The Honda Classic: Most Intriguing Stories of the Week

The west coast swing officially ended last weekend with Geoff Ogilvy’s dominant performance at the Accenture Match Play Championship resulting in his second win of the young 2009 season.

The PGA Tour begins its Florida swing this week at the Honda Classic where many of the game’s best will continue gearing up for the big show at Augusta National in mid-April.

Here are the most intriguing stories of the week.

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy has been making a name for himself on the European tour for some time now and it took him all of a week to make the PGA Tour to sit up and take notice of this 19 year old phenom.

McIlroy is a true child prodigy, the likes of which have never before been seen in Ireland.

By the age of two, McIlroy was hitting 40-yard drives.

By the age of 13, McIlroy was a scratch handicap. 

By the age of 15, McIlroy had set the course record at Royal Port Rush with a round of 61.

McIlroy’s real claim to fame came at the 2005 British Open where the then 16-year-old shot an opening round 68 which landed him in a tie for third place.

McIlroy finished the Open Championship that year in a tie for 42nd and won the silver medal for the low amateur of the week.

After graduating high school, McIlroy decided to immediately turn pro rather than following the path of so many other talented young European golfers by attending a big-time American college; a decision that was immediately scrutinized by the European press and many European tour pros.

After a fairly insignificant start to his rookie year on the European Tour, McIlroy began to turn it on late last year and has gotten off to a red hot start in 2009.

McIlroy has four top-10 finishes in his first six events in 2009, including a win at the very strong fielded Dubai Dessert Classic.

Attending his first ever PGA Tour event last week, McIlroy advanced to the quarter finals of the Accenture Match Play Championship where he was eliminated by eventual champion Geoff Ogilvy.

Currently ranked 16th in the world, McIlroy will look to continue making a name for himself on the PGA Tour at this week’s Honda Classic.

Although it’s sometimes difficult to fathom as he is only 19 years old, McIlroy, like many of the game’s other biggest names, will also be using the Florida swing to gear up for the Masters in April.

Ernie Els

Since suffering a knee injury sustained in a boating accident back in 2005, Ernie Els has been on a very long road back to regaining his top form.

At times during the 2008 season, Els give us a small glimpse of the game that won him three major championships earlier on in his career. At no time over the past two years have we gotten a better glimpse at what Els is still capable of than during his win at last year’s Honda Classic.

Els carded a final round 67 and edged out Luke Donald by a stroke to capture his first PGA Tour win in nearly three years.

Although it’s still very early in the 2009 season, Els year has thus far been fairly erratic.

Els finished sixth at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, but then followed up his strong start with poor finishes in his next two events before making it through to the quarter finals of last week’s Accenture Match Play Championship.

There are two aspects of Els’ game that have so far really prevented him from playing consistently good golf in 2009. Els currently ranks 117th on tour in driving accuracy and 120th on tour in putts per hole.

Needless to say, it is very difficult to card consistently good scores when struggling off the tee and on the greens.

Els enters the week ranked 14th in the world and after a strong showing at last week’s Accenture Match Play Championship, Els will certainly be out to defend his title this week at the Honda Classic.

Eric Compton

You may remember Eric Compton’s heartwarming story from last year’s Children’s Miracle Network Classic.

But, if you don’t, here it is again.

Just five-and-a-half months after receiving the second of two heart transplants, Eric Compton was playing in the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Walt Disney World.

Playing with the assistance of a cart, which was approved by the PGA Tour, Compton captured the hearts of the golf world when he carded a second round score of 68 and made the cut.

Several weeks later Compton heart-breakingly missed advancing to the final stage of Q-School by a single stroke.

Well, Eric Compton is back on the PGA Tour this week as he attends the Honda Classic on a sponsor’s exemption.

Of course everyone likes a genuine feel-good story, but asking Compton to contend this week might be a little too much.

But then again, Eric Compton is clearly no stranger to overcoming any form of adversity life has to thrown at him.

The golf world is once again wishing Eric Compton the best of luck this week at the Honda Classic.