LET'S welcome golf to WeLoveBetting! Louis Ross (@KingLouis2105) takes the hot seat to preview this week's Honda Classic for us.
Honda Classic | Thursday – Sunday | Sky Sports
If you like your golf rough and tough, then this is the course for you. The PGA can so often offer up little more than a shoot out, and although winning scores of -25 have a place, I much prefer this kind of test. Watching millionaire golfers really struggling for a par can be very enjoyable!
Palm Beach Gardens features Bermuda Grass greens for the first time this season. That changes things for many golfers. Those who have struggled recently over on the West Coast can have a huge change of fortunes once the Florida swing starts.
I love this course. It is so incredibly difficult. There are water hazards everywhere, punishing rough always in eyesight and and over 100 bunkers in play. It's a supreme test for any golfer. The famous Bear Trap of holes 15, 16 and 17 is possibly the hardest three hole run on the PGA Tour and will certainly decide the winner come Sunday.
I somehow managed to have a sneaky pound on last year's champ Russell Henley at 200/1 last year but even at those odds there were good reasons for throwing that quid in his direction. I had been following Henley for some time. His game was perfect
7/2 favourite Rory McIllroy is always hard to oppose on a course like this, but with this being his first PGA event of the year I'm happy to swerve him. I'll also cross off fellow 2015 débutantes Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer. Rory of course coulod win by 10 shots but I still wouldn't take 7/2 before a ball has been teed off.
Keegan Bradley at 28/1 each way (888 Sport) is very hard to resist. His fast finishing 4th place last week was eye catching and he appears to be coping with the new shorter putter really well. He loves playing in the wind (and there will be a lot on this coastal course) and is ideal for this kind of grind-it-out golf.
Billy Horschel is a favourite of mine. I have been watching and backing him for a few years now and love his passion. His FedEx Cup win really brought him to the fore in 2014 and he appeared to be running into form two weeks ago at Pebble Beach.
Only a poor back nine on Sunday took him out of contention. I can't see him ever winning a major, but keep an eye on Billy. He will pop up regularly with wins and high finishes. 60/1 with BWin is way too big.
Harris English (world number 55) is pushing hard for a Top 50 spot to get in at Augusta and the next WGC event. Players in that 50-60 ranking are well worth watching this week as a major push could have a huge pay-off.
Marc Leishman (52), Graham Delaet (61), Paul Casey (65) and Nick Watney (76) are all players to keep an eye on. If one of those is within five shots on Saturday, I will be very interested.
Chris Kirk is another whose odds look too big. He's had three Top 20's in seven 2015 starts and is one of the best putters on the tour. I want him in my team this weekend and at 70/1 with Stan James I have to get involved.
Best Bets
Nick Watney – To Finish In The Top 20 (5/2 Stan James)
Keegan Bradley – Each Way Selection (28/1 888 Sport)
Billy Horschel – Each Way Selection (60/1 BWin)
Chris Kirk – Each Way Selection (70/1 Stan James)
