Golf: For Honda Classic, Kern does his civic duty - picks a winner
Don’t know how much you’ve been paying attention, but maybe you should have. Because this stuff is starting to get a little scary. Three weeks ago I gave you Phil Mickelson as one of my three picks at Pebble Beach, and he cashed at 25-1. Not bad. Last week I had Dustin Johnson, who was admittedly one of the favorites at 10-1. And darned if he didn’t go home with a trophy as well. Heck, maybe I should be paying attention for real, since I can always use some extra cash. Like who can’t?
Anyway, that probably means I will go the next three months without ever coming close again. Or perhaps I’m just on a roll. We’ll soon find out I guess. My pick in the yearlong pool that I’m invested in, Marc Leishman, isn’t playing this week. He should have known that I needed him to do something, but what are you going to do? It happens.
The PGA Tour’s Florida swing starts with the Honda Classic at PGA National’s Champions Course in Palm Beach Gardens. And yes, the Players Championship is only three weeks away. But first they have to go to Orlando for Arnold Palmer’s tournament and then the Valspar at Innisbrook in Tampa. Tiger, by the way, isn’t playing. He was a late scratch, citing the need to take a tourney off and this was it. Even though it’s like a home game for him. He’ll be back next week.
The field isn’t great. So it’s no surprise that Justin Thomas, the defending champ, has the lowest odds at 5-1. He finished with a 62 last week, so there is that. But he doesn’t represent a big payoff, in a spot where a longshot might actually have a chance. But it’s very likely that he’ll at least be a factor, which is never a bad thing when your money is on the line. He also tied for third here in 2016, and has five top five finishes this season.
Rickie Fowler, who has won this year and won this event two years ago, is next at 10-1, with Brooks Koepka. Both are quite capable. Gary Woodland is 12-1. He’s having a good year, and was runner-up in 2017.
Then there’s Adam Scott, who I had two weeks ago when he was one off the lead most of the way before going backwards on Sunday, at 16-1. He’s usually on the leaderboard here, and has three top 15s this season. He just doesn’t win much. Which you can say about a bunch of guys.
Sergio Garcia is also 16-1. He almost won here three years ago, and tied for sixth last week. Of course he can be as good a ball striker as there is when he’s in the mood.
Webb Simpson is 22-1, Cameron Smith 25-1, and Daniel Berger 33-1. He finished second last week in the Puerto Rico Open, and lost in a playoff here four years back. Luke List, who lost on the first playoff hole a year ago, is 33-1 as well.
Alex Noren is 40-1, as is Michael Thompson, who got his lone win here in 2013. He’s had four straight top 13 results. Last year Noren was third, with one bad round, in his first appearance at this since 2014.
Russell Henley, the 2014 champion, is 66-1.
OK, so what am I going to do this time? I’m sure everyone is now taking notes. Even though you know what they say about spotting a trend too late. Still, I’ll give it my best shot. Yo, I always do.
I’m trying real hard to come up with reasons not to take Thomas as one of my three, and the only thing that really is against him is being the chalk. But I will still make him one of my trio, because I think he’s the one to beat. Which of course doesn’t always mean it’s going to work out that way.
For my second guy, and I know I’m going to regret this, I’m backing Sergio. Just don’t ask me exactly why. Sometimes hunches hit. For my longshot, and I could have gone a few different ways, I’ll take a stab with Noren. Again, I’m not really sure. There’s a reason he’s 40-1. I could have just as easily gone for Smith or Berger instead, but you can’t pick everyone. Wouldn’t be very sporting of me.
As always, let’s just hope we have something to root for come the final nine. Realistically, going 3-for-4 is near impossible. Yet somebody’s gotta swing for the fences. Might as well be the balding midget from Northeast Philly.