Two Englishman Headline The Honda Classic
- By Dorian Netolicky on March 3, 2011 05:04 GMT
Luke Donald and former world number one Lee Westwood sit as the pre-tournament favourites with the Honda Classic teeing off on Thursday morning. In fact, the current board has Brits populating the top four spots in a tournament that’s sure to have a lot of UK flavour.
The Honda marks the first time that Westwood will tee it up in America this season and maybe a move to the other side of the Atlantic can get his season back on track, as Westwood’s early 2011 results in Europe have been underwhelming to say the least.
He goes out with Donald at (13-1) and that could be a bit generous as Westwood hasn’t cracked the top-15 in any tournament he’s played in 2011.
Donald, meanwhile, is coming off a huge win at the Match Play in Arizona last week in what may be his best performance as a professional. He knocked off newly crowned 3 and 2 to cap an incredible week in which he only played the 17th and 18th holes twice over six rounds.
The Northern Irish pair of Graeme McDowell and Roy McIlroy never seem to be far apart and that’s the case once again this week with the Ryder Cup teammates teeing off Thursday at (14-1).
McDowell has two top-10’s to start the PGA Tour season, as he had a tie for 9th at the Match Play last week after opening his season with a 3rd at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
He also finished 3rd in his only start on the European Tour this season in Abu Dhabi so needless to say McDowell is at the top of his game and it would be a surprise if he didn’t factor in this week.
McIlroy didn’t fair as well last week at the Match Play getting bounced in the second round. However, that’s easily his worst finish of the season as he got 2011 off to a great start with a 5th in Dubai and a 2nd in Abu Dhabi.
From the land of long odds. Tom Gillis tees it up tomorrow at (125-1), but he’s had two top-25’s in his last 3 events and recently finished 3rd at Pebble Beach. He’s a true longshot this week, but he’s shown he contend against the best so nothing is out of the realm of possibility with Gillis.
As we say at home, Shakespeare may have written a few plays, but he can`t create drama like this - Nick Faldo
