Golf
The Honda Classic preview: Sungjae Im a worthy favourite
Although competing in a somewhat limited field, this year’s hopefuls will battle it out to be listed alongside names such as Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler as winners of the Honda Classic.
We preview the main contenders below.
Sungjae Im a worthy favourite
Sungjae Im was the 2020 victor at this event, edging out Mackenzie Hughes to claim a brilliant win. He did miss the cut here last year which may prove worrying for some, although this could have been an anomaly rather than the start of a trend after he valiantly defended his 2020 win with an eighth-placed finish.
Given Sungjae Im doesn’t come out victorious too often, and his odds may be a little short for some at 8/1, but given his ability and promise displayed so far at his young age, it’s likely we will be seeing his name crop up for years to come.
Last week he finished 56th in the Genesis Invitational, but the world number eighteen had two tidy performances prior to that, finishing T4 and T6 respectively at the Farmers Insurance Open and then the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
None of the competition look too strong here, which bodes well for the 2020 victor, with the second favourite coming in the form of Shane Lowry at 12/1. Lowry had a good performance last week at the Invitational, and the Irishman did well at this course last year in finishing second, but he remains unlikely to better Sungjae Im at the moment.
Billy Horschel would arguably be the third favourite here but for his dip in form, having missed the cut on two of his last three. He also is yet to make a mark on this course, having finished T16 in his sole Honda Classic appearance last year. At 25/1 however, his price is more appealing given the weaker field and his undoubted quality.
Check out all the latest betting odds at William Hill
Christiaan Bezuidenhout to upset the card?
If you’re keen for an outsider with promise, Christiaan Bezuidenhout may be who you’re looking for at 40/1. He goes well at tricky courses – which the Honda Classic promises to be – an attribute that was demonstrated with his brilliant victory at Valderrama in 2019.
This season has also been promising for Bezuidenhout, most recently finishing T11 at The American Express against far stiffer competition. He will however need to pick up form from missing the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, also most recently last week at Riviera where he placed T58.
While he is an outsider as the joint-sixteenth favourite, this course had a tendency to favour outsiders given it’s treacherous terrain, with holes 15 and 17 potentially crushing hopeful’s chances with one mishit iron.
