Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 27 February 2020
The Honda Classic is much more than 'The Bear Trap'

By TIM REYNOLDS Par is never disappointing
AP Sports Writer at PGA National: Last year,
PALM BEACH GARDENS, players broke par on 17%
Fla. (AP) — PGA National's of their holes played, and
signature test is a three- gave back at least one
hole span on the back stroke 19% of the time.
nine called "The Bear Trap," "The golf course has al-
named for Jack Nicklaus ways been pretty good,"
and touted as one of the said Brooks Koepka, who
most demanding stretches finished tied for second at
in all of golf. the Honda last year and, at
The par-3 15th, with water No. 3, is the highest-ranked
down the right side. The par- player in this year's field. "It's
4 16th, with the approach tough. I like that."
over water. The par-3 17th, And while the Bear Trap is
over water again with a a problem, none of those
green that's sloped toward holes ranked even among
trouble. Oh, and the wind the toughest five on the
is almost always swirling on course last year. The par-
that part of the golf course. 4, 479-yard 6th played to
They're daunting on a an average of 4.37 in last
good day, diabolical on a year's tournament, making
bad day. And to win The it the fourth-toughest hole
Honda Classic, which starts Rickie Fowler walks on the 17th green during the Pro-Am of the Honda Classic golf tournament, on tour last season.
Thursday at PGA National, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The par-4, 450-yard 11th,
one needs to worry about Associated Press the par-4, 508-yard 10th,
much more than those players, on average, shoot- Open at Shinnecock Hills. da: Nobody is going to run the par-4, 465-yard 14th
three holes. ing 2.5 shots over par per "It's a hard golf course," away with the tournament, and the par-3, 217-yard
The Bear Trap is one thing. round. The U.S. Open at said 2019 U.S. Open cham- and it'll be a shock if some- fifth all proved tougher
The rest of PGA National, Pebble Beach, nearly 1.4 pion Gary Woodland. "I one leaves town Sunday than anything in the Bear
that's a bear, too. shots over par. The World think that benefits me. night after carding four Trap as well.
"There's no easy hole out Golf Championships event Scores are never going to rounds in the 60s. But Woodland saw a bright
there," defending champi- in China at Sheshan In- get too low. Obviously, it's This will be the 14th time side: The tests this week are
on Keith Mitchell said. ternational, 1.3 shots over a lot weather-depending. that the Honda is played a great primer for what
The numbers make that par. And the British Open But it's one of the most on PGA National's Cham- looms on the not-too-dis-
abundantly clear. PGA Na- at Royal Portrush, 1.2 shots mentally demanding golf pion course; in the previous tant schedule.
tional ranked as the fifth- over par. courses I think we face all 13, four titles were decided "I like getting to be able to
toughest course to play on Next up? The Honda, where year. There's a lot of shots, in playoffs and only twice hit some shots, some pres-
the PGA Tour last season, players were just over a especially coming down did the winner prevail by sure shots before leading
behind tracks that played full shot past par in every the back nine, that you more than two shots. No- up to The Players and the
host to four of what were round last season. And that just have to step up and hit body had four rounds in Masters right around the
supposed to be among meant it was easier than in shots. There's really no bail- the 60s last year or in 2018; corner," Woodland said.
the year's toughest tour- 2018, when PGA National out." only seven players pulled "It's nice for me to get some
naments. The PGA Cham- was the second toughest There are a few safe bets off that feat between 2010 mental confidence going
pionship at Bethpage had on tour behind only the U.S. for this week at the Hon- and 2017. on a tough golf course."q

Swimmers that." Sjöström was sup-

Continued from Page 17 canceled," Hosszú said, posed to swim at a meet
in Milan this weekend that
adding "postponing is was canceled because of
"For the time being, the definitely better than alto- the spread of the virus in
situation of the corona- gether cancel." northern Italy.
virus infection is, admit- With the virus spreading "Of course, it's definitely on
tedly, difficult to predict, in northern Italy, Hosszú my mind," Sjöström said.
but we will take measures moved up her departure "We are reminded about
such that we'll have a safe from Naples by two days it every day. I read the
Olympic and Paralympic to Thursday. news. It's a bit scary.
Games." Le Clos, who calls himself "People are traveling so
More than 80,000 people a "germophobe," said he much, even me, so that's
have been infected and always travels with a face why the virus is spreading,"
more than 2,700 killed mask. the Swedish swimmer add-
since the viral outbreak "We have to just not shake ed. "I hope we can calm it
began in China — with the too many hands, not Hungarian swimmer Katinka Hosszú listens to questions during down very, very soon."
bulk of them in that coun- touch too much stuff," the an interview with The Associated Press, in Naples, Wednesday, The swimmers were taking
try. Five deaths in Japan South African said in an in- Feb. 26, 2020. part in a training camp for
have been attributed to terview arranged through Associated Press the Energy Standard team
the virus. his sponsor, Arena. "It's a coached by James Gib-
The Olympics are sched- terrible thing that's hap- Olympics. er six months or another son.
uled to open on July 24. pened. Hopefully it can "Obviously I don't want it to year," Le Clos added. "My Hosszú, who is not part of
"Honestly there is no re- get cured soon and we're be canceled, but if it gets approach is not just to To- the team, was invited as a
ally good option if it's going to proceed to the canceled I will train anoth- kyo, I'm looking beyond guest.q