2023 Honda Classic Best Bets & Picks
This week’s tournament doesn’t have the huge names or ratings that we’ve seen on the PGA TOUR since the beginning of February, which is disappointing for golf fans who have been treated to a string of high-caliber tournaments on the PGA TOUR in recent weeks. The WM Phoenix Open, the Genesis Invitational, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and THE PLAYERS all take place within a span of five weeks, which means that the 2023 Honda Classic at PGA National got the short end of the scheduling stick this year. Let’s take a look at our best bets and picks for the 2023 Honda Classic.
2023 Honda Classic Best Bets
Here are all of our top picks for the 2023 Honda Classic.
2023 Honda Classic Betting Preview
Course Preview: PGA National Members Club
PGA National is a par-70 course that is 7,125 yards long, just short of the TOUR average. There are many forced layups from tight doglegs and tight landing places off the tee, making this course everything but your typical short, condensed layout. With only approximately 10% of approaches coming from within 125 yards, wedge play is practically eliminated from this course. For a course of this yardage, that is a fairly unusual distinction because it rewards the best mid-to-long iron players. Almost 70% of approach shots will be made from 125 to 200 yards, which is significantly more than the PGA TOUR average.
Relevant Betting Stats
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- Driving Accuracy
- SG: Ball Striking
- SG: Putting
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2023 Honda Classic Odds, Picks & Predictions
Sungjae Im (Outright +1000 [1u]; Top-5 +240 [1u])
Hell hath frozen over, and I’m betting on a tournament favorite. Im is a masterful iron player and the clear class of this field. Although 10-1 odds aren’t that sweet on the surface, the lack of top competition gives me confidence as low as 8-1 on the Korean star. There was no surprise that he popped up as the second-highest-rated golfer in my weighted statistical model. He won here in 2020, after all.
Check out all of our top picks and predictions >>
2023 Honda Classic Longshot Bets
Hayden Buckley (+6000 via DraftKings Sportsbook)
The first golfer we are targeting this week is Hayden Buckley, who sits at 60/1 via DraftKings Sportsbook. Starting off his sophomore campaign in tremendous form, Buckley currently sits 25th in the FedEx Cup Standings.
Making seven of his last nine cuts entering this week, Buckley looks to stay hot in Florida. Of those seven made cuts, he boasts four top-20 finishes, including his T5 finish at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP and his second-place finish at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Knocking on the door of his first victory on TOUR, PGA National could be the spot where it happens. A strong iron player, Buckley ranks 11th on TOUR in GIR% and 43rd in SG: Tee to Green.
During his rookie campaign last season, Buckley missed the cut at The Honda Classic, which is part of the reason why he sits at 80/1. However, just like Keith Mitchell in 2019, it is entirely possible to utilize that experience and win the tournament after missing the cut in your first appearance the year prior.
Check out all of our longshot picks and predictions >>
Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our Sports Betting Strategy and Advice page is for you. You can get started with our 101 section — including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners — or head to more advanced strategies — like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread — to learn more.
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