2015 Honda Classic: Five Featured Groups

We’ve had some very strong groups this year on the PGA Tour, but the Honda Classic is kicking things up a notch with the influx of European talent coming over to the States this week.

Here are five featured groups to keep an eye on this week heading into the Honda Classic. Also, for the full list of groups and times here is a link for that.

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Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy

Round 1: 12:45 PM, Round 2: 7:45 AM

For Round 1 on the Golf Channel this will no doubt the group they show the most. All three golfers have played well of late. Dustin Johnson could have won last week, Brooks Koepka won at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and Rory McIlroy has gotten to the point where if he doesn’t win a tournament it’s a disappointment.

This will be a fun group to watch and it’ll be really interesting to see how Koepka plays. Of the three, Koepka is going to be the one who is up the most. He wants to play impressively against two of the best golfers in the world right now. I would expect Koepka to have a chip on his shoulder to prove that he can hang with McIlroy and Johnson.

Rickie Fowler, Russell Henley, Graeme McDowell

Round 1: 7:35 AM, Round 2: 12:35 PM

This is an interesting group. The defending champion, Russell Henley, is playing with Rickie Fowler who has been in a little bit of a slump of late and Graeme McDowell should play extremely well this week.

In fact, I’m picking him to win this week. I alluded to this in the power rankings. The weather is going to be ideal for G-Mac’s play and the PGA National fits G-Mac’s eye anyway. So, with the weather being windy and rainy only benefits McDowell.

Sep 26, 2014; Auchterarder, Perthshire, SCT; USA golfer Patrick Reed reacts to making a putt on the sixth green on day one of the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles Resort – PGA Centenary Course. Mandatory Credit: Thomas J. Russo-USA TODAY Sports

Billy Horschel, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose

Round 1: 12:35 PM, Round 2: 7:35 AM

I’m interested to see how Justin Rose looks. He’s had some lingering issues with his thumb and that has clearly been bothersome for him this season. Billy Horschel could be a big name sleeper pick, if you will. We are in Florida, where Horschel is from, let’s see if he can get back to his FedEx Cup Playoff form and Patrick Reed is always must watch T.V.

Sergio Garcia, Martin Kaymer, Phil Mickelson

Round 1: 7:55 AM, Round 2: 12:45 PM

The ultimate boom-or-bust group. You just never know what you might see with these three. They could be leading or they could near the bottom of the leaderboard.

Sergio Garcia and Phil Mickelson, obviously their body of work over the past 15 years speaks for itself. But, not even they have won a U.S. Open by eight shots, won a TPC PLAYERS, and then go out and blow a ten shot lead at Abu Dhabi. Martin Kaymer has though. He fits right in with the unpredictably of Garcia and Mickelson.

Keegan Bradley, Matt Every, Victor Dubuisson

Round 1: 7:55 AM, Round 2: 12:45 PM

You might want to refer to this group as the “disappear or reappear” group. Keegan Bradley reappeared last week finishing T-4 at the Northern Trust Open.

Matt Every has disappeared since winning the Bay Hill Invitational last year, and Victory Dubuisson is, in general, the mystery man. When he plays, he plays quietly well, but in his last two tournaments he was scheduled to play, he withdrew.

Our “next post” link is at the bottom, but I just wanted to take the time to say that I really recommend you click it. It’s by Sam Adams ‘Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan: The Search for Perfection’ it’s a great read.

Next: Tiger Woods and Ben Hogan

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