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

Join us on our new venture…
We are now doing a weekly blog that we are going to run through the Masters. What we want to try and do is give fantasy golf players a better way of getting inside information on players and tournaments. Hopefully with this page it will give you a better understanding on this subject. I will be doing it with David Barrett, who was the chief of research at Golf World before it folded. David has a keen sense in stats and loves playing Draft Kings on a weekly basis. We are also going to give you our picks for Draft Kings and other items. In the days ahead we will also have a Facebook page that will be devoted to this subject and hopefully it can create a stir in which we can all help each other.
Hope you enjoy this, each week will have it’s own blog devoted to the tournament from that week.
Also, we will be updating this blog during the tournament on Thursday through Sunday, so join us during those days.
You can find it through this link
This week’s field includes:
The field includes 46 of the top 100 and 25 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings, with only four players form the top-ten: #3 Rory McIlroy, #5 Rickie Fowler, #9 Patrick Reed and #10 Branden Grace. The other top 50 players are #11 Hideki Matsuyama, #13 Adam Scott, #16 Zach Johnson, #17 Brooks Koepka, #18 Kevin Kisner, #19 Sergio Garcia, #20 Phil Mickelson, #23 Shane Lowry, #25 Jimmy Walker, #29 Paul Casey, #30 Andy Sullivan, #32 Russell Knox, #34 Emiliano Grillo, #36 Bernd Wiesberger, #39 David Lingmerth, #40 Justin Thomas, #43 Scott Piercy, #46 Matthew Fitzpatrick, #47 Robert Streb, #48 Billy Horschel and #50 Jamie Donaldson.
Last year there was also 26 top-50 in the field.
The field includes 20 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2016. Those players are #2 Kevin Kisner, #3 Russell Knox, #5 Smylie Kaufman, #6 Justin Thomas, #7 Fabian Gomez, #8 Graeme McDowell, #9 Hideki Matsuyama, #10 Jason Dufner, #12 Emiliano Grillo, #14 Jason Bohn, #15 Patrick Reed, #16 Adam Scott, #17 Vaughn Taylor, #18 Phil Mickelson, #19 Rickie Fowler, #21 Peter Malnati, #22 David Lingmerth, #23 Charles Howell III, #24 Freddie Jacobson, #25 Jason Kokrak.
The field includes 19 players in the top 25 on this year’s PGA Tour money list. Those players are #1 Kevin Kisner, #3 Russell Knox, #5 Justin Thomas, #6 Hideki Matsuyama, #7 Smylie Kaufman, #9 Graeme McDowell, #10 Fabian Gomez, #12 Jason Dufner, #13 Adam Scott, #14 Vaughn Taylor, #15 Patrick Reed, #16 Emiliano Grillo, #17 Jason Bohn, #18 Phil Mickelson, #19 Peter Malnati, #20 Rickie Fowler, #22 David Lingmerth, #23 Freddie Jacobson and #25 Jason Kokrak.
The field includes 11 past champions: Padraig Harrington (2015 & ’05), Russell Henley (2014), Michael Thompson (2013), Rory McIlroy (2012), Rory Sabbatini (2011), Camilo Villegas (2010), Ernie Els (2008), Mark Wilson (2007), Luke Donald (2006), Vijay Singh (1999) and Stuart Appleby (1997).
A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Honda field is our performance chart listed by average finish. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Honda in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Honda.
A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.
Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.
**NOTE**
One thing to look for is our new GOLFstats IQ. For those that play in fantasy golf it’s a perfect way to help you pick those players in Draft Kings and Victiv games. You can customize the list of those in the tournaments, to look back a couple or many years of tournament stats and you can go back a couple or ten weeks prior to the tournament. On top of that, all the stats are fully sortable to help you pick your six players, we even give you their value for the week to help you chose.
That’s GOLFstats IQ, give it a try and tell us what you think of it
24/7 GOLF
How would you like to have Total Golf Knowledge At Your Fingertips??
We have the perfect solution for you. If you own a Iphone or a Ipad we have developed a perfect app called 24/7 GOLF.
It gives you everything that you need to know about golf, you have all the players results and every tournament result, again at your fingertips. It’s very easy to use and you can take a good amout of GOLFstats with you everyplace. No need to get home and check things out on your computer at home, you can answer any question with your Ipad.
So check it out, just hit this link to get 24/7 GOLF:
Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:
Who’s Hot in the field for the Honda Classic
Player | Northern Trust | Malaysian | AT&T Pebble | Tshwane | Phoenix | Dubai | Farmers | Qatar Masters | CareerBuilder | Abu Dhabi | Sony Open | Joburg Open | Hyundai T. of Champions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rickie Fowler (204.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | DNP | 5 (23.33) |
Phil Mickelson (192.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T3 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Hideki Matsuyama (164.33 pts) |
T11 (39) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Rory McIlroy (150 pts) |
T20 (30) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T3 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Branden Grace (134.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T5 (46.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Jonas Blixt (128 pts) |
DNP | DNP | 3 (90) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T6 (40) |
DNP | T28 (14.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Freddie Jacobson (123.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | T4 (80) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | 69 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Vaughn Taylor (122 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Jimmy Walker (120.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | T10 (13.33) |
Jason Kokrak (120 pts) |
T2 (100) |
DNP | T30 (20) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T25 (16.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Andy Sullivan (118.67 pts) |
T68 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T22 (18.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
John Huh (112 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | T8 (33.33) |
DNP | T24 (17.33) |
DNP | T33 (11.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Si Woo Kim (109.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | T35 (15) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | T18 (21.33) |
DNP | T9 (30) |
DNP | 4 (53.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Jamie Lovemark (109.33 pts) |
T20 (30) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T31 (12.67) |
DNP | T6 (40) |
DNP | T7 (36.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Jason Dufner (108 pts) |
T68 (0) |
DNP | T51 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T9 (30) |
DNP | DNP |
Adam Hadwin (107 pts) |
T16 (34) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | T63 (0) |
DNP | T6 (40) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | DNP |
Adam Scott (100 pts) |
T2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | DNP |
Charles Howell III (99.33 pts) |
75 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T24 (26) |
DNP | T16 (22.67) |
DNP | T11 (26) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Fabian Gomez (96.33 pts) |
T45 (5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T6 (20) |
Shane Lowry (93.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T41 (9) |
DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Patrick Reed (90 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T6 (60) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | WD (-3.33) |
DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (33.33) |
Chez Reavie (89.67 pts) |
7 (55) |
DNP | T26 (24) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T17 (22) |
DNP | T42 (5.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Brooks Koepka (89 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T8 (50) |
DNP | T41 (9) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T3 (30) |
Gary Woodland (87 pts) |
T26 (24) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T33 (17) |
DNP | T18 (21.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | DNP |
David Lingmerth (83 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (66.67) |
DNP | T13 (24.67) |
DNP | T15 (11.67) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot in the field for the Honda Classic
Player | Northern Trust | Malaysian | AT&T Pebble | Tshwane | Phoenix | Dubai | Farmers | Qatar Masters | CareerBuilder | Abu Dhabi | Sony Open | Joburg Open | Hyundai T. of Champions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steve Wheatcroft (-36.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T67 (0) |
DNP | DNP |
Brendon Todd (-33.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Chad Collins (-33.33 pts) |
T66 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Whee Kim (-33.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T84 (0) |
DNP | DNP |
Rory Sabbatini (-30 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Johnson Wagner (-30 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Will MacKenzie (-30 pts) |
T59 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Robert Allenby (-30 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Sam Saunders (-30 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP |
Ken Duke (-30 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who to watch for at the Honda Classic
Best Bets:
Patrick Reed
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T7 | T24 | T58 |
Guy is in the groove and when the tour moves to Florida he should win one of these events. I think it will be this week.
Rickie Fowler
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T41 | T24 | T13 | T7 | CUT | CUT |
Look for him to play well, has the stats in greens hit, strokes gained tee-to-green along with making a lot of birdies and eagles.
Phil Mickelson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T17 | CUT |
Normally doesn’t play well in Florida, mostly because of the wind, but with the lack of wind and good temperatures look for him to play well.
Best of the rest:
Rory McIlroy
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T2 | WD | Win | T70 | T40 | T13 |
Has been a roller coaster ride in this event, he is either close to winning one year and then misses the cut the next year. Think he will contend, but I still think his putter isn’t ready for him to go crazy.
Russell Knox
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T3 | T2 |
Has come within a shot of finishing in first place the last two times, maybe the third time will be the charm.
Branden Grace
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T71 |
Great record in Europe, in his last six starts has a win (Qatar) and hasn’t finished higher than 8th. He could be the biggest long shot of the week.
Adam Scott
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T12 | CUT |
Has the game to do really well this week, again it’s up to the putter. Really came close in L.A.
Solid contenders
Freddie Jacobson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T12 | T25 | T16 | T29 | T6 | T5 | CUT | CUT | T4 |
Guy has the talent, has been playing well and has had some good results at PGA National. Don’t let him surprise you.
Luke Donald
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T7 | T8 | T10 | 2 | T46 | Win | T21 |
Guy has always done well in this event and course, I don’t think he will win, but finish in the top-ten.
Kevin Kisner
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T51 |
Has all the key stats to play well this week, look for him to have a great Florida swing.
Sergio Garcia
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T31 | T8 | T50 | T13 | T43 |
Always have a warm spot in my heart for this guy who is worst than Jeckel and Hyde. You never know when he will play well so you have to always keep him in mind.
Hideki Matsuyama
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WD |
Played well at Riviera, big question is if he can adjust to playing on Bermuda.
Long shots that could come through:
Jamie Donaldson
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 | T55 | T58 |
Another European who can be a big surprise, last year finished 6th at the Honda.
Alex Cejka
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T36 | T26 | T13 | T7 | CUT | 72 | CUT | CUT |
Can play well on this course, he is a good long shot.
Adam Hadwin
2016 | ’15 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T31 |
Has had a couple of top-20s and a T-6th in his last four starts.
Awesome! now this report comes early. Thank you for your hard work Golfstats
Just a heads up… we primarily play on bent in Dallas. Much less humid generally.
Sal love your write ups in preparation each week – can you explain further why some guys play better on bermuda grass that you see in the hotter climates? Is it primarily the putting greens or the grass in general?
Douglas, lot’s of courses in south Texas with Bermuda.
For Patrick, it’s what you are use to. I grew up near the Pacific in California and learned to play the game on Poannua greens. Love it, also like Bent. But I have never been a fan of Bermuda. The reason that Bermuda is used, it tolerates warm climates better than Bent that struggles in warm weather. In the South and florida, Bermuda is all over, greens, fairways rough. One of the reasons I have problems with Bermuda, it’s a weed and it sometimes is hard to read.
If your the Patrick I think you are, you grew up on English golf courses with a combination of Fescue and bent. I also love fescue, but it needs to be grown near the sea. If you try to grow fescue away from the sea, it struggles, a bit like it did at Chambers Bay last year.
But to answer your question, for those who grew up on Bermuda, it’s not hard to get use to bent. But for those that grew up playing golf on Bent, it’s hard to understand and get use to Bermuda.
Sal, lots of courses in North Texas should have Bermuda also. I live in Dallas and the bent greens are crap from the end of May through September.
There is a reason for Bermuda and that is because it’s the best type of grass to play on courses in hot, humid places. I know that Augusta National is Bent, but they tried for a number of years having their greens in Bermuda, finally going back to Bent. East Lake, home of the Tour Championship is now Bermuda.
I do know that there are coming up with many diffrerent strains of Bent that can tolerate heat and humidity, so I wouldn’t be surprised if Bermuda is replaced in the next ten years.