Key Fantasy Stat PGA National

Honda Classic

February 25th – 28th, 2016

PGA National Resort (Champion Course)

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

Par: 70 / Yardage: 7,158

Purse: $6.1 million

with $1,098,000 to the winner

Defending Champion:
Padraig Harrington

by Sal Johnson

Founder, Chief Data Officer, GOLFstats

E-mail me at:
sal@golfstats.com

This is based on the most important stats for PGA National Champion Course, based on data from last years Honda Classic, and using data from all the players in the field with stats from 2016. What we do is take there rank for each stat and then add up the four catagories.
The scoring average of the field at PGA National in 2015 was 71.83, so with par being 70 that means the average score was a shot and a third over par, making PGA National the 3rd hardest course to score on in 2015 (only two courses played harder). It’s also important to see how the weather played a factor, last year weather was terrible, with a combination of rain and wind. This year the weather will be perfect and the course will play fast and dry, so scores will go down..

In looking at the stats for PGA National last year Greens hit, Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green and scambling are important. Last we pick birdie or better percentage because last year it was near impossible to make a lot of birdies and eagles. Last year four courses were harder than PGA National in making lot’s of birdies and eagles.

So how did the winner Padraig Harrington become victorious last year? He won in a playoff over Daniel Berger on the second extra hole. So how did Harrington win, in our key stats he ranked T-24th in greens hit, 2nd in strokes Gained Tee-to-Green and 6th in scrambling. He was T1st in birdie or better percentage as he made more birdies that week than anyone else.
*Greens in Regulation: Since the greens average 6,400 square feet normally they would be easy to hit. But since there is a lot of undulation, hitting it to the perfect place is important. Last year on the PGA Tour, the greens of PGA National were the 6th hardest to hit. This has been the norm for PGA National, in 2014 it ranked 18th, but in 2013 5th, in 2012 11th and 6th in 2011. So a player that hits lots of greens will have an advantage.

*Strokes Gained Tee-to-Green: Combination of driving stats and hitting it to the green, last year PGA National finished T-8th in this stat and was T-7th in 2014.

*Scrambling: No matter how good your game is, missing greens always happens so it’s important to salvage par. Last year PGA National ranked 7th hardest in scrambling so it’s a hard stat for players on this course.

*Birdie or Better Percentage: The course is so demanding that making a lot of birdies and eagles aren’t possible. So players that are able to make a lot will do well on this course which ranked 5th in this stat on tour in 2015.

For the field last year:

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.