posted March 2, 2007 at 17:24 EST in Golf Articles

After hearing that some of the players competing in this week’s Honda Classic thought the winnings score could be in the neighborhood of even par, the course’s designer, Jack Nicklaus was thrilled.

“It'll be a challenge,” Nicklaus said.

That's exactly what Nicklaus had in mind when he redesigned the event’s home course – PGA National - in 1990, and then altered it again to get the course prepared for its first U.S. tour event since the 1987 U.S. PGA Championship. The result is a 7,048-yard, par-70 test, dotted by water, bunkers, tight fairways and a rough that is thicker than most of the courses where the majors are held.

The National appears to be even tougher than the course's old home (Mirasol) which lies directly across the street from PGA National and features giant sloping greens that were often criticized by players.

“At Mirasol, the challenge was around the greens. Here, the challenge is off the tee,” defending champion Luke Donald said.

“You have to drive it very well. The fairways are more narrow than Mirasol, but the greens are much flatter and I'm sure they will get firmer as the week goes on.”

 

With Tiger Woods not on hand, Jim Furyk, the world's No. 2 player, heads up an intriguing field including he and Donald (No. 10) as the only top-10 players at PGA National.

Other legitimate contenders to win the event include 2005 winner Padraig Harrington, Davis Love III, David Toms, Chris DiMarco and Chrysler Classic winner, Charley Hoffman.

Only a handful of players in this week's field have any real familiarity with PGA National, other than perhaps seeing some of the course's greatest moments in highlight reels.

In a tribute to Nicklaus, a three-hole stretch beginning on No. 15, has been aptly nicknamed, ``The Bear Trap.” The par-3 15th leads to a diagonal green, the par-4 16th has an elevated green protected by water, and the par-3 17th goes over water and has a small putting surface.

“The course is tough,” said Furyk, who acknowledged he's had some trouble this week reaching the longer holes in regulation, and not all of those were from the farthest tees, either. ``It's a good, solid layout.

“This golf course is set up like a U.S. Open,” said 50-year-old Fred Funk, who won Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico last week to become the tour's oldest winner since 1975.

 

The Honda will stay at PGA National for at least five more years after this, and Nicklaus sounds like he will make more changes in the future.

“We'll probably make some more changes next year,” Nicklaus said. “This is supposedly the PGA's home headquarters and their crown-jewel golf course, so we probably should have it as good as we can.”

Check out all the latest Honda Classic Odds in the BetUS Sportsbook. Check out all the latest PGA and LPGA future odds in the BetUS Sportsbook futures section.

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Eric Williams is a nationally syndicated sports columnist. To contact Eric, e-mail, sportsjunkie66@aol.com.