Don't get caught in the Bear Trap!

2012 Honda Classic – PGA National

The PGA National plays host to the Honda Classic this week and the players are in for a tough test as usual. The course measures 7,158 yards. The 15th through 17th hole are known as ‘The Bear Trap’ and were collectively the toughest any three hole stretch on the 2011 PGA TOUR. The field averaged +1.178 strokes over par on these three holes in 2011

After a frustrating week for some players last week in the Match Play I am sure they are glad to be back to stroke play and the opportunity to play golf on Thursday, for some of them, they were off home on Wednesday night last week!

When deciding on selections this week I decided to avoid the players who went deep in the Match Play last week. Some people will say, “Why? they are in form” but I think the format of last week will take a lot out of the players, probably more mentally than physically. For that reason I started to look at early exits by players who actually for the most part played pretty good golf.

For those of you who read my blog last week I am sure you could guess I was particularly fuming with Jim Furyk. Furyk was playing Dustin Johnson and had the match in control when 3 up well into the back 9 only to throw it away and lose on the 19^th hole with a three putt.  I huffed for a few days about that but really fancy him to go well this week. Furyk doesn’t tend to play this tournament a lot, with just three appearances in the last ten years, but has notched up a couple of top 10s in that time, albeit on a different course. The only time Furyk played this tournament around this course was actually the first time it moved here in 2007, so I’m hoping he’s not trying to tell me something!

Furyk has had a relatively quiet season thus far but I think after he sat down and took the positives from last week that he will realise all in all his game is in pretty good shape. The PGA National course is without doubt a ball strikers golf course, hitting fairways is key, so seeing that Jim is in the Top 5 in Driving Accuracy so far this year and was in the Top 10 in 2011 is a big plus for me.

Another player with an early exit last week was Graeme McDowell. GMAC played some great golf in the 1^st Round last week with 6 birdies but unfortunately came up short against an inspired Y.E. Yang. McDowell was quick to say after he was pleased with how he played and that he just came up against the better player on the day. Earlier this week GMAC took to twitter to show fans a short video of him practising at PGA National, he appears to like the course and can go well this week. With a sixth place finish here last year and appearing back to near his best I think GMAC can have a solid Top 10 finish and hopefully be in the mix come Sunday.

My selections are:     

Jim Furyk @ 45/1 each way with BETVICTOR  (5 places 1/4 odds)

Graeme McDowell @ 40/1 each way with BETFRED (5 places 1/4 odds)

Graeme McDowell @ 4/1 Top 10 finish with STAN JAMES