2022 Honda Classic: Top 10 power rankings at PGA National
I don’t feel great about King Louis this week, but it’s hard to keep out the top-ranked player in the field altogether.
Absent a top-10 guy in the Official World Golf Rankings this week, the Honda Classic provides Oosthuizen a golden opportunity to win his first true PGA Tour event as well as for the first time on American soil.
Not to say his career’s been a disappointment, but the resume could use some bolstering.
Oosthuizen will be making just his second start of 2022 at PGA National.
The 39-year-old withdrew from the 2021 RSM Classic citing a back injury. He was prepared to come back sooner than the WM Phoenix Open a couple weeks ago, but according to a Golfweek article, he and his family were stuck in South Africa for nearly three weeks while on vacation due to catching COVID-19.
He didn’t have his clubs with him, so he was forced to take some time away from the game. It may have been a blessing after a taxing year that saw him finish top-five in three majors but win none.
“It just sort of resets everything, you know, like especially I was quite tired at the end there, going into major weeks having chances to win and not pulling it off, that sort of drains you quite a bit. And I needed the break,” Oosthuizen was quoted by Golfweek. “And four weeks would have been the trick for me, but seven weeks was nice.”
Louis was fairly impressive in his return, carding three rounds in the 60s for T-14th in Phoenix.
Oosthuizen withdrew from the Honda Classic in his first two appearances in 2011 and 2012. Since, he’s made two out of four cuts highlighted by T-21st (70-70-68-69). Four rounds of par or better at this event are pretty solid.
While this isn’t a home game for the Ocala, Florida resident, a three-hour or so car trip isn’t too tough. The South African used to be a resident of Palm Beach Gardens, though, so he’s plenty familiar with this week’s surroundings.
Oosthuizen ranked quietly ranked first on the PGA Tour last season in strokes gained putting (.764) and was fourth overall in SG (1.599).