Jack Nicklaus: Honda Classic will have ‘better’ date in 2022
Jack Nicklaus didn’t like the slot on the PGA TOUR schedule this year given to the Honda Classic. He expects that to change in 2022.
And when the Golden Bear wants something, it usually gets done.
Wedged in between The Players Championship and the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play, last week’s Honda Classic had its lowest Strength of Field rating since 2005 when the Official World Golf Ranking adjusted its strength-of-field calculations.
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The Honda generally has been the first event in the Florida Swing but this year was moved to the final week, taking the position that had been occupied by Tampa’s Valspar Championship, which was shifted to late April.
Nicklaus told local reporters Sunday at PGA National that the Honda, which supports the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, should not remain as the buffer between two high-ranking events.
"“No, that won’t work out,” he told the Palm Beach Post. “I think that’s going to be changed next year. It will be different on the schedule. I think the Tour schedule will be different. I think it will be much better for the Honda tournament. I think they’ll have a good field.”"
The newspaper also reported that Honda officials are in discussions with the Tour about a schedule change.
The strength of field for last week’s Honda registered at 179 in the OWGR calculations. Of the regular-field events played on the PGA Tour since the calendar flip to 2021 (not including opposite-field events), only the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am had a lower rating at 141.
The OWGR calculates the strength of field rating by combining the world rating (based on the number of top-200 players competing) with the home tour rating (based on number of top-30 players using each tour’s end-of-year final ranking).
Field strength actually has been in a steady decline for the Honda since reaching its peak in 2014 when Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson were in the field. That raised the rating to 494. In the seven Honda Classics played since then, the strength of field has been lower than the previous year. Last year, the rating was 261, the lowest in more than a decade.
That was one reason the Honda Classic sought a date shift for 2021.
"“In our opinion, after talking to players, it’s a better date,” tournament executive director Ken Kennerly told Golf Channel last year when the change was announced. “We will have to see how it goes. You never know what these guys are going to decide to play and what they’re going to miss, but we feel it will be better for us.”"
Obviously it wasn’t.
dark. Next. Honda Classic: Winners and Losers from PGA National
Not even having so many top-name players living in close proximity to PGA National seems to make a difference, as No. 1 Dustin Johnson, No. 2 Justin Thomas, No. 10 Patrick Cantlay and No. 11 McIlroy each skipped the Honda. In addition, two other top 20 locals were sidelined due to injury – Brooks Koepka (back) and Daniel Berger (rib).
No. 18 Sungjae Im was the highest-ranked OWGR player in last week’s field.
"“We don’t get caught up in it too much because it’s something we can’t control,” Kennerly told the Palm Beach Post last week when asked about the field. “It certainly doesn’t help when Brooks hurts his knee and Daniel had his health issue.“Those players who are not here, there’s no dislike for the Honda Classic or PGA National. We’ve had a very good relationship with all of the players for many, many years. A lot of it comes down to their schedule.”"
A schedule that, according the Nicklaus, will be different next year.