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Odds on First Round Leader & Best Matchup Plays at the Honda Classic

Michael Harrison

by Michael Harrison in Golf

Updated Mar 31, 2020 · 6:26 PM PDT

Brooks Koepka walking
Brooks Koepka is one of the favorites to win the 2020 Honda Classic. (Photo by Michael Wade/Icon Sportswire).
  • The Honda Classic tees off Thursday, February 27th
  • Tournament favorite Tommy Fleetwood is also favored to grab the first round lead 
  • Should you bet on Fleetwood to beat Brooks Koepka in a matchup play?

The start of the Florida swing begins at the Honda Classic, the first of four consecutive tournaments in the Sunshine State, where Tommy Fleetwood is the betting favorite to win, followed by Brooks Koepka and past champion Rickie Fowler in a field that isn’t as strong as its been in recent years.

While we already have you covered on who are the best bets and value picks to win the tournament, who stands a strong chance to be the first round leader and what’s a good head-to-head matchup to bet on this week?

2020 Honda Classic First Round Leader Odds

Golfer Odds Tee Time
Tommy Fleetwood +2000 7:45am
Brooks Koepka +2200 12:35pm
Rickie Fowler +2500 7:35am
Justin Rose +3300 7:45am
Louis Oosthuizen +3300 12:25pm
Gary Woodland +3300 12:25pm
Viktor Hovland +3300 7:35am
Billy Horschel +4000 7:45am
Shane Lowry +4000 12:25pm
Daniel Berger +4000 12:05pm

Odds taken Feb. 26th

Conditions should be ideal and virtually the same on Thursday, where it’s expected to be partly sunny with almost identical wind speeds throughout the day.

The only potential benefit, as it always would be, goes to the players with early tee times because the greens aren’t as bumpy and haven’t had as much traffic on them as those teeing it up in the afternoon.

Viktor Hovland a Good Play

What better pick to continue to let the good times roll than last week’s winner at the Puerto Rico Open (the other tournament contested opposite of the WGC-Mexico Championship), which was Viktor Hovland.

The 22-year-old Norwegian hotshot sports enticing +3300 odds to be the first round leader this week. In his last 13 opening rounds, dating back to last year, nine of them have been in the 60’s, with three of them being a 70, along with a lone poor total of 75 at the ZOZO Championship in October.

In a wide open tournament, he’s as good a pick as anybody, in particular because he has an early morning tee time.

Pick: Viktor Hovland (+3300)

2020 Honda Classic First Round Leader Best Value Picks

  1. Sungjae Im (+4000): T-4th in first round scoring average this season. Ten of twelve opening rounds have been in the 60’s on the campaign, with worst round being a 71.
  2. Ryan Palmer (+5000): T-4th in this tourney last year, finished runner-up (in a playoff) in 2014 Honda. Was T-4th at Sony Open earlier this season and was in the hunt on Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open.
  3. Wyndham Clark (+6600): Led after first round of Waste Management Phoenix Open three events ago. T-2nd after day one in his last event, the Genesis Invitational. Was in final group heading into the final round of last year’s Honda Classic, before finishing T-7th.

Tommy Fleetwood vs Brooks Koepka Honda Classic Matchup Odds

Golfer Spread Moneyline
Tommy Fleetwood -1.5 (+100) -130
Brooks Koepka +1.5 (-135) +109

It’s always a dangerous game betting against Brooks Koepka, who seemingly wills himself to huge tournament – or plays a middle of the pack event. A key area to focus on is Koepka’s recovery from a knee injury that might still be lingering for him, contrasting that to Fleetwood’s stellar play in their last five respective tournaments.

Tommy Fleetwood and Brooks Koepka’s Last Five Tournaments

Tommy Fleetwood
VS
Brooks Koepka
T-18th WGC-Mexico Championship/Genesis Invitational T-43rd
T-11th Omega Dubai Desert Classic/Saudi International T-17th
T-2nd Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship T-34th
2nd DP World Tour Championship/CJ Cup at Nine Bridges Withdrew
WIN Nedbank Challenge/Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Missed Cut

Last year Koepka came oh-so-close with a runner-up result, but Fleetwood has had success here as well, with a fourth place showing in 2018. Pick the healthier player and the golfer in better form in Fleetwood.

Pick: Tommy Fleetwood -1 1/2 strokes (+100) and moneyline (-130)

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