Things were pretty ugly for the most part on a chilly, windy Thursday at the Honda Classic.
With early morning temperatures in the mid-50s and winds blowing 15-20 miles per hour, the entire course at PGA National was a Bear Trap. In fact, it was generally a bear of a course under the conditions.
Big name players took it on the chin.
Rickie Fowler played early and shot 76. He was runner-up with Brooks Koepka last year but Rickie will have to play well Friday afternoon just to make the 36-hole cut.
Speaking of Koepka, he played in the afternoon when the air started warming up and the winds were a tad less but the third-ranked player in the world still found more than his share of trouble. His tee ball at the sixth found the water left and he’d make triple there. Add a double at the ninth, bogeys at 16 and 18 coming home and Brooks signed for a four-over par 74 that left him tied for 104th.
Defending champion Keith Mitchell won’t repeat. Mitchell had to finish birdie-birdie just to shoot 75, meaning he’ll have a tough time making it to the weekend. Justin Rose shot 72.
Jim Furyk took a beating. He shot 78 while Satoshi Kodaira took high-medalist dishonors with an 80.
So who played well?
Resurgent Harris English shot 66 in the afternoon to tie Tom Lewis, who turned his 66 in the morning wave.
Zach Johnson and Lee Westwood were two of five players at three-under par 67.
Viktor Hovland, winner of last week’s Puerto Rico Open, had a miserable day and shot 77.
In all, only 23 players managed to break par, most of those were one-under.
It was a day to forget for most.
If the locals want to see Koepka and Fowler in action, they better get out on Friday. Both are in total doubt for the weekend.
