Adam Scott of Australia looks to repeat as champion on the PGA's National’s Champion layout against a pretty stiff field that features a dozen of the world’s top 25 players. The Aussie heartthrob comes into the tournament placed seventh in the world golf rankings and 72nd overall in the FedExCup points race. Scott has decided to ease on into his PGA Tour schedule having competed only once in 2017 at last week’s Genesis Open (T9) at Riviera Country Club. He’s had three appearances in the wraparound campaign of 2016-17 and has shown well as by posting three top-10s.
American Justin Thomas arrives at the first stop on the Florida portion of the PGA sked in search of the solid game he put together to complete a victory sweep of the tour’s two January stops in Hawaii -- the SBS Tournament of Champions and the Sony Open – and his CIMB Classic triumph last October. The eighth-ranked player in the world, who sits second in the FedExCup points race to Hideki Matsuyama, missed the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and came home way back of the leader at T39 in the Genesis Open in his last two starts.
Willett arrives from Europe
Masters champion Danny Willett of England begins his North American run at repeating his Augusta victory with a visit to PGA National after a T5 performance on the European Tour in the Maybank Championship and a T54 placing at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
He and all the rest will have to contend with the iconic Bear Trap stretch of holes (15, 16 and 17) that often determine which player comes out on top in the Honda Classic.
Precision tee shots a must
Players through the years have discovered that precision tee shots are an absolute must into the par 3s of 15 and 17. There’s no bailout area on either of the holes.
The 16th is a brutal challenge because the second shot has to be smacked over water toward a gently elevated green. PGA National (Champion track) plays 7,140 yards and is a par 70.
Favorites: Rickie Fowler, Daniel Berger, Adam Scott, Zach Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen.
Players To Watch: Sergio Garcia, Danny Willett, Justin Thomas, Padraig Harrington, Jason Dufner.
