The 2016 Honda Classic will be in full swing on Monday, February 22nd - 28th as the field of 144 PGA TOUR professionals takes to the links at PGA National Resort & Spa to compete for a total purse of $6.1 million. This tournament marks the tenth consecutive year The Honda Classic will be contested on PGA National Resort & Spa’s Champion Course, and the 14th consecutive year it has called Palm Beach County home. The opening tournament round tees off at 7:00am on Thursday, February 25th. Weekend action begins at 9:00am on Saturday, February 27th and Sunday, February 28th.
The Honda Classic has compiled one of the best fields of pro golfers outside of the four golf majors in the world. Last year, the tournament featured tour professionals, such as Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Zach Johnson, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, and defending champion, Padraig Harrington.
The Honda Classic is one of Palm Beach County’s marquee sporting events and in 2015, the tournament attracted over 165,000 spectators between Monday’s Miami Dolphins Pro-Am and a dramatic finish that saw Padraig Harrington prevail.
“I think the word continues to spread around the PGA TOUR that this is a special event that kicks off the Florida swing,” Honda Classic Executive Director Kenneth R. Kennerly said. “Each year more players are deciding to come and be a part of it."
“We have always aimed to grow an event that could raise millions of dollars for our community and continue to make us all proud,” Kennerly said. “We are going into year 10 now and this community has really embraced us and put a stamp of approval on it.
The Honda Classic makes a major impact regionally, nationally, and internationally as the tournament provides PGA TOUR excitement to incoming visitors and Palm Beach County residents alike as well as providing a major boost to the local economy. Fans, media, sponsors, and the players generated over 7,000 hotel room nights in addition to more than $40 million of economic impact in 2015. Palm Beach County is showcased world-wide as The Honda Classic is televised live on Golf Channel and NBC and is internationally distributed to 270 countries, with a potential reach that exceeds 800 million households, and the economic benefits are expected to rise in 2016.
The Champion Course at PGA National is a major reason why The Honda Classic has blossomed into one of the elite events on the PGA TOUR. The course has become known as one of the most challenging layouts in tournament golf. The Bear Trap, comprised of Holes 15-17, is considered one of the toughest stretches of golf on the PGA TOUR. PGA National has helped build Palm Beach County’s storied golf reputation. In addition to The Honda Classic, PGA National has hosted some of golf’s most defining moments, including the 1983 Ryder Cup and the 1987 PGA Championship. “We feel like we have the best venue on the PGA TOUR,” Kennerly said.
Make sure you visit The Honda Classic, one of the greatest spectacles in sports for Palm Beach County. In addition to featuring the best PGA TOUR stars competing, The Honda Classic features a week-long schedule of events and activities, including two pro-am tournaments, golf clinics, practice rounds, children’s activities, an “after play” concert series, and two fireworks shows. For additional event information, ticket packages and commitment list of PGA TOUR professionals competing this year, please visit www.thehondaclassic.com.
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