The PGA Tours Florida Swing begins this week with the Honda Classic at PGA National, Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The 144 field with the top 65 including ties making it to the weekend will all be competing for a share of the $8.4M prize purse with the winner collecting the Honda Classic title and a winner's cheque for $1.5M.
Sepp Straka returns to defend his title & with no Jon Rahm on show, it gives someone else a chance to win on the PGA Tour.
The Champion Course will be playing 7,125 yards long this week, it’s a par 70 parkland track and is regarded as one of the toughest layouts on the PGA circuit with the famous Bear Trap awaiting all.
I’ve already posted my preview for the Hero Indian Open over on the DP World Tour where we picked the winner last weekend in the shape of Thorbjorn Olesen tipped at 22/1 so be sure to have a look if you have the time.
The weather is forecast to be sunny and warm throughout with breezes peaking at around 10mph.
This event will be screened on Sky Sports Golf with live coverage starting at 1.30 pm on Thursday afternoon.
So let’s crack on with this week’s betting tips for the Honda Classic.
Shane Lowry 16/1 EW Unibet 1-6 places
For my first and main selection at Palm Beach Gardens, I’m going to advise last year's runner-up Shane Lowry 16/1 EW Unibet 1-6 places.
The 35-year-old Irishman from Clara ticks all the boxes for me this week and I have a feeling he can go one better than last year's effort when he was pipped to the post by one shot from Sepp Straka.
Shane had a dozen top 20 finishes last year with half a dozen of those being inside the top 10. It gets even better as one of those was a victory with his most recent W at the BMW PGA Championship but other notable performances worth a mention include T3rd at The Masters, T3rd at the RBC Heritage and runner-up at this event as mentioned above.
With another top 20 finish at last week's Genesis Invitational where the Irishman finished in 14th place and with lots of the big guns missing in action this week in Florida, the door could be wide open for Shane Lowry to arrive at PGA National with some unfinished business from last year as he conquers this tricky track with another PGA W in the bag for the 148th Open Championship major winner.
Adam Svennson 30/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places
For my next best betting tip for the Honda Classic, I’m going to single out Adam Svennson 30/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places.
The 29-year-old Canadian is a resident in Palm Beach these days and knows this Champion Course course like the back of his hand. Still fairly new to the PGA circuit, the talented Canadian already has a W in the bag when scooping the RSM Classic just a few months back and believe me when I say many more will follow possibly this weekend.
He finished inside the top 10 at this event last year when still finding his feet on the PGA Tour and now that he almost certainly has stamped his mark and with most of the big guns having a break this weekend, Svensson could easily leave his mark once again as he scoops the Honda Classic this weekend in his own backyard.
Billy Horschel 25/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places
For my final outright selection, I’m going to advise Billy Horschel 25/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places. The 36yrs old native from Florida will appreciate the return home and with all the locals behind him, it could spur the American on to his eighth victory across both the PGA & DP World Tours.
Horschel’s most recent win came at the Memorial Tournament last year and at this event, he has four top 20 finishes with two of those being inside the top 10. Ranked inside the top 20 best players in the World at the moment, currently 19th, the talented American could make his experience and expertise show this weekend in his home state.
Billy is an entertainer and will be out to give his army of local fans something to shout about, he’s yet to win an event on his own patch but that could be all about to change this weekend.
He went on a run with three top-10 finishes at the end of last year, that’s only a few months back so I’m more than willing to forget the missed cut last weekend at the Genesis Invitational just as he will.
I’m counting on Billy Horschel to put on a show to the delight of the locals as he starts the Florida swing in style with another W in the decorated bag this coming Sunday evening in familiar surroundings.
So all that’s left now is the match bet and for this week's NAP I’m going to single out Matt Kuchar to get the better of Min Woo Lee over 72 holes 10/11 Nap Bet365.
Honda Classic Golf Betting Tips
- Shane Lowry 16/1 EW Unibet 1-6 places
- Adam Svennson 30/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places
- Billy Horschel 25/1 EW William Hill 1-8 places
- Min Woo Lee over 72 holes 10/11 Nap Bet365
