Who to back at the Honda Classic
Honda Classic betting: Steve’s top tips
The Singapore Open may not have placed highly on your radar but it brought a thumping win for Sergio Garcia. As a result, the Spaniard catches my eye at 18/1 at PGA National.
Far from being satisfied following his first major at the Masters, Sergio has kept on performing – also picking up a win at Valderrama in October.
That was impressive, not least because he hosted the tournament. He now makes his PGA Tour 2018 bow in a state where he has performed very notably in the past.
He’s more synonymous with Sawgrass, but the 38-year-old has finished eighth, second and 14th at the Honda in three of the last four years.
While it’s probably going to send me broke, I can’t stop backing Rory McIlroy at double figure odds.
He’s 12/1 this week, having posted a top 20 at Riviera that was bolstered by a finishing 68.
I keep convincing myself that he doesn’t look too far away. He’s won this tournament and lost a playoff in the past. I just think he’s too good not to get back in the winner’s circle soon.
No one can doubt Rickie Fowler’s majestic form at PGA National and a best price of 9/1 on the defending champion will have many supporters.
But I’m not sure what blowing another 54-hole lead, at Phoenix, will do to his confidence.
I want to see how he reacts this week before pushing any more of my cash his way.
Honda Classic betting: Steve’s each-way bets
I’m going to ride the Alex Noren train for another week. The Swede finished 16th at Riviera and is putting together a serious body of work on the PGA Tour.
That, of course, is no surprise to those of us who have watched him claim so many European Tour titles.
But, in this field, he’s still being offered at a best-odds 40/1. I continue to maintain it’s a price that’s disproportionate to his ability.
He has only one outing here before, in 2013 when he missed the cut.
But now a firm fixture in the world’s top 20, I think we can expect to see him breaking his American duck in the near future.
Sunday was a bad day at the office for Graeme McDowell (80/1). The Northern Irishman went into the final day of the Genesis Open well in the hunt and, after a final round 77, finished tied for 26th.
I’d prefer to focus on his first three days. Rounds of 69, 66 and 70 should give him some confidence going into this week at a track he likes.
Tied 14th last year, McDowell was fifth the year before and posted three top 10s in a row from 2011 to 2013.
If he can repeat the sort of ball striking that we saw for three days at Riviera, then I like the 80s on offer.
With five top 10s in seven PGA Tour events this season, Brian Harman is 13th in the FedEx Cup rankings. But he’s 50/1 to win here. Confusing, right?
The American doesn’t have the pulling power of Rickie Fowler or Justin Thomas but he’s been in outstanding recent form.
Tied for 5th at the CJ Cup, that was the start of six top 10s in a row.
And given he’d been playing every week for a month, it’s no surprise he then missed the cut at Torrey Pines.
Having had a couple of weeks off, I’m really intrigued by his price.
The 11th and 12th placed finishes he posted at PGA National in 2015 and 2012 only add to my conviction.
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
