still, Kirk considers himself lucky because he says he did not reach the lows that other people have experienced. He recognized he needed help and took that initiative, trying to get a handle on his addiction while he continued to play.

But he realized he could not do this alone. And after going through “a couple of relapses” he sought outside help and reached out to others.

“It’s definitely something that I’ve done, trying to just really make more of an effort than I had before to stay connected with the people that I need to stay connected with,” he said.

Part of that is avoiding hotels and renting houses with friends and peers on the Tour.

“I haven’t stayed in a hotel yet this entire year,” he said. He sounded as proud about that as he would if he just came through the Bear Trap in 3-under.

Kirk has entered six tournaments since the start of the year. He has two top-10 finishes, including runner-up at the Sony Open in Hawaii, and four top 20s.

But that does not come close to defining his biggest victory. Those come each time he walks off the golf course with a smile.

“I’m not someone that’s big on setting goals for this many wins or top 10s or world ranking because I have no control over any of that,” Kirk said. “I’ve got control over what I do every day on and off the golf course, and I’m just trying to do the best I can.”

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Honda Classic 2021 fantasy golf power rankings

Feeling lucky this week? Check out the fantasy golf power rankings for the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.

The PGA Tour’s Florida Swing wraps up with this week’s Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Sungjae Im is back to defend his 2020 title. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 Honda Classic, with PGA Tour picks and predictions.

The event features a rather lackluster field following Justin Thomas’ victory at the Players Championship. The WGC-Match Play runs next week in Austin, Texas, and the 2021 Masters Tournament is just three weeks away.

Daniel Berger is the top golfer in attendance at No. 9 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. He lives in the West Palm Beach area and is this week’s betting favorite

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday at 1:10 a.m. ET.

Fantasy golf rankings

30. Wyndham Clark (+5000)

Tied for 11th in this event last year while gaining 1.15 strokes per round with the putter. He was seventh in 2019 while ranking second in the field in SG: Putting and has a clear penchant for these greens, but the putter has been a weakness this season.

29. Denny McCarthy (+12500)

Missed the cut in each of his three appearances in this event to date. He has performed well on the greens at this venue and was above average on approach last week at TPC Sawgrass.

28. Will Gordon (+10000)

Debuts at PGA National on a streak of three straight made cuts. He had a T-3 finish at last year’s Travelers Championship against a considerably stronger field.

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27. Nick Taylor (+10000)

The two-time PGA Tour winner tied for 48th in the strong field last week. He also safely made the cut at comparable courses in both The Genesis Invitational and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

26. Adam Hadwin (+6600)

Rebounded from a missed cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to tie for 29th in a stronger field last week. His short game has been very sharp, but he’s regularly losing strokes on approach.

25. Brandon Wu (+5000)

The winner of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour Championship will play just his second PGA Tour event of 2021. He tied for seventh in the Puerto Rico Open but will be facing a more top-heavy field this week.

24. Brendan Steele (+4500)

Has made seven straight cuts to begin 2021 but missed the cut in seven of 20 events last year. He tied for fourth at last year’s Honda Classic with 2.24 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.

23. Shane Lowry (+2800)

The reigning Open Champion had a surprising eighth-place finish last week and ranked fifth among those who made the cut in SG: Around-the-Green. He averaged 0.75 SG: Around-the-Green in a T-21 finish last year.

22. Harold Varner III (+8000)

Made the cut each of the last four years in this event and had a career-best T-42 finish in 2020. Putting has been a weakness for him at PGA National, but it has been slightly improved this year.

21. Michael Thompson (+8000)

The 2013 champion returned to the PGA Tour winner’s circle last summer at the 3M Open and tied for fifth at this year’s American Express. The renewed confidence should get him back in contention.

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20. Richy Werenski (+9000)

Tied for fourth at the Arnold Palmer Invitational but missed the cut last week while losing 2.02 strokes per round on the greens. He won last year’s Barracuda Championship in a field not much weaker than this.

19. Martin Kaymer (+6600)

The former No. 1 golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking needs a victory for an invitation to the 2021 Masters. He’ll play his first non-major PGA Tour event since the Barracuda Championship, but he has four top-10 finishes in his last 10 European Tour events.

18. J.T. Poston (+6600)

Averaging 0.93 SG: Putting per round through 39 measured rounds this season but is losing strokes in every other key area. He has played this event three times without a missed cut.

17. Matthew NeSmith (+8000)

One of the best players in last year’s field in both SG: Tee-to-Green and SG: Approach, but lost 0.73 strokes with the flat stick per round en route to a T-38 finish. He played well at both the The Genesis Invitational and Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

16. Mackenzie Hughes (+6600)

Last year’s runner-up excelled on and around the greens. He was playing well late last summer and into the fall but has missed the cut in two of six events to begin 2021.

15. Kevin Streelman (+6600)

Finished 13th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am for his best result of 2021. He missed the cut last week with poor play on and around the greens, but those are generally neutral areas of his game, and he can rely on his irons here.

14. Doug Ghim (+5000)

Ghim played extremely well through 54 holes each of the last two weeks, but he fell apart in the final round of both the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship. The experience and a weaker field should play in his favor this week.

13. Lee Westwood (+2000)

The 47-year-old has flown up the world rankings with back-to-back runner-up finishes. He has played well at PGA National over his career with 1.97 strokes gained on the field per round, but it’s tough to tell how motivated he’ll be for a lesser event with the Masters in sight.

12. Byeong Hun An (+6600)

Third in this field with 2.14 strokes gained on the field per round over 12 career rounds at PGA National. He has two top-5 finishes here in the last three years but the putter is still a glaring weakness.

11. Alex Noren (+6600)

Finished alone in third in 2018 but missed the cut in 2019 with polar opposite putting performances. The putter has been a strength this season except for last week.

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10. Keegan Bradley (+4000)

Three missed cuts in his last four appearances at this event but should be able to contend against a weak field. He lost strokes off the tee in a T-29 finish last week but that area of his game won’t be tested as much at this venue.

9. Talor Gooch (+4000)

Tied for fifth last week with strokes lost off the tee but with 1.69 SG: Approach per round. He’ll make his fourth straight appearance at this event with a top finish of T-20 in 2019.

8. Chris Kirk (+4000)

Struggled with the putter last week but was otherwise strong in a T-48 finish against much stiffer competition. Missed the cut in each of his last two appearances at PGA National but is in top form early this year with two top-10 finishes in six events.

7. Cameron Tringale (+3500)

Thirteenth in this field with 34 career rounds played at PGA National. He enters the week at No. 22 in the Golfweek rankings and is one of the top players in attendance by that measure.

6. Adam Scott (+2500)

The 2016 champion didn’t play here last year following a missed cut in 2019. He’s another veteran who’s a risk this week with higher-profile events on the upcoming schedule.

5. Cameron Davis (+5000)

Tied for eighth last year despite gaining just 0.01 strokes per round with the putter. He finished third in a field stronger than this at The American Express in late January.

4. Russell Henley (+2800)

The 2014 champion of PGA National tied for eighth last year in his best finish since the victory. He’s gaining 0.96 strokes per round on approach this season, but he struggled with the irons last week.

3. Joaquin Niemann (+1800)

Tied for 29th last week with a better-than-usual putting performance. He’ll make just his third appearance in this event off a missed cut last year, but his game figures to translate well with an emphasis on iron play.

2. Sungjae Im (+1200)

The defending champ will be facing a slightly weaker field this year. He proved his worth for his first PGA Tour win with a final round of 66 to match the best score of the day.

1. Daniel Berger (+1000)

Returns to PGA National off a T-4 finish last year and with two PGA Tour victories since. He tied for ninth last week with 2.31 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.

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Honda Classic Thursday tee times, TV and streaming info

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the first round of the Honda Classic at PGA National.

The PGA Tour is heading to PGA National this week for the Honda Classic.

From tee times to TV and streaming info, here’s everything you need to know for the first round of the Honda Classic. All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time.

Honda Classic tee times

1st tee

Tee Time	Players
7:25 a.m.	Charl Schwartzel, Camilo Villegas, Cameron Tringale
7:36 a.m.	Adam Hadwin, Matt Jones, Kelly Kraft
7:47 a.m.	Patrick Rodgers, Wyndham Clark, Xinjun Zhang
7:58 a.m.	Jim Herman, Adam Long, Aaron Wise
8:09 a.m.	Dylan Frittelli, Martin Trainer, Ryan Armour
8:20 a.m.	Richy Werenski, J.T. Poston, Wesley Bryan
8:31 a.m.	Michael Kim, Jason Dufner, Kevin Chappell
8:42 a.m.	Nate Lashley, Chez Reavie, Mackenzie Hughes
8:53 a.m.	Rory Sabbatini, Luke List, Matthew NeSmith
9:04 a.m.	Martin Kaymer, Seung-Yul Noh, Beau Hossler
9:15 a.m.	Jhonattan Vegas, Lucas Glover, Ryo Ishikawa
9:26 a.m.	Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Chase Seiffert, Zach Zaback
12:20 p.m.	Vaughn Taylor, Scott Stallings, Kyoung-Hoon Lee
12:31 p.m.	Ryan Moore, Chris Kirk, Bronson Burgoon
12:42 p.m.	Sean O’Hair, Adam Schenk, Erik van Rooyen
12:53 p.m.	Daniel Berger, Keegan Bradley, Lee Westwood
1:04 p.m.	Sungjae Im, Keith Mitchell, Rickie Fowler
1:15 p.m.	Brian Gay, J.B. Holmes, Austin Cook
1:26 p.m.	Hudson Swafford, Patton Kizzire, Henrik Stenson
1:37 p.m.	Satoshi Kodaira, Steve Stricker, Vijay Singh
1:48 p.m.	Peter Malnati, Bo Van Pelt, Alex Noren
1:59 p.m.	David Hearn, Henrik Norlander, Denny McCarthy
2:10 p.m.	Kramer Hickok, Joseph Bramlett, Kamaiu Johnson
2:21 p.m.	Rafael Campos, Marcelo Rozo, Lucas Herbert

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10th tee

Tee Time	Players
7:25 a.m.	Chesson Hadley, John Huh, K.J. Choi
7:36 a.m.	Hunter Mahan, Byeong Hun An, Doug Ghim
7:47 a.m.	D.J. Trahan, Cameron Percy, Scott Harrington
7:58 a.m.	Adam Scott, Joaquin Niemann, Ian Poulter
8:09 a.m.	Shane Lowry, Phil Mickelson, Zach Johnson
8:20 a.m.	Sung Kang, Graeme McDowell, Pat Perez
8:31 a.m.	Ted Potter, Jr., Brendan Steele, Jimmy Walker
8:42 a.m.	Robert Streb, C.T. Pan, Grayson Murray
8:53 a.m.	Anirban Lahiri, Talor Gooch, Mark Hubbard
9:04 a.m.	Russell Henley, Harold Varner III, Kris Ventura
9:15 a.m.	Hank Lebioda, Vincent Whaley, Brandon Wu
9:26 a.m.	Rob Oppenheim, Michael Gligic, Erik Compton
12:20 p.m.	Rafa Cabrera Bello, Tyler McCumber, Will Gordon
12:31 p.m.	Padraig Harrington, J.J. Spaun, Sam Ryder
12:42 p.m.	Scott Brown, Cameron Davis, Bo Hoag
12:53 p.m.	Stewart Cink, Tyler Duncan, Russell Knox
1:04 p.m.	Michael Thompson, Jim Furyk, Kevin Streelman
1:15 p.m.	Andrew Landry, Troy Merritt, Luke Donald
1:26 p.m.	Nick Taylor, Brice Garnett, William McGirt
1:37 p.m.	James Hahn, Maverick McNealy, Robby Shelton
1:48 p.m.	Brian Stuard, Sepp Straka, Harry Higgs
1:59 p.m.	Jamie Lovemar, Tom Hoge, Tom Lewis
2:10 p.m.	Matt Wallace, Roger Sloan, Alan Morin
2:21 p.m.	Sebastian Cappelen, Chase Koepka, Stephen Stallings, Jr.

How to watch

Thursday, March 18

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 2-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 7:30-8:35 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 12-6 p.m.

Friday, March 19

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 2-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 7:30-8:35 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 12-6 p.m.

Saturday, March 20

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 1-3 p.m.
NBC: 3-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 7:15-8:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

Sunday, March 21

TV

Golf Channel (Watch for free on fuboTV): 1-3 p.m.
NBC: 3-6 p.m.

STREAMING

PGA Tour Live: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m.
Twitter: 7:15-8:30 a.m.

RADIO

PGA Tour Radio on SiriusXM: 1-6 p.m.

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