The Starter: Round 1, The Honda Classic

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Mar. 3, 2010

The Honda Classic is set to begin. Here's a look at Thursday's round:

Groups We're Watching

Tee time	Players
7:44 a.m. ET, No. 1		Carl Pettersson, Anthony Kim, Robert Allenby Allenby has finished in the top 5 at PGA National over the past three years and tied for eight last week on TOUR.
8:02 a.m. ET, No. 10		Nathan Green, Vijay Singh, Padraig Harrington Both Singh and Harrington are three-time major champs, but neither have won on TOUR since 2008.
12:33 p.m. ET, No. 1		Angel Cabrera, Camilo Villegas, Mike Weir Cabrera is the defending Masters champ, Villegas is coming off two solid weeks and Weir is always a crowd favorite.

EXPERT PREVIEW: PGA TOUR NETWORK on-site correspondent Bob Stevens previews Thursday's first round:

The TOUR has moved all the way across the continent, but the primary story is still the same -- weather. The wind not only howled on Wednesday, it blew from the west and northwest, the opposite of its usual direction, and is expected to blow the same way, though only 15-20 MPH for the opening round. Still, it made club selection dicey. A handful of players told me they were hitting 8 and 9 irons into the famed Bear Trap par-3s, but had to hit 3-woods into the two par-3s on the front 9 that played into the wind. Expect scorecards to be different on Thursday--and NOT better. Anything with a 6 as the first digit will be a solid round.

Thursday's forecast

Sunny
Temp: 61 high/45 low
Mainly sunny. Winds from the WNW at 15 to 25 mph.

How good is PGA National? Padraig Harrington told me it is "the best course we play on TOUR" outside the majors. And how curious a predictor is this tournament of future major success? Harrington won The Honda Classic (though not at PGA National) before his three major championships, Todd Hamilton won The Honda the same year as his British Open triumph, and of course, Y.E. Yang won here at PGA National before his PGA title later in 2009 at Hazeltine. Harrington says it's a major-type course that forces you to hit great shots all the way around. So be forewarned before the majors this year to watch out for the winner this weekend.

Jack Nicklaus is the most candid man in the world of golf. He held court for more than 20 minutes after his pro-am round, telling a gathering of us media types many things, most interestingly that he'd be shocked if Tiger didn't make it back for Augusta, and that his own creation at PGA National, the famed "Bear Trap" at 15, 16, and 17, wasn't intended to be anymore than a couple of mid-range par-3's sandwiched around a nice par-4. Then the wind started blowing and it became one of the toughest three-hole stretches on TOUR, turning it into a stretch Harrington told me was "nasty". Harrington, by the way, dunked tee shots in the water on both par-3s in the pro-am while Jack played the Bear Trap one-under, chipping in from the bunker at 17 before also birdieing 18.

INSTRUCTOR'S CORNER: Steve Voguit, head instructor at the TOUR Academy at World Golf Village, analyzes the playing conditions this week.

The first round of The Honda Classic will begin soon at the PGA National Resort & Spa's Champion Course. The temperatures are off to a chilly start but are forecasted to reach the mid-60s by the afternoon. On Thursday players will have to deal with winds steadily blowing in the 16 -- 20 mph range. Windy conditions can be some of the most difficult to manage while playing golf. Being able to control your trajectory is the only way to give yourself a chance. But what happens when you don't control your trajectory into the wind? The result: a high weak shot, creating a loss of distance and quite often resulting in some nasty lies around the green. One hazard that can magnify a shot lost in the wind is a bunker.

The Champion course has many hazards over 18 holes, including 78 bunkers. A ball descending from high above will often result in a less than desirable lie in a bunker, and most often the fried egg. The fried egg lie is where the ball sits down in a crater-like depression, making it very difficult to blast the ball out using standard technique. Try the technique most TOUR players use while faced with a fried egg. First, close the club face slightly, promoting a digging action of the club face. Second, play the ball slightly back of center, keeping your balance centered or slightly forward. Lastly, focus on the back of the crater and hinge your wrists immediately, working the club head up. From there, the club will descend steeply, digging below the ball, and will pop it out on to the green with very little spin.

The Film Room

	Preview: The Honda Classic Y.E. Yang looks to defend his title as the PGA TOUR heads to PGA National for the 2010 Honda Classic. Watch it
	Interview: Paul Casey He's excited about the strength of the field at The Honda Classic. Watch it
	Interview: Y.E. Yang Y.E. Yang expects the wind to be a factor as he tries to win again at PGA National. Watch it