Honda Classic boasts impressive lineup. Officials still waiting on one big name — Tiger
.JPG "Tiger Woods hits his tee shot on the 11th hole of the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course during the final round of the Farmers Insurance golf tournament Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)")
Putting together a golf tournament seems like a simple thing to do.
Find a nice golf course and get some decent players and things pretty much take care of themselves, right?
Think again. Not when the tournament is the Honda Classic, one of the PGA’s top-tier events.
Ken Kennerly, Honda Classic executive director, and Andrew George, the tournament director, pretty much started working on this year’s event (February 28-March 3) the minute a year ago when Justin Thomas, with daylight giving way to dusk, won the Honda title on the first playoff hole against Luke List.
OK, maybe Kennerly and George actually took a few well-deserved days off for recuperation, but then it was back to work.
Now they are in the final stretch of this year’s event, or on the 17th or 18th hole if you prefer a golf analogy.
“We are moving right ahead,” Kennerly said. “We’re pleased.”
“Nothing ever stays the same year to year,” George offered with a knowing smile.
Some of the PGA’s top players have already committed to the tournament held on the Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa.
Naturally, Thomas is back to defend his title. Among those joining him will be world No. 2 Brooks Koepka, Sergio Garcia (2017 Masters champion), Adam Scott (2016 Honda winner), Padraig Harrington (2015 Honda winner), Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell, Tommy Fleetwood, Web Simpson, Gary Woodland, List (2018 Honda runner-up), Rory Sabbatini (2011 Honda winner), Vijay Singh (1999 Honda winner) and Michael Thompson (2013 Honda winner).
Impressive, but there’s one name obviously missing.
That would be Mr. Tiger Woods.
Kennerly said the hotline between him and Woods “is always open.” However, Kennerly knows he has to be patient.
“Tiger always commits late,” Kennerly said, “but we hope to have him back here. We are pretty optimistic about the chance of him coming here.”
Woods has played well at Honda, finishing 12th a year ago. In addition, Woods lives nearby in Jupiter.
“There’s no doubt he drives an increase in fans and in the TV ratings,” Kennerly said.
How much can Woods make or break a tournament?
George noted in 2012, when Woods played at Honda for the first time after repeated injuries, the attendance dramatically showed how much drawing power Woods has. “We were up 60 percent in attendance that year,” George noted. In other years Woods has competed at Honda, attendance has increased in the 10 percent or more range.
“He balloons the crowd,” George said.
Players have until February 22 to commit to playing the 2019 Honda.
Until then, Kennerly and George said they will patiently wait – and keep their cell phones fully charged and ready to answer.