The American tour moves from California to Florida and the golf season is starting to really heat up. The race that gets underway today is the Honda Classic, a prestigious appointment, which Tiger Woods should have also participated in, but instead withdrew his entry after suffering back pain in Dubai. The context is the splendid PGA national, Champion Course, Palm Beach, an hour's drive from Miami.
On the field is Francesco Molinari, the blue who plays permanently on the US circuit and who always offers excellent performances, although last week he didn't pass the cut at the Genesis Open, the tournament won by Dustin Johnson. In this regard, it should be remembered that the most lanky and longest-running American on the tour, thanks to the latest success, has also taken the world leadership, overtaking the Australian Jason Day. The two champions are resting this weekend, to get better prepared for next week and the first major event of the season, the WGC Mexico Championship, which inaugurates the World Golf Championships competitions. The world championship was traditionally held in Miami, at the Trump Doral Golf Club, but disagreements between sponsor Cadillac and the new president of the United States, owner of the course, prompted a change of course.
In Palm Beach the Australian Adam Scott defends the title, who will have more qualified opponents as Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Zach Johnson, Justin Thomas, the Spaniard Sergio Garcia, the German Martin Kaymer and the Belgian Thomas Pieters, second in the Genesis Open. The prize pool is $6,4 million.
On the same days, the European Tour returns to South Africa for the third time, over nine races. The occasion is the Joburg Open, a tournament combined with the Sunshine Tour, in which Renato Paratore and Nino Bertasio participate.
