Florida Swing Special Report Friday 1 March - The Honda Classic Thursday Review

On Wednesday in my preview of The Honda Classic I outlined four competitors in the field I felt would be in contention for the title on Sunday, and as the second day of the tournament dawns Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel are all well placed within 6 shots of the leader, Colombia's Camilo Villegas. The 2010 Honda Classic champion is on the way back following losing his PGA Tour card, he qualified via the final ever Q-School last December and a 6-under-par round of 64 gave him a one stroke lead over a group of four players including 5-time winner in 2012 Branden Grace and the precocious Rickie Fowler. The big two of Rory and Tiger recorded inconsistent rounds of 70 but are in contention after the first day, they both need a good round today to ensure making the cut in a field which sees the top 80 players covered by just six strokes.

Lee Westwood has just had his first winter based in Palm Beach and he seems to be reaping the rewards of a full winters' practice in much better conditions than the English Midlands offer. In a near flawless performance the former World Number One made four birdies and fourteen pars to post a 4-under-par round of 66, concluding with a birdie he made look effortless on the par five eighteenth. The Englishman is coming into the season somewhat under the radar given the hype over Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, and I believe that will be of benefit to Westwood as he seeks to crown his career with both a World Golf Championship and Major Championship. I believe that 2013 could be a great year for Lee, he really doesn't need to worry about maintaining his world ranking or ranking on either the European Tour or PGA Tour. Westwood has been World Number One and won two European Tour Order of Merit titles, he can put all of his energy and scheduling into performing at his peak in the four World Golf Championships, The Players Championship, BMW PGA Championship and the four Major Championships, the 10 remaining significant worldwide titles that a win would enhance his career resume.

Graeme McDowell took ten weeks off following the Tiger Woods World Challenge and the rest seems to have done the newly-wed Ulsterman the power of good, following reaching the Quarter-Finals of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship the 2010 US Open Champion started his run at The Honda Classic title with a 3-under-par 67. McDowell hit 78% of the fairways on day one at PGA National and driving was the backbone of his performance on a course where finding the fairways is absolutely crucial given the thick and juicy rough lining every hole on the Champion Course.

Louis Oosthuizen got off to a good start, 2-under through 8 holes but 2 bogeys at 9 and 11 saw him fall back to level par before a birdie at the 18^th got him back to 1-under for the round and he ended the day 5 strokes off the lead. Charl Schwartzel had a spectacular and inconsistent round of 70 that featured four birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey to sit on the same score as the World's top two.

The second round of The Honda Classic gets underway shortly and you can catch the action all day via PGATOUR.com and on television via Golf Channel in the US from 3pmET AND Sky Sports in the UK from 8pmGMT. Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood get their second rounds underway at 7.25amET (12.25pmGMT) and 7.35amET (12.35pmGMT) respectively and Tiger Woods will feature in the live television coverage, he gets his round off and running at 12.25pmET (5.25pmGMT).

Live@ coverage starts at 8amET (1pmGMT) on PGATOUR.com featuring the 3^rd and 9^th holes on the Champion Course at PGA National.

St. Andrews Golf Magazine is the first digital monthly golf news publication from St. Andrews, the Home of Golf.

St. Andrews Golf Magazine offers you something that’s different, something that’s unique in the game of golf. A golf publication made in St. Andrews, the Home of Golf.

St. Andrews Golf Magazine is a global golf publication with a local feel, which you can subscribe to and download for free. No gadgets, special Apps, software or plug-ins required. Simply download, read and enjoy.

Golf goes beyond the course and we are there, covering every aspect of golf. From the major tours to equipment and clothing. From travel to health and wellbeing, to insights like no other, into St. Andrews. St. Andrews Golf Magazine goes inside the ropes and behind the scenes.

St. Andrews Golf Magazine is an interactive publication and we would love to hear your thoughts and views on everything that we do. We are always looking to grow this great game, so if you have a story, an interest or a passion for the game of golf, let us know.

Don’t miss out, Subscribe Now for Free.