12 Jun 2019
Defending champion Rickie Fowler favourite to retain his title
The latest stop on the PGA Tour takes us to South Florida, where 10 of the top 25 ranked players in the world will be teeing it up at The Honda Classic.
Last year’s winner, Rickie Fowler, won by four strokes – the biggest winning margin at this event since the five shots Camilo Villegas won by in 2010. The 29-year-old narrowly missed out on a top-10 finish in his last tournament appearance, so will be hoping to be in contention once again this weekend. He is the odds-on favourite to defend his title at 8/1. To do so, Fowler will need a repeat of the strong putting display he put on last year. The California native made all 57 of his putts from inside seven feet. Similar success this time out and he’s in with a great chance of taking home a winning share of the $6,600,000 purse.
One thing that will be key to players’ success is how they are able to negotiate “The Bear Trap”, one of the most famous parts of the course – comprising the 15th, 16th and 17th holes – known as one of the hardest trifecta of holes on the PGA Tour. Named after Jack Nicklaus, who redesigned the course in 1990, the holes demand precise accuracy from players. Big struggles here could very well spell the end of your tournament hopes.
One player who is very aware of the importance of successfully getting around The Bear Trap is Sergio Garcia. The Masters winner went par-bogey-bogey through those three holes in the final round of the 2016 tournament, ultimately losing by a single shot. The PGA National course suits Garcia’s game well, where he has never missed the cut playing in the Honda Classic. With two top-10 finishes at the tournament under his belt, you can back him to go one better at golf betting odds of 16/1.
Another player to keep an eye on is Adam Scott. The Australian is not in form, but having won The Honda just two years ago, he surely has to be an appealing bet at 50/1. After another top-15 finish last year, this is the perfect event for the Major champion to rediscover some form after one missed cut and a tied-53rd finish in his last two starts.
If you’re in the market for an outside bet, look no further than Padraig Harrington. He is one of just four multiple winners at this event, having won twice before - in 2005 and 2015. The Irishman is back in the starting field this year and must be worth a punt at 200/1.
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