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2022 Honda Classic: Top 10 power rankings at PGA National

By Mike Randleman

Feb 24, 2018; Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of the Honda Classic logo and car display in the lake during the third round of The Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 24, 2018; Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA; A general view of the Honda Classic logo and car display in the lake during the third round of The Honda Classic golf tournament at PGA National (Champion). Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Floridians are saying “enough of that West Coast golf. It’s our time to shine.”

The PGA Tour’s headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, and will work its way north to home base over the next few weeks for the Players Championship.

This week, the Honda Classic has the tee box.

It’s an event dating back to 1972 that’s been held at its current venue, PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, since 2007.

PGA National is annually one of the tougher tests on the PGA Tour for a variety of reasons. Like most Florida courses, it’s often windy. There’s usually rain during at least some point in the event and water lurks around many corners.

The course is infamous for the “Bear Trap” closing stretch of holes 16-18 where thousands of wayward shots have gone to a watery grave in past years.

The course measures 7,261 yards for a par 70. Length is not a huge advantage this week as fairway woods and irons are the common play on many par-4s and par-5s. It’s all about finding the fairway however you can to avoid hazards around the green and avoid approaching from the long Bermuda rough.

The greens tend to not be too difficult to roll putts in on, especially for guys based in the Southeast U.S. used to Bermuda.

Last week at the Genesis Invitational, all top 10 players in the Official World Golf Rankings were teeing it up. This week, none are present at the Honda Classic.

That’s unfortunate for an event that has had halcyon days as one of the best non-major tournaments of the year. That’s no longer the case.

There’s a field of 144 players assembled here this week with the traditional 36-hole cut to top 65 players and ties.

If any of the 144 can break 10-under-par for the week, they’re in rare air. Only three winners since 2012 have done it, and none went lower than 12-under.

Now that we’ve jumped coasts, the road to the Masters truly feels on. This week’s field doesn’t resemble the group that will drive down Magnolia Lane, but the scores might be better there than here.

I’ll venture to find the 10 best equipped to survive a daunting test at PGA National:

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