Honda Classic Preview, Picks & Analysis

Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements 

THE waiting is finally over. Rory McIlroy launches his PGA Tour season at the Honda Classic on Friday, hoping that it will be the start of a momentous run of events that will culminate in victory at The Masters and a career grand slam at the age of 25.

He is a past winner of this event, but did himself few favours when, defending his title in 2013, he walked off the course. By his own admission, he was going through some problems at the time - difficulties that seem like a lifetime ago now. But he admits that walking off was not his finest hour. Last year he lost in a four-man playoff, with Russell Henley coming through to win.

Since then McIlroy has won The Open and the US PGA championship and reclaimed his place at the top of the world rankings. He began his year in Europe with a second place and a victory at the Dubai Desert Classic.

From Dubai he headed to a courtroom in Dublin where he was destined to face a legal battle with his former agent, Horizon. In the end, an out-of-court settlement cost McIlroy a reputed £20m, but left him free to spend the rest of 2015 focusing entirely on his game.

Check out Rory's amazing shot to the final green of the Honda Classic 2014 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwNcCX_3zBo

He will head to PGA National as a red-hot favourite to land yet another title. It promises to be a fascinating four days. However, there will be no showdown with Tiger Woods, The 14-time major champion was entered for the tournament but still doesn't feel that his game is "tournament ready". After an embarrassing 82 in the second round of the Phoenix Open and yet another injury scare the following week, Woods announced that he was taking a break from action until he felt that he could compete. There were hopes that he would play in the Honda but he has decided he is still nolt ready.

It is hardly a surprise as he seems to have spent more time watching his girlfriend ,Lyndsey Vonn, in action on the ski slopes than he has working on getting his game into shape.

So who is likely to challenge McIlroy? The smart money is on another one of the young guns to emerge ona golf course that demands accuracy. Justin Thomas is my pick. This kid really looks the part, with three top-10 finishes to his name already this season. He is only 21 and has already climbed to 84th in the world rankings. It's not a bad start to a rookie year, is it?

Billy Horschel is another who looks ready to win again. And he really needs to do so in order to prove that his dramatic success in the FedEx Cup was not a flash in the pan.

Phil Mickelson will be there, but the 44-year-old has shown few signs of putting his dreadful 2014 behind him. He insists that he is in good shape and that his best golf is "just around the corner", but it seems that he is fooling nobody but himself.

Yet again, there have been plenty of first-time winners this season, but the Honda Classic is likely to be contested by proven winners. Rickie Fowler has made a slow start to the season, and is another who is due a good week.

Honda Classic betting tips:

To win: Rory McIlroy 5/1 Who else?

Each way: Justin Thomas 60/1 This promising youngster looks better every time he plays

Each way: Billy Horschel 55/1 The FedEx champion is beginning to recapture his best form

Honda Classic Fantasy picks:

Rory McIlroy 5/1 A guaranteed top-five finish

Justin Thomas 60/1 Likely to add another top-10 finish to his collection

Billy Horschel 55/1 His FedEx Cup victory was no flash in the pan

Harris English 40/1 Fast turning into one of the best young Americans

Sergio Garcia 20/1 Spanish ace is still working the rust out of his systerm

Brendon de Jonge 60/1 The chunky South African is fast becoming a fixture on leaderboards

Justin Rose 20/1 Mr Consistency looking to move into contention

Patrick Reed 36/1 On a roll again. 

Martin Kaymer 26/1 The US Open champion has made a decent start to 2015 despite losing that 10-shot lead with nine holes to play