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Honda Classic: Top 10 power rankings

By Mike Randleman

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 25: A sign and statue of a bear to mark the three holes known as the bear trap prior to the start of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 25, 2014 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL - FEBRUARY 25: A sign and statue of a bear to mark the three holes known as the bear trap prior to the start of the Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 25, 2014 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /
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PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 23, 2017 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort and Spa on February 23, 2017 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) /

Since causing a ruckus with his poor behavior in Saudi Arabia that led to his disqualification on the European Tour, Sergio Garcia has returned to the U.S. His play hasn’t seemed to be affected by any shame or ridicule from himself or the galleries.

He slogged through the rain at Riviera for a T37 a couple weeks ago and was one of the top players in the non-Dustin Johnson category last week at the WGC-Mexico where Garcia finished T6 (69-66-69-70).

This week marks Garcia’s ninth Honda Classic start, where he’s teed it up each year since 2014.

The Spaniard has made all eight cuts highlighted by a solo second in 2016 where he finished just one behind Adam Scott. Garcia shot 65-69-67-71 to reach 8-under, which would have won or been good enough for a playoff in three of the last five years.

He fired 72-70-72-71 to finish T33 in 2018.

When Garcia is locked in and executing a game plan, this is a place a grade-A ball striker can shine. He’s managed to not let the Bear Trap or any other pitfalls at PGA National get the best of him.

His worst finish was a T50 in 2010.

“Every course, every course needs patience. This one probably more than others, but any time you’re playing a golf course that is challenging you as much as this one, it’s kind of like a mini-major,” Garcia said in 2016. “It’s always going to ask you to be very, very patient out there, and you’re going to make some mistakes, so you’ve just got to deal with them and hopefully make more good things than bad things.”

This will be Garcia’s third start in a row and fifth worldwide in 2019 with the first two coming in the Middle East on the European Tour.

His eight rounds on the PGA Tour aren’t enough to qualify for statistical ranks, but he’s been excellent in strokes gained approach (1.563 per round) but pretty marginal on (.142 SG putting) and around (-.149) the greens.

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