PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — William McGirt will look to get his eighth PGA Tour season back on track at this week’s Honda Classic.
After missing the cut in two of his last three events, including last week’s Genesis Open, the Fairmont native returns to PGA National with only a pair of missed cuts in his past seven appearances in the event.
Prior to missing the cut in the tournament last season, McGirt earned a tie for eighth in 2016 and a tie for 22nd in 2015 at PGA National’s Championship Course, one of the hardest par-70 courses on the tour schedule.
A relatively short track, the 7,140-yard course features several water hazards with undulating greens that could read as high as 12 on the Stimpmeter. Thick rough and an ever-present wind also provide a challenge for players at the Champion Course. It extends its claws throughout the round, particularly at holes 15, 16 and 17 — known as The Bear Trap.
McGirt is grouped with Greg Chalmers and Luke Donald for the first two rounds. The trio will tee off from the opening hole at 12:15 p.m. Thursday.
Rickie Fowler returns to defend his title against a field that features Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Masters champion Sergio Garcia — who will be making his first U.S. start of 2018.
Woods, who was a late entry and committed to his first back-to-back starts since undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April, tees off at 7:45 a.m. Thursday from the 10th hole with Patton Kizzire and Brandt Snedeker.
