Tour News

World’s best square off at the Honda Classic

Published

13 years ago

Feb 26, 2013

Defending champion Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, the world’s Nos. 1 and 2 ranked golfers respectively, will look to reestablish their dominance on the PGA Tour this week at the Honda Classic held at PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.

McIlroy’s two-stroke victory at the 2012 Honda Classic came against a charging Woods, who shot a final round 62 to finish tied for second. His victory in the duel against Woods propelled McIlroy to the top of golf’s world rankings for the first time in his career — second youngest player to Woods to reach the top spot — but McIlroy’s 2013 season is off to a slow start. Like Woods, he was booted in the first round of last week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play at The Golf Club at Dove Mountain, and missed the cut when he teed it up together at their season opener — the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

The field at the 2013 Honda Classic will boast 13 of the world’s top 25 ranked golfers, all looking to tame the difficult Championship Course at PGA National. The 7,110-yard, par -0 has held the 1983 Ryder Cup, the 1987 PGA Championship and 18 Senior PGA Championships.

Jack Nicklaus redesigned the course in 1990, giving claws to the three-hole gantlet of Nos. 15, 16 and 17 nicknamed “the bear trap” after the Golden Bear himself. Last year at the event, 24 percent of all bogeys, 52 percent of all double bogeys and 74 percent of all triple bogeys were credited to the stretch of holes according to PGATour.com

McIlroy, who is looking to join Nicklaus as the second player to successfully defend his Honda Classic title, managed to play the three-hole stretch in 3-under for the week on his way to victory last year.

The Europeans will look to end the eight-tournament streak of American-born winners on the Tour this year, and recent history is on their side. The only American winner of the Honda Classic in the last eight years was Mark Wilson who won in a playoff in 2007, the first year PGA National hosted the event.

McIlroy, Louis Oosthuizen (No. 5), Justin Rose (No 6), Lee Westwood (No. 9) and 2012 British Open Winner Ernie Els (No. 24), although born internationally, will be playing on home turf — they all have houses nearby the Palm Beach Gardens Area.

Woods, Keegan Bradley (No.18) and Dustin Johnson (No. 19) who also live nearby in Jupiter, Fla., will represent the American side at PGA National. Johnson was a late add-in to the tournament after an early first round exit at the WGC Match-Play Championship.

Woods and Johnson will be searching for their second Tour victories this year.

Click here to see our inside the ropes photos from the Honda Classic

Related Topics:

Up Next

McIlroy withdraws from Honda Classic

Don't Miss

Kuchar holds off Mahan, wins first WGC

Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

6 Comments

Adam Solowiei

Feb 26, 2013 at 10:25 pm

I would expect Rory to play fairly well this week. everyone jumped on his equipment change but the reality he was knocking the rust off. The guy only have 54 holes played in 2013.

This week though I really like Schwartzel. Throwing out the match play event he is on fire and one of the best ball strikers in the world. He is 2nd (I believe) in strokes saved putting which will only help.

Reply Report comment
Troy Vayanos

Feb 26, 2013 at 5:11 pm

It will be interesting see how Rory McIlroy goes in this tournament. I’m thinking he will want to start showing some form with the US Masters just around the corner.

I don’t think he needs to win this tournament but definitely needs to make the cut and be in the thick of the action.

Reply Report comment
Brandon

Feb 26, 2013 at 4:38 pm

The tiger cancer? You mean the one that has won 75 PGA tournaments and 14 majors. Ya don’t hang out with that wouldn’t want to catch any of that. That sounds bad haha

Reply Report comment
- Scratch
  
  Feb 27, 2013 at 9:42 am
  
  It’s not like being around him rubs off on others. Yeah he’s great. Nothing more needs to be said or debated. But when you look at the success of folks that join the Nike stable something does happen. And it ain’t good. Think Duval. Think Cink. It’s too soon to watch what happens to Rory. I don’t think it has anything to do with Tiger other than he knows most club changes don’t work. Think Payne Stewart. Maybe helping to lure them to Nike is a coincidence. That he’s really a team player (check Ryder cup record of this great player). It’s interesting. But tiger is great. Maybe the others were not.
  
  Reply Report comment
Jon

Feb 26, 2013 at 3:05 pm

Rory needs to stay far away from the Tiger cancer. It’s not looking too good with the new switch. Money isn’t worth it sometimes.

Reply Report comment
- brokeinorlando
  
  Mar 2, 2013 at 11:41 am
  
  Tiger Cancer? WTH? Rory is a 23 yr old stud with too much money and a new girl, he can hit any clubs. I along with 99% of golf enthusiasts would like to have a little of the “Tiger Cancer” he is a flat out winner.
  
  Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 U.S. Women’s Open

Published

4 days ago

Jun 3, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer made the trip from the Memorial Tournament across the country to the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Check out links to all the photos below!

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 Memorial Tournament

Published

6 days ago

Jun 1, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX is on site this week at the Memorial Tournament, with both Alistair Cameron and Tour Photographer Greg Moore on the ground in Dublin, Ohio, where a strong field is assembled to pay homage to the Golden Bear.

In addition to WITB galleries, we’ve already been treated to an in-hand look at Tommy Fleetwood’s new TaylorMade Spider putters.

Check out links to all our photos below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the ShopRite LPGA

Published

1 week ago

May 28, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore was on site in Galloway, New Jersey, ahead of the ShopRite LPGA powered by Wakefern to snap some WITB photos and more.

Check out links to all the photos below!