Tiger Woods will forego what is effectively his local event next week when the PGA Tour visits South Florida for the Honda Classic for the second year in a row.
Woods said after last week’s Genesis Invitational that he would take some time off before he started training again, most likely in time to play the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, where he has won eight times. Woods lives in Jupiter Island, which is about 15 miles from PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens.
Woods skipped the Honda Classic the previous year due to the revised schedule and The Players’ move back to March. He also pulled out of the API from the previous year due to a neck complaint.
Prior to the year’s first major at Augusta National, where Woods is the reigning champion, he would have just two more starts, the Players and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. Three competitions in four weeks with a week free before Augusta would be his pre-Masters itinerary if he stays at Arnie’s Place.
The second-ranked golfer in the world, Brooks Koepka, will compete at PGA National next week along with Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland.
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Who will compete in the 2022 Honda Classic?
FLORIDA’S PALM BEACH GARDENS — Two of the top golf fan favorites, Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler, have agreed to compete in the 2022 Honda Classic, a PGA TOUR event that will take place at PGA National Resort & Spa from February 21–27.
The Honda Classic: Fan Experience
PGA talents of the highest caliber will be on display during the 2022 Honda Classic. The Honda Classic has something for every fan, including first-rate public sitting areas, several on-site public events, and a large selection of food and drink options.
To play in the 2022 Honda Classic this February, fan favorites Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler, and Tommy Fleetwood are among the first early committments. The three athletes will compete against a top-notch competition that already includes Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood, Gary Woodland, and others.
Where is The Honda Classic Played?
The Honda Classic has its permanent home at the PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens since 2007. Although the club has five magnificent 18-hole courses, The Honda Classic is always played on the unique Champion Course. After undergoing a renovation in 2014, the course is now renowned for “The Bear Trap,” a difficult three-hole stretch created by none other than Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear.
How Do I Get Honda Classic Tickets?
Golf fans have a range of alternatives for watching the best golfers in the world compete thanks to ticket sales. There are no capacity limitations at this time, and all tickets and parking cards will be digital. Tickets can be ordered online or over the phone at 1-844-846-6328.
The Honda Classic, in collaboration with Pratt & Whitney, is giving away free tickets to Active Duty, Reservists, Retirees, their registered Dependents, and Non-Retired Veterans from Thursday through Sunday of tournament week in appreciation of the people who have served our country and are still doing so.
Parking Options
The following parking choices are available to event attendees: General Parking ($10), Ballenisles Parking ($25), or PGA of America Lot ($50). You can also utilize a ridesharing service like Uber and be dropped off and/or picked up at our designated UBER spot. Here is more information on parking.
Make Sure to Check Out Palm Beach Gardens
Check see Palm Beach Gardens in between watching the golfers. With a retail environment that rivals golf, shop like a pro. While the outdoor Downtown Gardens offers boutiques and eateries, the Gardens Mall features upscale department stores and designer brands ready for the runway. At PGA Commons, Mainstreet at Midtown, and Legacy Place, there is still more shopping to be done. All of these locations can be found along PGA Boulevard, which serves as Palm Beach Gardens’ main thoroughfare and can be reached from either I-95 or the Florida Turnpike.
Who will win the 2022 Honda Classic?
Florida Palm Beach Gardens
The 2022 Honda Classic was won by Sepp Straka (-10) He finished with a score of 66 and overcame a five-stroke deficit to Shane Lowry after 54 holes to win by one shot. It marks his first PGA Tour victory overall.
Berger needed an eagle to force a playoff on the last hole, but instead he hit his third wood into the water, made par, and was alone in fourth place at -7. Kurt Kitayama came in third place alone at a one-point advantage.
With only two bogeys in his opening three rounds, Berger appeared impenetrable. PGA National is renowned for being difficult to score on, and this past week was no exception. Chris Kirk, Straka, and first-round leader Kitayama are all within five shots of Berger, who had a rocky start on Sunday. His opening six holes resulted in four over par, and with that, the competition resumed.
Lowry and Straka were more than happy to exploit the situation. With a birdie to start his round, Lowry continued his good performance throughout the day, striking fairways and keeping his golf ball on solid ground. In order to catch up to the leaders, Straka shot a -3 on his final nine and had no bogeys.
None of the top ten players in the world were on the field. Players that were ranked at the top of the field didn’t always win. The 2020 champion Sungjae Im and last week’s winner Joaquin Niemann both missed the cut as Brooks Koepka placed T16 at even par, Louis Oosthuizen T29 at +2, and Brooks Koepka T16 at even par.
A few players who had weeks to remember were Matthias Schwab, who ended T7 and -3, Gary Woodland, who shot a final-round 67 to finish T5 (-4) with Alex Noren, Chris Kirk, who started the day within striking distance of the lead but struggled, and Adam Svensson.
The PGA Tour continues its season next week. The Tour continues its Florida swing by traveling to Bay Hill and Orlando for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The current champion, Bryson DeChambeau, intends to make a full recovery from his injury in time to defend his championship. Viktor Hovland, Hideki Matsuyama, Rory McIlroy, and Jon Rahm are some of the other elite competitors in the tournament. To compete at the Puerto Rico Open, many players who are not on the team will travel there.
Jack Nicklaus should be at the Honda Classic, why not?
In recent years, Honda’s crops have suffered. But is that because it’s sandwiched between so many famous tournaments and in a tight spot on the schedule, or is it because some people have deemed the course to be too difficult a challenge?
Nicklaus is of the opinion that it is a mix. He once claimed that because he disliked being recruited to compete in events during his career, he would not actively seek out players for the tournament, a portion of the earnings of which go to the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation.
When asked if players avoid Honda because it’s a challenging course, Thompson responded, “Yeah. Absolutely.” It is also in a challenging time slot before being added.
The mental strain gets harder the harder the golf course, he remarked. The Tour requires everything of you, so having time off and resting—not only our bodies, but also our minds—is an important part of managing our games throughout the year.
However, not everyone is afraid of a challenge. Despite the challenging nature of the course, locals like Koepka, Berger, Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, and others are constantly present to support their local tournament.
The top four golfers in the world rankings, Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, and Justin Thomas, all live in northern Palm Beach County, yet none of them have participated in a Honda tournament since 2019. Thomas won the 2018 tournament and has played once more; Cantlay has never been up for the challenge.
The 2017 champion, who will play in his 13th straight Honda, said, “What I enjoy about PGA National is you get such a diversity of tee shots, you’re not always hitting driver.” Fowler is from Jupiter. You have a driver, a 5-wood, a 3-wood, and irons. Off the tee, getting into play is everything, and that’s when the challenge starts.
Florida native Billy Horschel, who now resides near Jacksonville, thinks the program is ideal for him. But he is aware that not everyone will find it appealing.
I adore that golf course; it perfectly suits my game, he added. “You must manage your golf ball and use your brain to navigate the situation.
How much money does the Honda Classic champion receive?
The winner receives an average of 18% of the prize money on the PGA Tour, making the first-place payoff for the 2022 The Honda Classic $1,440,000.
The prize money for Matt Jones as the 2021 A $7 million purse will go to the winner of the Honda Classic. Sungjae Im won the PGA Tour’s first-place prize in 2020, worth $1.260 million out of a $7 million pot.
Every participant who completes the competition is awarded official prize money, with the 75th-place winner taking home $15,920. FedEx Cup points are also earned by each participant, with 500 points going to the champion.
The Honda Classic’s prize pool is not the largest in professional golf. The $20 million purse for The Players Championship is responsible for that. With a total prize pool of $15 million, the first two FedEx Cup playoff events are tied for second place.
The PGA Tour hosts the competition with the greatest first-place payoff in all of professional golf. The greatest first-place prize in golf history, $3,600,000, will be awarded to the winner of the 2022 The Players Championship.
Why don’t professional golfers compete in the Honda Classic?
The popular SharkFest from National Geographic is back for a tenth time! Dive in and take in the large and tiny treasures that lie beneath the waters. Last year, the 15th-ranked Koepka and the 20th-ranked Berger were both forced to withdraw during the tournament week due to injuries.
Playing in The Honda Classic this year is Jordan Spieth?
Jordan Spieth’s PR agency responded to a question regarding the Honda Classic by telling CBS12 that, “Although his calendar is constantly changing, Jordan is not intending to play at this moment.” Spieth usually competes in all the other tournaments during the Florida Swing, but he has never participated in the Honda Classic.
Does Justin Thomas intend to compete in the 2022 Honda Classic?
Jim “Bones” Mackay, who has been Justin Thomas’ caddy this season, comes back this week at the Honda Classic as an on-course reporter since Thomas won’t be playing.
How much will The Honda Classic pay out in 2022?
Sepp Straka takes home the first prize of $1.44 million from a $8 million pot after winning the Honda Classic for the first time on the PGA Tour.
At the Honda Classic, why is it referred to as the Bear Trap?
2022-02-23
The Honda Classic field will once again be attacked by The Bear Trap, one of the PGA Tour’s most difficult stretches.
When a hole’s portion is referred to as “The Bear Trap,” danger is probably waiting around the corner.
This stretch of holes, which could end a round, is located on the Champion Course at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. And for those seeking to win this week’s Honda Classic in Florida, it’s essential to be able to emerge from it reasonably undamaged.
One of the toughest three-hole stretches in golf, The Bear Trap is cunningly positioned near the very end of the 18-hole test.
It was named in honor of the illustrious Jack Nicklaus, who was instrumental in bringing back the par 70.
If the term “celebrate” is appropriate, a plaque and a statue of a bear honor the difficulty. It might be more accurate to suggest that they serve as warnings.