Categories
PGA Golf

Free Picks: 2015 PGA Tour Honda Classic Betting Preview

This Week’s PGA Tour Predictions!

The Florida swing of the PGA TOUR begins this weekend with one of the premier events on the schedule – the Honda Classic. It is a par-70 layout that stretches out to 7,140 yards that features one of the most exciting three hole stretch in golf – the Bear Trap.

Bet On The 2015 PGA Honda Classic

When: February 26 – March 1, 2015
Where: PGA National’s Champions Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Purse: $6,100,000 – Winning Share: $1,098,000
Defending Champ: Russell Henley
***2015 BONUSES***
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

As with all of the Florida stops Bermuda grass will come into play – some like it and some don’t. Obviously it is best to seek out the players with an affinity for this type of playing surface and roll with them. Also par 4 scoring average is a key stat here – there are only two par 5s and 12 par 4s. Four par 3s are something to look at as well on what has traditionally been a very tough track.

16 of the top 25 in the current World Rankings will take part this week – the best field a PGA event has seen so far in 2015. So who will be chasing Rory McIlroy in his first start in North America this year?

2015 Honda Classic Favorites:

Rory McIlroy 7/2

The best player in the world makes his 2015 North American debut this week and is pretty hard to bet against. He won here in 2012 and lost in a playoff last year. So far this year he has a solo second in Abu Dhabi, and a win in Dubai. Any questions?

[dfads params=’groups=526&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Dustin Johnson 14/1

Dustin has looked good the last two weeks – a T4 at Pebble Beach with a playoff loss at Riviera has him firmly on the radar. The fact that he his best finish was a T46 here has me concerned – he missed the cut the other time he played here.

Justin Rose 20/1

Loves this track – top 5s in his last three trips to PGA National. His ball striking is elite and his all-around game is perfectly suited for this track. Rose’s present form isn’t bad either – he has top 15s in both events played in 2015. Course history and present form point toward Rose having a good week here.

2015 Honda Classic Contenders:

Sergio Garcia 22/1

Sergio should be motivated to bounce back after at T4 in the Northern Trust – an event that was his for the taking! He has made the cut all four time he’s played here with a T8 finish last year being his best. His all around game is among the best in the world –expect Garcia to be a factor this week.

Keegan Bradley 28/1

Caught fire in the last round at Riviera last week to finish T4. He has gone T12-T4-T12 in his last three appearances here and after last week’s superb Sunday performance he has to be in the conversation. Course history and present form say so!

Lee Westwood 33/1

One of the best ball strikers on the planet Westwood is sneaking under the radar a bit this week. He has made the cut all five times he’s played this event and has three top nines in the last five years here.

[dfads params=’groups=63738&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

Westy has a Win-T9 at Dubai-T5 the Malaysian Open in his last three starts worldwide. Watch out for Westwood whose present for is very good and whose track record at TPC National is also top tier.

Graham DeLaet 40/1

Had a chance to win at Riviera last week but blew it en route to a T8. Still he has top 10s in two of his last three starts this season and is due for a win. He finished T9 here last year and is another elite ball striker that should do well.

2015 Honda Classic Sleepers (50/1 or higher):

Paul Casey 50/1

Casey is back on the radar! He lost in a playoff last week for his best result in a very long time (his first top 10 since 2011) and now gets a crack at a course that he has top 12 finishes in his last two tries – T12 last year and T4 in 2010. A confident Casey could make some noise this week on a course that he obviously has an affinity for.

Russell Henley 50/1

The defending champion is 50/1? Henley also recorded a T13 in his first start here in 2013. He has top four finishes in three of his last 10 starts overall and is perhaps the best value on the board right now.

2015 Honda Classic Pick:

The pick this week is Rory McIlroy at 7/2 – it’s a virtual no-brainer. Sometimes the obvious picks are obvious for a reason. He already has a victory in this event and was second last year. There is no better player on the planet right now – ride Rory as he ramps up for what could be his first Masters victory.

The Sleeper is Paul Casey at 50/1. He looks as good as he has in years and he has fared well on this track in the recent past.

[dfads params=’groups=63706&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]

By DaveB

Dave B has been a Fantasy Football writer for us for 10 years. A couch potato wannabe, Dave’s insights have been read by 10’s of people for years. He hope’s for world peace + global relaxation. Enjoy and remember only smoke things that are completely natural.