PGA: Honda Classic Golf Preview

The PGA Tour returns East — Florida, specifically — this week as the Honda Classic gets underway at PGA National Resort and Spa’s Champion course in Palm Beach Gardens.

This tournament will be one to watch as the defending champion — Y.E. Yang, best known as the man who stunned Tiger Woods in the final round of the 2009 PGA Championship — comes back to the course where he won his first-ever Tour event.  If Yang can turn the trick this time around, he’ll join some elite company, joining Jack Nicklaus as the only player to repeat in back-to-back years.

Over at the Sports Interaction online sportsbook, there’s plenty of PGA golf betting on the ledger for this event. Yang is near the top of the charts at 28/1, but two players in particular — Paul Casey and Ernie Els — are the current odds-on favourites, both listed at 14/1.

Els has gotten off to a solid start to his 2010 campaign, registering two Top-10 finishes in four tournaments thus far. The Big Easy tied for fifth at the Farmers Insurance Open back in late January, and followed that up with a tie for 10th at the Northern Trust Open in February.

Casey, the Englishman, has been equally solid this year. Two tournaments, two Top-10 finishes (T-10th at the SBS Championship, 2nd at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship) and over $1 million in winnings.

Aside from Yang, Els and Casey, there are a number of players riding hot streaks that warrant mention. Brett Quigley (175/1) is a name to watch for those looking at a long-shot; he’s had 12th and 13th place finished in the last two Honda Classics. Lee Westwood, another Brit, is amongst the favourites at 16/1 and with good reason.  The No. 4 golfer in the world scored an impressive second-place finish at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic (11-under par for the tourney) and is said to be playing some of the best golf of his career.

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the other PGA golf betting notables available for sports betting over at Sports Interaction:

• Rory McIlroy   16/1
• Robert Allenby   16/1
• Padraig Harrington   25/1
• Camilo Villegas   25/1
• Sergio Garcia   28/1
• Tim Clark   35/1
• Anthony Kim   40/1
• Rickie Fowler   40/1
• John Rollins   40/1
• Charles Howell   40/1
• Ben Crane   40/1
• Mike Weir   50/1
• Brandt Snedeker   50/1
• J.B. Holmes   50/1

If you’re interested in this or any other PGA golf betting, do be sure to check out Sports Interaction’s online sportsbook today!