Honda Classic 2021 First Round Leader Odds

• The Honda Classic at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, FL tees off Thursday, March 18th
• Daniel Berger is favored to be the first round leader over defending champion Sungjae Im
• See the best bets and odds to grab the first-round lead in the article below 

Following four straight elite golf tournaments and with the Match Play being contested next week, the Honda Classic field has suffered in a big way with most players taking this week off. Just six of the top-50 players in the world are teeing it up, leaving a wide open golf tournament that Daniel Berger is favored to win.

With the field lacking star power, that provides unheralded golfers the opportunity to grab the first round lead at a venue that is extremely punishing. The famed ‘Bear Trap’ holes 15 through 17 swallow up plenty of errant golf balls each year, but the track rewards elite ball strikers which will be our focus.

In this article, we’ll explore which players have the best chance of being the leader after day one at PGA National.

2021 Honda Classic First Round Leader Odds

All odds taken March 16th

The forecast will be mainly sunny in the early morning wave, but there’s a chance of a shower between 9am and noon. After which time it’ll be mainly sunny until 3pm where there’s yet again a chance of rain.

Those playing first thing in the morning could have a distinct advantage, with winds only reaching as high as nine miles per hour the first few hours, but that reaches up to low 20’s MPH gusts throughout the day. The temperature will be in the mid 60’s at dawn and will reach the low 90’s for the afternoon wave.

An added benefit for those playing in the morning also is the exact same as it is every week – less bumpy greens with fewer players chewing them up.

Past Champion Russell Henley Loves This Track

Russell Henley has played the Honda Classic eight times in his career and he’s been inside the top-25 on five occasions. Most notably, he won in a playoff in 2014 and was T-8 last year. He also has the fifth best first round scoring average of those competing this week.

2020-21 PGA Tour First Round Scoring Average Leaders

In the last 36 rounds, he’s second in strokes gained approach, third tee-to-green and fifth in ball striking. In the last twelve rounds at PGA National, he’s first in SG: approach, third in ball striking and fifth in total strokes gained.

Not only does he make a great player to wager on for the first round lead, he’s on our list of sleepers to grab the title.

• Pick: Russell Henley (+4000)

Doug Ghim Playing Solid Golf

Doug Ghim found himself squarely in the mix at last week’s Players Championship through 54 holes, entering the final round in a tie for third. A tough Sunday dropped him down the board, but he’s playing some strong golf, leading to him being one of our best value picks to win outright.

Of those teeing it up this week, he sports the second best first round scoring average, going a staggering 18 straight events without a first round score over 72.

First Timer, @DougGhim, takes the solo lead!pic.twitter.com/JDHFKmeuh1

— THE PLAYERS (@THEPLAYERS) March 13, 2021

In the last 36 rounds, he’s sixth in SG: approaching the green and tee-to-green, and seventh in total strokes gained. Like Russell Henley, he has an early tee time which looks like the better conditions to play in.

• Pick: Doug Ghim (+6600)

Byeong Hun An a Strokes Gained Darling at this Course

Competing alongside Doug Ghim is Byeong Hun An, who is looking to put the disaster of last weeks 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass behind him. An had a great sense of humor about his octuple bogey-11 at the famed island green which saw him hit four balls in the water.

His opening round 83 snapped a streak of seven straight events with nothing worse than a 72 on Thursday. He could shake that off at a track that he’s been outstanding at in the last three years, as evidenced by these sparkling strokes gained stats.

Byeong Hun An Strokes Gained Rankings at PGA National In Last 12 Rounds

In those tournaments, An has had a pair of top-5 finishes (T-4 last year and T-5 in 2018) and a respectable T-36 in 2019. That’s allowed him to gain a total of 25 strokes on the field, and at these odds, makes him very intriguing.

• Pick: Byeong Hun An (+7000)