Betting Stat Pack: The Honda Classic

The Florida Swing kicks off this week with The Honda Classic at the Champion Course at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

While "The Bear Trap" will get most of the attention this week, don't forget there are water penalty areas on 15 of the 18 holes plus 60 strategically placed bunkers. The resort course stretches to 7,125 yards and plays to Par-70 but is hardly fun and relaxing when it comes to scoring. The Champion Course has ranked in the top seven most difficult the last five seasons on TOUR.

The field of 144 will be competing for their share of $8.4 million ($1.512 winner) and 500 FedExCup points.

Key Statistics

Only players listed are competing this week; click stat headline for additional players; Stats from 2021-22 completed season.

* - top 10 here last five seasons

SG: Tee to Green

Sepp Straka (4th) became the first winner in five years to not lead the field in this category. Tight fairways are protected by almost three inches of Bermuda rough, bunkers and water and the par-3s are no picnic. Water penalty areas are in play on 15 of the 18 holes. Coastal sea breezes are prevalent every shot on every hole so controlling the golf ball is paramount. No room for faking it around here! Vegas, Horschel and Knox all have previous top 10 paydays here outside the five-year window. Wise opened 64-64 in 2021 for T13.

Scrambling

With difficult driving conditions, finding the 7,000 square foot TifEagle Bermuda surfaces won't be easy. Finding ways to get it close from the over seeded (rye) Bermuda rough and difficult bunker complexes is the "up" part of the up-and-down equation. The "down" is holing putts on firm, slick Bermuda greens. Of the last eight winners only Matt Jones (not entered) has finished outside the top 10. Hubbard doesn't have an asterisk above but he's hit the top 15 twice in his last three visits. Kuchar is making his first visit here since 2011 but had a pair of top 10 paydays out west.

Bogey Avoidance

There will be bogeys! The sea breeze hits every inch of this exposed layout so concentration is required on almost every shot. PGA National ranks annually in the top courses of balls in the water. Scoring chances do not appear on every tee box but the wind and hazards do. Making par and moving on should be seen as a victory, not defeat, as only two players in the last three years have posted 10-under par or better. Two! The Champion Course started hosting in 2007 and Shane Lowry last year set the record for fewest bogeys. The Irishman, who finished second, only squared four bogeys (no doubles, no others) on his card. Only 10 players posted less than 10 bogeys for the week last season including winner Sepp Straka (7).

Par-5 Scoring

There are only two of them on the Par-70 layout but they annually play as two of the easiest. On a layout where scoring opportunities are few and far between picking up shots twice a round is necessary. None of the five-shot holes stretch over 560 yards so placement over power, or both, works. The last seven winners have ranked inside the top 10.

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