The Honda Classic

The Honda Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in south Florida. It was founded in 1972 as Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic,[1] and is usually the first of the Florida events in late winter following the "West Coast Swing."

The Honda Classic
Tournament information
LocationPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
Established1972, 49 years ago
Course(s)PGA National Golf Club,
Champion Course
Par70
Length7,140 yards (6,529 m)
Organized byIMG
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fund$7 million
Month playedFebruary/March
Tournament record score
Aggregate264 Justin Leonard (2003)
To par−24 Justin Leonard (2003)
Current champion
Im Sung-jae
PGA National 
Location in the United States
PGA 
National
Location in Florida

National Airlines was the sponsor in 1973 with Gleason and American Motors Corporation (AMC) backed it in 1981. Since 1982, American Honda Motor Company (Honda) has been the title sponsor.

Tournament history

Its predecessor, the National Airlines Open Invitational, ran for just three seasons (196971); all at the Country Club of Miami in Hialeah in late March. The Gleason tournament replaced it on the schedule a month earlier in 1972 at the Inverrary Country Club (East course) in Lauderhill, it was among the richest events on tour with an inaugural purse of $260,000 and a $52,000 winner's share.[2]

The regular event was not played in 1976, as Inverrary hosted the Tournament Players Championship in late February, won by Jack Nicklaus. Gleason's nine-year affiliation ended after 1980.[3]

The 1981 event was renamed "American Motors Inverrary Classic" as it was sponsored by American Motors Corporation with the following two years as the "Honda Inverrary Classic" with a switch in sponsor to Honda, but continuing to be held at Inverrary.[4][1] It moved to the TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs in 1984 for eight editions.

From 1992 to 1995, the event was held at the Weston Hills Golf & Country Club in Weston. It then returned to Coral Springs, first at the TPC at Eagle Trace in 1996 and then at the TPC at Heron Bay from 1997 to 2002. In 2003, the event moved to Palm Beach Gardens, first at the Country Club at Mirasol through 2006, then began its current run at PGA National Golf Club's Champion Course in 2007.

Since 2007, the tournament's main beneficiary is the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, chaired by Barbara Nicklaus, wife of golfer Jack Nicklaus.

IMG bought the tournament's management company in 2013.[5]

Player participation

Some celebrated players have won this tournament, including Nicklaus in 1977 and 1978, the only consecutive winner in its history. However, the tournament had acquired a reputation for struggling to attract the top players as it moved from course to course in South Florida. Since 2007, The Honda Classic has seen a vastly improved player field, largely due to the decision to make PGA National the tournament's permanent home.

The prize money is comparable to other regular PGA Tour events. The total purse was $6.4 million in 2017, with a top prize of $1.152 million (this can be contrasted to the total purse in 1981 of $300,000 (the equivalent of only $843,668 in 2019 dollars[6]). The original winner's share of $52,000 in 1972 made it one of the richest stops on tour,[2] greater than for any of the four majors; it was more than double that of the Masters, which had a first prize of $25,000 in 1972.[7]

Tournament hosts

YearsNo.VenueCityState
2007–2014PGA National Golf Club
(Champion Course)
Palm Beach Gardens  Florida  
2003–064Country Club at Mirasol
1997–20026TPC at Heron BayCoral Springs
19961TPC Eagle Trace
1992–954Weston Hills Golf and C.C.Weston
1984–918TPC Eagle TraceCoral Springs
1972–8311Inverrary Country Club
(East Course)
Lauderhill
  • No event in 1976, Inverrary hosted TPC.

Winners

YearPlayerCountryScoreTo parMargin of
victory
Runner(s)-upWinner's
share ($)
Purse ($)
The Honda Classic
2020Im Sung-jae South Korea274−61 stroke Mackenzie Hughes1,260,0007,000,000
2019Keith Mitchell United States271−91 stroke Rickie Fowler
Brooks Koepka
1,224,0006,800,000
2018Justin Thomas United States272−8Playoff Luke List1,188,0006,600,000
2017Rickie Fowler United States268−124 strokes Morgan Hoffmann
Gary Woodland
1,152,0006,400,000
2016Adam Scott Australia271−91 stroke Sergio García1,098,0006,100,000
2015Pádraig Harrington (2) Ireland274−6Playoff Daniel Berger1,098,0006,100,000
2014Russell Henley United States272−8Playoff Russell Knox
Rory McIlroy
Ryan Palmer
1,080,0006,000,000
2013Michael Thompson United States271−92 strokes Geoff Ogilvy1,080,0006,000,000
2012Rory McIlroy Northern Ireland268−122 strokes Tom Gillis
Tiger Woods
1,026,0005,700,000
2011Rory Sabbatini South Africa271−91 stroke Yang Yong-eun1,026,0005,700,000
2010Camilo Villegas Colombia267−135 strokes Anthony Kim1,008,0005,600,000
2009Yang Yong-eun South Korea271−91 stroke John Rollins1,008,0005,600,000
2008Ernie Els South Africa274−61 stroke Luke Donald990,0005,500,000
2007Mark Wilson United States275−5Playoff José Cóceres
Camilo Villegas
Boo Weekley
990,0005,500,000
2006Luke Donald England276−122 strokes Geoff Ogilvy990,0005,500,000
2005Pádraig Harrington Ireland274−14Playoff Joe Ogilvie
Vijay Singh
990,0005,500,000
2004Todd Hamilton United States276−121 stroke Davis Love III900,0005,000,000
2003Justin Leonard United States264−241 stroke Chad Campbell
Davis Love III
900,0005,000,000
2002Matt Kuchar United States269−192 strokes Brad Faxon
Joey Sindelar
630,0003,500,000
Honda Classic
2001Jesper Parnevik Sweden270−181 stroke Mark Calcavecchia
Geoff Ogilvy
Craig Perks
576,0003,200,000
2000Dudley Hart United States269−191 stroke J. P. Hayes
Kevin Wentworth
522,0002,900,000
1999Vijay Singh Fiji277−112 strokes Payne Stewart468,0002,600,000
1998Mark Calcavecchia (2) United States270−183 strokes Vijay Singh324,0001,800,000
1997Stuart Appleby Australia274−141 stroke Michael Bradley
Payne Stewart
270,0001,500,000
1996Tim Herron United States271−174 strokes Mark McCumber234,0001,300,000
1995Mark O'Meara United States275−91 stroke Nick Faldo216,0001,200,000
1994Nick Price Zimbabwe276−81 stroke Craig Parry198,0001,100,000
1993Fred Couples United States207*−9Playoff Robert Gamez198,0001,100,000
1992Corey Pavin United States273−15Playoff Fred Couples198,0001,100,000
1991Steve Pate United States279−93 strokes Paul Azinger
Dan Halldorson
180,0001,000,000
1990John Huston United States282−62 strokes Mark Calcavecchia180,0001,000,000
1989Blaine McCallister United States266−224 strokes Payne Stewart144,000800,000
1988Joey Sindelar United States276−122 strokes Ed Fiori
Sandy Lyle
Payne Stewart
126,000700,000
1987Mark Calcavecchia United States279−93 strokes Bernhard Langer
Payne Stewart
108,000600,000
1986Kenny Knox United States287−11 stroke Andy Bean
John Mahaffey
Jodie Mudd
Clarence Rose
90,000500,000
1985Curtis Strange United States275−13Playoff Peter Jacobsen90,000500,000
1984Bruce Lietzke United States280−8Playoff Andy Bean90,000500,000
Honda Inverrary Classic
1983Johnny Miller (2) United States278−102 strokes Jack Nicklaus72,000400,000
1982Hale Irwin United States269−191 stroke George Burns
Tom Kite
72,000400,000
American Motors Inverrary Classic
1981Tom Kite United States274−141 stroke Jack Nicklaus54,000300,000
Jackie Gleason-Inverrary Classic
1980Johnny Miller United States274−142 strokes Charles Coody
Bruce Lietzke
54,000300,000
1979Larry Nelson United States274−143 strokes Grier Jones54,000300,000
1978Jack Nicklaus (2) United States276−121 stroke Grier Jones50,000250,000
1977Jack Nicklaus United States275−135 strokes Gary Player50,000250,000
1976: Inverrary hosted the Tournament Players Championship
1975Bob Murphy United States273−151 stroke Eddie Pearce52,000260,000
1974Leonard Thompson United States278−101 stroke Hale Irwin52,000260,000
Jackie Gleason Inverrary-National Airlines Classic
1973Lee Trevino United States279−91 stroke Forrest Fezler52,000260,000
Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic
1972Tom Weiskopf United States278−101 stroke Jack Nicklaus52,000260,000

*Weather-shortened to 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Source:[8][9]

Multiple winners

Four men have won the tournament more than once.

2 wins

^ Nicklaus also won the 1976 Tournament Players Championship at Inverrary, which displaced the event.

Tournament highlights

References

  1. Treglown, Dick (February 28, 1972). "Weiskopf wins Gleason crown". Palm Beach Post. p. D1.
  2. "Weiskopf no longer the brat". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. Associated Press. February 28, 1972. p. 3B.
  3. Shain, Jeff (February 22, 2018). "Flashback: Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic". Pro Golf Weekly. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  4. Smith, Jeff (February 26, 2019). "The Honda Classic Primer: History, TV, Field, Odds". Pro Golf Weekly. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  5. Global firm IMG buys company that runs Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens
  6. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  7. "Golf: Masters". Eugene Register-Guard. Oregon. August 10, 1972. p. 4B.
  8. The Honda Classic – Winners – at golfobserver.com
  9. The Honda Classic – Winners – at PGATour.com
  10. "Weiskopf captures Inverrary golf title". Telegraph-Herald. Dubuque, Iowa. Associated Press. February 28, 1972. p. 10.
  11. "Leonard Thompson wins Inverrary Classic". Spartanburg Herald. South Carolina. Associated Press. February 25, 1973. p. B1.
  12. "Nicklaus rally tops Jones". Morning Journal and Record. Meriden, Connecticut. UPI. February 27, 1978. p. 10.
  13. "Miller snaps slump with Inverrary golf win". The Montreal Gazette. March 10, 1980. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  14. "Strange Hits 66-201 Leads Inverrary by Four". The New York Times. March 8, 1981. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  15. Mell, Randall (March 8, 1998). "Nicklaus' Greatest Finish: 1978 at Inverrary?". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  16. "Longshot Knox Takes Honda Classic Title". Herald-Journal. March 2, 1986. Retrieved January 13, 2021.
  17. "Former Caddy, Calcaveccia wins Honda Golf Classic". Observer-Reporter. Washington, Pennsylvania. March 9, 1987. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  18. Mayo, Michael (March 11, 1990). "Huston's Feats Incredible in 3rd Pair of Shoes, 28-Year-Old Leads Honda by 1". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved February 26, 2019.
  19. "Pate Fights Winds, Wins Honda Classic". The Albany Herald. Georgia. March 11, 1991. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  20. Green, Bob (March 16, 1992). "Eagle helps Pavin eventually win Honda Classic in playoff". Daily Union. Junction City, Kansas. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  21. "Herron shakes off rookie status in Honda Classic win". Times Daily. Alabama. March 12, 1996. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  22. "Hart right at home". Boca Raton News. Florida. March 13, 2000. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  23. "Hamilton captures Honda Classic". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington. March 15, 2004. Retrieved January 14, 2021 via Google News Archive.
  24. Reynolds, Tim (March 5, 2007). "Wilson wins Honda Classic in playoff". USA Today. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  25. Harig, Bob (March 4, 2012). "Rory McIlroy takes No. 1 spot". ESPN. Retrieved January 14, 2021.
  26. Harig, Bob (March 2, 2012). "Brian Harman flirts with golf history". ESPN. Retrieved January 14, 2021.

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