The Honda Classic
March 18th – 21st, 2021
PGA National Champion Course
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Par: 70 / Yardage: 7,125
Purse: $7 million
with $1,260,000 to the winner
Defending Champion:
Sungjae Im

This is based on the most important stats for PGA National Champion Course, based on data from last year’s Honda Classic, and using data from all the players in the field with stats from 2020. 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 last year was 71.90, making it the 3rd hardest course to score on in 2020.
This has been the norm for this course since it first held the event in 2007, it’s been one hardest course on the PGA Tour and has been in the top-ten hardest course list every year except for 2012 when it was the 11th hardest at 71.19 and in 2014 when it was the 17th hardest with a 70.41 scoring average. In 2019 it was the 5th hardest course with a 71.02 average, in 2018 it was the 2nd hardest course on tour with a 72.30 scoring average. One of the reasons the course plays so hard is the wind. Last year between Thursday and Saturday the winds blew between 8 to 16 mph and on Sunday it blew 10 to 20 mph. In 2018 it blew each day up to 25 mph which played havoc for the players and protects the course to low scores. This year the winds will blow each day between 12 to 16 mph. The bad news is that the area has had very little rain in the last two weeks so the course will be 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 4th in greens hit with a 57.10 average. Winner Sungjae Im was T-2nd in greens hit, while in 2016, winner Adam Scott was 1st in greens hit. Now hitting fairways isn’t that important, the course ranked 21st last year while Im was T-10th in fairways hit (Im was 40th in driving distance and was 1st in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green). But the importance comes when you miss the fairways, the course has very tough Bermuda rough with perennial ryegrass and in 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 Im had a tough time ranking 64th. Our third stat is scrambling, last year PGA National was the 3rd hardest on tour while Im shined on this stat as he was T-5th in scrambling.
Last we pick Par Breakers because in the past it’s hard to make a lot of birdies and eagles. Last year PGA National had 1,197 birdies and eagles for the week and averaged 15.65, the 3rd hardest on tour. As for Im last year he was T-1st in par breakers making 19 birdies for the week. So in looking at why Sungjae Im won last year, he was 1st in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, 5th in Strokes Gained Around the Green, and was 1st in Strokes Gained Total of all the categories.
it’s really too bad that they are playing a great course, but the field is terrible, only 6, top-50 players in the field which makes it the worst field since the start of January (Yes Puerto Rico was worst, but it wasn’t the main tournament)
So here are our four choices for the most critical stats for players to do well at PGA National:
*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 4th hardest to hit while in 2019 it was the 7th hardest to hit, in 2018 it was the 4th hardest to hit, while in 2017 they were the 15th hardest and 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 6th, and in 2018 it was 9th. In 2017 it was 8th and in 2016 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 3rd while last year it was 20th while in 2018 it was the 8th hardest. In 2017 it was the 15th hardest while in 2016 it was 5th hardest in scrambling while in 2015 it was the 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 are able to make a lot will do well on this course which ranked 3rd last year while in 2018 it ranked 5th and 2nd in 2017. In 2016 it ranked 8th and 5th in this stat on tour in 2015.
125 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.
# | Name | *Greens in Regulation | *Rough Proximity | *Scrambling | *Par Breakers | Total Rank All Categories |
DraftKings Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Russell Henley (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 14 | 27 | 6 | 72 | 119 | 9800 |
2 | Hank Lebioda (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 36 | 5 | 5 | 162 | 208 | 6000 |
3 | Talor Gooch (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 86 | 58 | 9 | 62 | 215 | 9300 |
4 | Doug Ghim (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 27 | 136 | 18 | 39 | 220 | 8800 |
5 | Cameron Davis (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 42 | 59 | 100 | 21 | 222 | 8600 |
6 | Jim Furyk (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 18 | 16 | 1 | 190 | 225 | 6900 |
7 | Daniel Berger (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) (WD) | 24 | 144 | 50 | 9 | 227 | 10800 |
8 | Wyndham Clark (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 92 | 53 | 43 | 54 | 242 | 8000 |
9 | Chase Seiffert (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 52 | 36 | 41 | 120 | 249 | 6200 |
10 | Chris Kirk (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 70 | 78 | 44 | 62 | 254 | 9000 |
11 | Rob Oppenheim (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 115 | 26 | 58 | 58 | 257 | 6600 |
12 | Vaughn Taylor (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 30 | 18 | 35 | 183 | 266 | 6500 |
13 | Matt Jones (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 125 | 39 | 19 | 90 | 273 | 7400 |
14 | D.J. Trahan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 49 | 57 | 84 | 90 | 280 | |
15 | Anirban Lahiri (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 148 | 49 | 41 | 42 | 280 | 6300 |
16 | Sepp Straka (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 54 | 97 | 103 | 40 | 294 | 6700 |
17 | Scott Stallings (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 81 | 19 | 3 | 201 | 304 | 6500 |
18 | Bo Hoag (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 75 | 67 | 13 | 152 | 307 | 6600 |
19 | Jhonattan Vegas (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 4 | 46 | 203 | 55 | 308 | 7300 |
20 | Jamie Lovemark (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 113 | 25 | 61 | 112 | 311 | 6400 |
21 | Sungjae Im (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 117 | 101 | 70 | 25 | 313 | 11000 |
22 | Byeong Hun An (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 39 | 27 | 106 | 145 | 317 | 8000 |
23 | James Hahn (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 168 | 50 | 55 | 51 | 324 | 7300 |
24 | Ryan Armour (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 106 | 31 | 93 | 95 | 325 | 6500 |
25 | Jason Dufner (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 28 | 40 | 63 | 197 | 328 | 6700 |
26 | Joaquin Niemann (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 154 | 110 | 62 | 6 | 332 | 10400 |
27 | J.J. Spaun (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 50 | 31 | 127 | 135 | 343 | 6100 |
28 | Grayson Murray (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 3 | 30 | 221 | 99 | 353 | 6800 |
29 | Maverick McNealy (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 33 | 136 | 106 | 79 | 354 | 7200 |
30 | Brice Garnett (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 6 | 206 | 36 | 107 | 355 | 6300 |
31 | Adam Schenk (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 178 | 53 | 20 | 106 | 357 | 6700 |
32 | Tom Hoge (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 109 | 149 | 65 | 36 | 359 | 6900 |
33 | Charl Schwartzel (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 78 | 59 | 114 | 109 | 360 | 6800 |
34 | Pat Perez (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 132 | 90 | 30 | 111 | 363 | 6500 |
35 | Peter Malnati (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 169 | 47 | 130 | 18 | 364 | 6900 |
36 | Cameron Tringale (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 141 | 117 | 73 | 37 | 368 | 9100 |
37 | Austin Cook (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 170 | 43 | 22 | 133 | 368 | 6200 |
38 | Scott Brown (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 21 | 127 | 68 | 154 | 370 | 6500 |
39 | Stewart Cink (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 179 | 10 | 166 | 22 | 377 | 6500 |
40 | Satoshi Kodaira (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 17 | 202 | 33 | 128 | 380 | 6200 |
41 | Robby Shelton (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 29 | 147 | 105 | 100 | 381 | 6600 |
42 | Wesley Bryan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 134 | 59 | 158 | 38 | 389 | 6800 |
43 | Beau Hossler (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 129 | 23 | 149 | 89 | 390 | 6100 |
44 | Nate Lashley (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 101 | 92 | 71 | 131 | 395 | 6700 |
45 | David Hearn (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 59 | 67 | 111 | 169 | 406 | 6100 |
46 | Will Gordon (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 73 | 73 | 212 | 48 | 406 | 7100 |
47 | Kevin Streelman (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 147 | 40 | 154 | 66 | 407 | 7700 |
48 | Cameron Percy (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 207 | 23 | 102 | 78 | 410 | 6900 |
49 | Adam Scott (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 39 | 117 | 214 | 43 | 413 | 10100 |
50 | Brendan Steele (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 80 | 156 | 74 | 103 | 413 | 8700 |
51 | Sam Ryder (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 60 | 21 | 194 | 140 | 415 | 6400 |
52 | Doc Redman (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 15 | 159 | 56 | 186 | 416 | 7100 |
53 | Matthew NeSmith (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 92 | 63 | 181 | 80 | 416 | 7300 |
54 | Patton Kizzire (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 99 | 139 | 140 | 40 | 418 | 7500 |
55 | J.B. Holmes (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 55 | 71 | 195 | 102 | 423 | 6500 |
56 | Nick Taylor (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 182 | 124 | 24 | 93 | 423 | 7100 |
57 | K.J. Choi (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 43 | 84 | 96 | 207 | 430 | 6100 |
58 | Keith Mitchell (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 8 | 92 | 173 | 160 | 433 | 7200 |
59 | Russell Knox (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 103 | 153 | 54 | 130 | 440 | 7900 |
60 | Ian Poulter (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 22 | 211 | 7 | 205 | 445 | 8100 |
61 | John Huh (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 120 | 189 | 80 | 64 | 453 | 6900 |
62 | Dylan Frittelli (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 175 | 97 | 29 | 152 | 453 | 8200 |
63 | C.T. Pan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 196 | 59 | 27 | 172 | 454 | 6300 |
64 | Brian Stuard (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 133 | 129 | 95 | 98 | 455 | 6300 |
65 | Harry Higgs (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 149 | 96 | 184 | 26 | 455 | 7100 |
66 | Andrew Landry (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 151 | 17 | 112 | 177 | 457 | 6200 |
67 | Keegan Bradley (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 90 | 123 | 162 | 87 | 462 | 8400 |
68 | Zach Johnson (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 138 | 104 | 116 | 107 | 465 | 7400 |
69 | Bronson Burgoon (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 84 | 112 | 175 | 96 | 467 | 6600 |
70 | Erik van Rooyen (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 26 | 178 | 151 | 116 | 471 | 7600 |
71 | Kris Ventura (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 104 | 99 | 187 | 84 | 474 | 6700 |
72 | Luke List (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 100 | 158 | 159 | 60 | 477 | 7500 |
73 | Roger Sloan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 209 | 112 | 32 | 124 | 477 | 6500 |
74 | Denny McCarthy (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 77 | 173 | 67 | 161 | 478 | 6900 |
75 | Vincent Whaley (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 155 | 101 | 83 | 142 | 481 | 6000 |
76 | Adam Long (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 136 | 105 | 123 | 120 | 484 | 7100 |
77 | J.T. Poston (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 113 | 122 | 178 | 73 | 486 | 7900 |
78 | Rory Sabbatini (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 143 | 105 | 211 | 34 | 493 | 7200 |
79 | Martin Trainer (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 11 | 90 | 216 | 189 | 506 | 6000 |
80 | Patrick Rodgers (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 97 | 131 | 165 | 113 | 506 | 7000 |
81 | Camilo Villegas (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 108 | 84 | 161 | 156 | 509 | 6100 |
82 | Harold Varner III (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 20 | 198 | 170 | 123 | 511 | 7600 |
83 | Robert Streb (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 144 | 153 | 88 | 134 | 519 | 6100 |
84 | Mackenzie Hughes (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 118 | 215 | 126 | 67 | 526 | 7800 |
85 | Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 118 | 147 | 135 | 127 | 527 | 7500 |
86 | Adam Hadwin (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 105 | 218 | 77 | 129 | 529 | 7700 |
87 | Kramer Hickok (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 90 | 168 | 176 | 109 | 543 | 6400 |
88 | Chesson Hadley (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 187 | 50 | 160 | 148 | 545 | 6600 |
89 | Rafael Cabrera-Bello (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 9 | 149 | 200 | 192 | 550 | 7200 |
90 | Tom Lewis (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 25 | 195 | 125 | 206 | 551 | 7000 |
91 | Hunter Mahan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 162 | 44 | 196 | 162 | 564 | 6000 |
92 | Mark Hubbard (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 157 | 156 | 134 | 119 | 566 | 7000 |
93 | Sebastian Cappelen (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 208 | 21 | 172 | 167 | 568 | |
94 | Xinjun Zhang (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 180 | 174 | 78 | 138 | 570 | 6200 |
95 | Brian Gay (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 181 | 139 | 88 | 162 | 570 | 6300 |
96 | Michael Gligic (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 83 | 200 | 101 | 188 | 572 | 6100 |
97 | Troy Merritt (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 163 | 161 | 45 | 203 | 572 | 6300 |
98 | Lucas Glover (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 53 | 186 | 167 | 168 | 574 | 7000 |
99 | Sean O’Hair (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 135 | 126 | 118 | 195 | 574 | 6300 |
100 | Henrik Norlander (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 86 | 212 | 106 | 172 | 576 | 7400 |
101 | Tyler McCumber (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 158 | 127 | 174 | 118 | 577 | 6400 |
102 | Richy Werenski (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 175 | 192 | 86 | 126 | 579 | 7200 |
103 | Chez Reavie (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 202 | 37 | 169 | 178 | 586 | 7000 |
104 | Joseph Bramlett (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 195 | 71 | 204 | 120 | 590 | 6200 |
105 | Aaron Wise (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 166 | 219 | 115 | 96 | 596 | 7600 |
106 | Phil Mickelson (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 124 | 112 | 206 | 157 | 599 | 7400 |
107 | Michael Thompson (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 171 | 214 | 146 | 75 | 606 | 7500 |
108 | Scott Harrington (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 137 | 166 | 151 | 155 | 609 | 6300 |
109 | Hudson Swafford (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 131 | 178 | 193 | 113 | 615 | 6400 |
110 | Padraig Harrington (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 96 | 189 | 142 | 193 | 620 | 6800 |
111 | Jimmy Walker (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 56 | 144 | 215 | 210 | 625 | 6000 |
112 | Kelly Kraft (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 112 | 171 | 171 | 176 | 630 | 6000 |
113 | Sung Kang (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 66 | 149 | 218 | 204 | 637 | 6300 |
114 | Tyler Duncan (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 128 | 172 | 155 | 191 | 646 | 6400 |
115 | Alex Noren (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 111 | 198 | 164 | 175 | 648 | 7700 |
116 | Rickie Fowler (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 173 | 184 | 209 | 94 | 660 | 8900 |
117 | Steve Stricker (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 205 | 221 | 140 | 101 | 667 | 6800 |
118 | Jim Herman (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 139 | 168 | 182 | 182 | 671 | 6200 |
119 | Bo Van Pelt (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 153 | 161 | 190 | 181 | 685 | 6100 |
120 | Michael Kim (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 184 | 181 | 136 | 196 | 697 | 6000 |
121 | Luke Donald (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 109 | 182 | 196 | 212 | 699 | 6000 |
122 | Graeme McDowell (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 210 | 177 | 120 | 221 | 728 | 6400 |
123 | Lee Westwood (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 193 | 220 | 142 | 194 | 749 | 10600 |
124 | Matt Wallace (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 198 | 216 | 220 | 136 | 770 | 8500 |
125 | Rafael Campos (Plyr/Tnmt/YTD) | 212 | 212 | 189 | 158 | 771 | 6600 |
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