PGA National Resort, Champion Course, 7,110 yards, Par 70

Last year’s champion: Rickie Fowler, -12, won by 4 shots over Morgan Hoffman and Gary Woodland.

Last week’s winner at the Genesis Open at famed Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, CA.:  Bubba Watson. Bubba finished at -12 and won by 2 shots over Kevin Na and Tony Finau. Looked in Masters form with a sensational 4 rounds of golf going 68, 70, 65, 69 on the par 71 layout. When Bubba has his ball striking geared up and his putter dialed in, he’s tough to beat. He has now won 10 times on tour. At 40, Bubba looks like he could add to his Green Jacket collection from 2012 and 2014.

The weather in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.

 A tricky course with the wind. Thursday, Sunny, 83, wind 14-18 MPH; Friday, Sunny, 82, wind, 14-20; Saturday, Sunny, chance of a brief shower, 81, wind, 13-18; Sunday, Sunny, 83, wind, 9-15.

Jack Nicklaus redesigned this course in 1990. George and Tom Fazio designed it originally.

TV, All times Central

Thursday-Friday, Golf Channel, 2-5 PM; Saturday-Sunday, GC, 12-1:45 PM, CBS 2-5 PM.

Key stretch

The Bear Trap, Nos. 15-17, one of the toughest tests in golf

No.15, 179 yards, par 3

Not a long par 3, but the winds make it tricky. There’s a lake in front and to the right and the diagonal green runs left to right. There is a large bunker in back of the green that is very difficult to get up and down from. Jack calls it a par 3, “that can make you swallow twice.”

No.16, 434 yards, par 4

Jack says the players will mostly play an iron off the tee to get the ball in the fairway and to keep their balls out of the three bunkers on both sides of the fairway. The second shot is over water and tricky with the wind. The green is slightly elevated and there is bunker just in front of the water. 

No.17, 190 yards, par 3

Once again, the player is driving over water into the windy conditions they will face this weekend. There is a bunker on the left side. Jack said this hole will present a lot of problems as, he says, it always has in the past. 

No.18, 604 yards, par 5

This is a double dogleg, first left then right. Many bunkers surround this tight driving fairway. There is water to negotiate on the second and third shots. Unless a strong wind is behind a player and he can bomb it, the competitor will most likely take 3 shots to get to this green. The green is perched out over a lake, so the excitement will build on Sunday on this electric finishing hole.

Winner

The 33 year old Venezuelan native finished tied for 4th here last year shooting a 64 on Sunday. I like him to capture the crown. He’s won 3 times on tour at the then Bob Hope Classic, now the Career Builder, in 2011, and back to back at the RBC Canadian in 2016 and 2017. I’ll take this bomber to win at the Honda.

Jhonattan Vegas

Sleeper

Scott Stallings

Trending well. The 32 year old has won 3 times on tour, the last time at the Farmers in 2014. He finished tied for 4th last week shooting 71, 68,68,68, to finish at -9, 3 back of Bubba. He’s got a real shot.