The PGA Tour gets back on track this week with the Honda Classic at the PGA National Champions Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Just like the current world rankings, this golf event is expected to be dominated by the Europeans. Lee Westwood, Accenture Match Play champion Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy lead the odds to win this week, respectively.
With such a talented field, it should be a tight event with only newly-crowned World No. 1 Martin Kaymer missing. World No. 3 Donald earned his spot atop the Honda Classic odds after never falling behind in Arizona last week. He has experience some success here in the past with a win in 2006 and second place finish in 2008. The PGA Tour is a beast though and takes a toll on anyone (just look at Tiger Woods, where has he been?), so Donald is a difficult man to back for consecutive tour wins.
World No. 2 Westwood seems to have peaked last year and will be happy to return to strokeplay golf after bowing out in the second round last week to Nick Watney. To note, Westwood hasn’t made it past the second round of the Accenture Match Play Championship in 11 appearances. At the Honda Classic, he came in ninth last year.
World No. 4 McDowell has come in third and ninth in two PGA Tour starts. World No. 8 McIlroy is just behind him in the Honda Classic odds. Reigning Honda Classic champion Camilo Villegas is a long outside bet and best avoided given his current lack of form.
Instead, look to the Americans for the best value in this tournament. World No. 10 Matt Kuchar has four top 10 finishes in five events this year and came in third at Accenture last week. He won the Honda Classic in 2002 and looks to be a good bet to grab his first win of the season on Sunday. Fellow American Rickie Fowler obliterated World No. 6 Phil Mickelson in match play last week. He has decent each-way value to get his first PGA Tour win this week.
Honda Classic Outright Odds (provided by Party Bets)
Lee Westwood: 12/1
Luke Donald: 12/1
Graeme McDowell: 14/1
Rory McIlroy: 16/1
Matt Kuchar: 18/1
Vijay Singh: 20/1
Ben Crane: 25/1
Justin Rose: 25/1
Rickie Fowler: 28/1
Robert Allenby: 28/1
Ernie Els: 33/1
Ian Poulter: 33/1
Robert Karlsson: 40/1
Anthony Kim: 40/1
Charl Schwartzel: 40/1
Y.E. Yang: 40/1
Brian Gay: 50/1
Fredrik Jacobson: 50/1