Week 9 Power Rankings: The Honda Classic

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Officially, Mike Vitti is the Director of Research and Development in the TOUR's Marketing Department. Unofficially, he's a stats guru who analyzes all kinds of data from our ShotLink numbers.

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Mike Vitti discusses this week's Power Rankings in his weekly Talk of the TOUR segment on the PGA TOUR Network (XM 146, SIRIUS 209). Click to listen

Vitti will size up the field each week and provide his top 10 players going into the tournament, based on factors such as the player's strengths, the course setup, recent performances, etc.

With almost twice as many above-par scores (1,771) as there were under-par scores (971) through the first two years of play, the Champions Course at PGA National has ranked among the top 10 toughest courses on the PGA TOUR in each of its first two years as host of the Honda Classic.

Last season, only five of the holes had an average score below par, and two of the holes - the par 4 sixth and the par 3 15th - ranked among the 50 toughest holes played on TOUR. The course also ranked in the top 10 toughest in terms of greens in regulation and birdie conversion percentage -- meaning the greens were both hard to hit and hard to putt.

So with a tough week ahead, here are the rankings ...

Power Rankings: The Honda Classic

Rank Player   Comment Robert ALLENBY Allenby is making his third start of the season at The Honda Classic, where he has finished in the top five the last two years. He finished second in greens in regulation and 19th in total driving in '08 and has a record of playing well on tough courses. Ernie ELS The defending champion, Els won in his first start at The Honda Classic since the move to PGA National. Els earned his second top 10 of the season at last week's Accenture Match Play Championship and is currently ranked ninth in greens in regulation. Camilo VILLEGAS Villegas had a solid run going at the Accenture Match Play until he ran into eventual champion Geoff Ogilvy. He finished in a tie for second at The Honda Classic in 2007 and enters this week ranked second in greens in regulation. Stewart CINK Cink started his season with more rounds over par than under, but finishing third at the Accenture Match Play Championship last week, he may have found his game. Cink is making his first start at The Honda Classic since 2003. Luke DONALD Donald had to concede his match in the third round last week due to his wrist but seems to be OK. He has a win and a second in two of his last three starts here and enters ranked first in scoring average, sixth in putting average and 13th in proximity to the hole. UPDATE (3/3): Donald has withdrawn from this week's event Boo WEEKLEY Weekley was part of the huge '07 playoff and tied for second. He played well in '08, too, before a final-round 80. Ranked first in greens in regulation, 25th in driving accuracy and T38 in driving distance, Weekley is first in ball striking on TOUR. Sergio GARCIA After a first-round exit last week, Garcia is making his second start of the season having only played one round of competition on the PGA TOUR in '09. He tied for 43rd last year in his first start here. Last season, Garcia led the PGA TOUR in scoring average. Mark WILSON Wilson recorded his first career victory at the 2007 Honda Classic but missed the cut at the event in 2008. The winner last week of the Mayakoba Classic, Wilson heads to The Honda Classic with his game in top form. Brian GAY Gay has recorded five top-20 finishes in six starts in 2009. He ranks third in driving accuracy, 11th in greens in regulation and fourth in scrambling. Davis LOVE III Love has never won this event but ranks second overall in total money earned. He has seven top 10s, but none since the event moved to PGA National. Love has finished in the top 25 in three of his five starts this season and ranks 15th in greens in regulation.