'PGA National, the "Honda Classic Battleground": "Gray Bear Den Harder Than Bear Trap"'

Early Holes 5-7 'Geurijeulli Den' Emerges as Key Battleground Surpassing Bear Trap (230 Over Par) with 277 Over Par Last Year

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] ‘Grizzly Den’.

On the 25th (Korean time), the early decisive holes of the PGA Tour Honda Classic (total prize money $8 million) held at PGA National Golf Club (par 70, 7,125 yards) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA. Holes 5 to 7 have even earned the nickname ‘Grizzly Den.’ Hole 5 (par 3, 217 yards) and hole 6 (par 4, 479 yards) have water all along the left side, and hole 7 (par 3, 226 yards) also requires caution for the left out-of-bounds (OB). Last year, a 277-over-par score was recorded here.

PGA National is known as one of the toughest courses among PGA Tour venues. 88% of the players have struggled with at least one over-par score, and since 2007, the number of balls lost in the water has reached a staggering 16,000. The final stretch, holes 15 to 17, known as the ‘Bear Trap,’ is the centerpiece. Jack Nicklaus (USA) redesigned it in 2001, modeling it after Augusta National’s holes 11 to 13, the ‘Amen Corner.’

Unlike Augusta National’s ‘par 4 - par 3 - par 5’ layout, it is composed of ‘par 3 - par 4 - par 3.’ Having two par 3 holes means that ‘precision shots’ are absolutely crucial. The Bear Trap quickly became known as the PGA Tour’s ‘notorious three consecutive holes.’ Other famous tough stretches include the Innisbrook (par 71, 7,340 yards) holes 16 to 18 ‘Snake Pit’ and Quail Hollow (par 71, 7,554 yards) holes 16 to 18 ‘Green Mile,’ the stage of the Wells Fargo Championship.

‘Grizzly Den’ was even more difficult than the Bear Trap. There were 278 scores of bogey or worse, compared to 214 at the Bear Trap. The average strokes were 3.28 at hole 5 (par 3), 4.19 at hole 6 (par 4), and 3.20 at hole 7 (par 3). The 2020 champion Im Sung-jae (24) actually suffered a double bogey on hole 5 after his tee shot landed in the water, and with 2 birdies, 2 bogeys, and 2 double bogeys, he ended up walking a thorny path with 4 over par. It is interesting that Kurt Kitayama (USA) took the lead at 6 under par, fueled by consecutive birdies on holes 5 and 6.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.