Honda Classic

Must be nice to be the Honda Classic right now.  Tour events like Harbour Town are sturggling to get a sponsor and may be going under, and the Honda gets the cushy spot right between two WGC events so all the top Euros can hit the Honda in their pre-Masters US Tour.

Which leads me to my thesis this week.  In a one-and-done, you almost have to pick a Euro this week.  Westwood, McIlroy, E. Molinari and Ross Fisher are all non-members teeing it up this week at Palm Beach Gardens, and with their limited schedules, you take the chances with them while you can.  Even members like G Mac, Donald and Poulter play fewer events here as dual tourers, so those guys make a lot of sense too.

Which one would I pick this week?  I like Westwood and Donald (how good was he last week, BTW?) to perform well, but I like G Mac to win the event.  All three have a history here and have played well and G Mac was in the thick of it until a Sunday 76 last year.  Plus, with apologies to Kaymer, McDowell is playing like the best in the world and has for almost a full year.

The sexpert pick this week is the rejuvenated Vijay Singh.  I'll pass.  He's due for a letdown.  Just a hunch.  And stay away from Villegas too.  I know he's the defending champ, but his only air time at Dove Mountain was a series of missed three footers.

Others to look for?  Kuchar is a top 10 machine, Anthony Kim was second last year (but has been largely average in 2011).  Ernie Els and YE Yang were winners prior to Villegas.  Yang looked good last week, dispatching McDowell on his run to the quarters.  Fowler and Overton both missed the cut last year.

Make sure you are aware of the withdrawals too.  Holmes, Cink, Rose and Crane have all pulled out.

A sleeper?  Frederick Jacobsen has top 10s in two straight trips here, and Jimmy Walker has been on the leaderboard in each of his past two events.

Most Talent
Westwood
McIlroy
McDowell
Donald
Els

Course History
Villegas
Els
Yang
Jacobsen
Wi

Who's Hot?
Donald
Kuchar
Walker
V. Singh
Yang

Who's Not?
Poulter
Villegas
Weir
Lovemark
O'Hair

My Picks
McDowell
Yang
Donald
Westwood
Jacobsen

Cheers,
TFAM