Sleeper Picks: The Honda Classic

K.H. Lee (+225 for a Top 20) … He still has three months to go before he defends his lone PGA TOUR title at the AT&T Byron Nelson, but he’s ready now. After a couple of sour months post-breakthrough, he’s been among the most consistent performers you’ll find. In his last 14 starts, he’s connected for just one top 10 – a T6 at the 3M Open that started the stretch – but he’s missed only one cut (Sanderson Farms) while adding five top 25s on the strength of solid ball-striking and a nice touch around greens. This is his fourth consecutive appearance at PGA National, which forever will be the site of his first-ever top 10 on the circuit, a T7 in 2019.

Hayden Buckley (+500 for a Top 20) … As noted in Draws and Fades for The Genesis Invitational, anytime a rookie withdraws after a commitment on the West Coast Swing, it raises a flag. However, when a lofty position in the Korn Ferry Tour graduate reshuffle category is locked up for the foreseeable future, a week off can be addition by subtraction. Consider that Cameron Young pulled the same fast one at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he was the only rookie who didn’t compete, and then paid it off with last week’s co-runner-up finish that effectively secured his sophomore season on the PGA TOUR. After opening 2022 with a T12 at the Sony Open in Hawaii – his third top 15 of this season – Buckley ran out of gas. For the season, he’s ninth in total driving, 28th in greens in regulation, 14th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and 35th in SG: Tee-to-Green. And although he’s a rookie, he’s not a first-timer as PGA National where he finished last of the 69 who made the cut here in 2020.

Taylor Moore (+200 for a Top 20) … At 54th in the FedExCup standings, this rookie is just one slot behind Buckley, but he leads the class of 27 with five top 25s. That includes in each of his last two starts. Also, like Buckley, Moore’s tee-to-green game has served as the foundation for the early success on the PGA TOUR, but his short game is better. Currently 26th in scrambling and 47th in SG: Putting, the entirety of the skill set will be necessary to fulfill this prop in his debut at PGA National.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+180 for a Top 20) … Although the 27-year-old from South Africa is a first-time PGA TOUR member this season, you won’t find him in the weekly Rookie Ranking because he exhausted his rookie eligibility by making 10 starts in 2019-20. He added 12 starts in the super season of 2020-21, and he’s making the added experience count now that he’s eligible for the FedExCup Playoffs. Positioned inside the top quartile in driving accuracy, proximity to the hole, SG: Approach-the-Green, scrambling and adjusted scoring, he’s logged a trio of top 20s in eight starts.

Sepp Straka (+400 for a Top 20) … Presents as a talent whose sum is greater than its parts, and that’s been just fine as he’s 3-for-3 in qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs and back on the trajectory for another appearance in the series this season at 105th in points. Having the capability of finding a groove often enough is key, and he’s in another one right now. Perfect in five starts this season with top 20s in two of his last three. Also went for a T27 and a T33, respectively, in his last two tries at PGA National.

Odds were sourced on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022. For live odds, visit betmgm.