PGA National Key Fantasy Stats

The Honda Classic

February 22nd – 25th, 2018

PGA National Champion Course

Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Par: 70 / Yardage: 7,140

Purse: $6.6 million

with $1,188,000 to the winner

Defending Champion:
Rickie Fowler

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 2018. What we do is take their rank for each stat and then add up the four categories.
The scoring average of the field at PGA National in 2017 was 70.56, so with par being 70, that means the average score was a half a shot over par, making PGA National the 18th hardest course to score on in 2017. This was remarkable because the course had winds in the 8 to 20 mph each of the four days. In 2016 the course played to a 71.77 average, fifth hardest and in 2015 it played to a 71.83 average, 4th hardest. Some of the reason for the change, in both ’16 & ’15 winds got into the 25 to 30 mph range, which makes the course tough. This year the weather will be a lot like it was last year perfect with the course playing fast and dry.

In looking at the stats for PGA National last year Greens hit, Rough Proximity to hole and Scambling are essential. Last year the course ranked 15th in greens hit with a 61.15 average. Winner Rickie Fowler was T-18th in greens hit, but the year before winner Adam Scott was 1st in greens hit. Now hitting fairways isn’t that important, the course ranked 28th last year while Fowler was T-17th in fairways hit. But the importance comes when you miss the fairways, the course has very tough Bermuda rough with perennial ryegrass is some of the hardest to get out of, last year the course ranked 7th in getting it close to the hole from the rough, while Fowler had a tough time ranking 30th. Our third stat is scrambling last year PGA National was the 15th hardest on tour while Fowler was T-9th in scrambling.
Last we pick Par Breakers because in the past it’s hard to make a lot of birdies and eagles. Even though last year PGA Tour was T-18th in that stat, it was 8th in 2016 and 5th in 2015, so you can see historically it’s tough. As for winner Rickie Fowler, he was T-1st in par breakers as he made 21 birdies.

Now in looking at our chart of all the players, remember that this week they are moving from the west coast to the east coast with entirely different conditions and grasses, so even though some players didn’t do well in the last seven weeks, things will be different the next five weeks.

SO HERE ARE OUR FOUR CHOICES FOR THE MOST CRITICAL STATS FROM PLAYERS TO DO WELL AT PGA NATIONAL:

*Greens in Regulation: Since the greens average 6,400 square feet they usually 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 15th hardest to hit while in 2016 they were the 12th hardest to hit. This has been the norm for PGA National, in 2015 it ranked 6th, 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.

*Rough Proximity: How close you can get the ball on the green when you’re in the rough off the tee, last year PGA National finished 7th while the year before it was 3rd in this stat.

*Scrambling: No matter how good your game is, missing greens always happen so it’s important to salvage par. Last year PGA National ranked 15th hardest while in 2016 it was 5th hardest in scrambling. In 2015 was 7th hardest so it’s a hard stat for players on this course.

*Par Breakers: The course is so demanding that making a lot of birdies and eagles aren’t possible. So players that can make a lot will do well on this course which ranked T-18th last year, 8th in 2016 and 5th in this stat on tour in 2015.

126 of the 144 players from this year’s field with stats from this year:

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