Mar. 2, 2011
The first round of The Honda Classic is set to begin. The Golf Channel will televise live play beginning at 3 p.m. ET .
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| Groups we're watching |
| Tee time |
Players |
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7:44 a.m. ET
No. 1 |
   |
Stuart Appleby, Adam Scott, Anthony Kim
Two Australian stars plus half of our Choosing Sides matchup. Kim and Scott should be raring to go after first-round losses at Accenture.
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7:44 a.m. ET
No. 10 |
   |
Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy, Camilo Villegas
Defending champion Villegas plays with the Accenture Match Play winner and someone who would prefer to forget last week.
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7:53 a.m. ET
No. 10 |
   |
Louis Oosthuizen, Lee Westwood, Ernie Els
International players have won five of the last six Honda Classics, will another one come out of our Featured Group?
|
12:06 p.m. ET
No. 10 |
   |
Kenny Perry, Davis Love III, Scott Verplank
Call this the wily veteran group. Hard to believe that Love and Verplank will be Champions Tour eligible in three years.
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12:24 p.m. ET
No. 1 |
   |
Graeme McDowell, Vijay Singh, Rickie Fowler
The other half of our Choosing Sides matchup is here, along with the world No. 4 and the always-colorful Fowler.
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STORYLINES FOR THURSDAY:
• Beware The Bear Trap, one of the toughest three-hole stretches on TOUR.
• Defending champion Camilo Villegas is looking to regain form after a year of change.
• Who's the best American player right now? Perhaps one will emerge this week at The Honda.
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| Round 1 weather forecast |
 |
Partly cloudy
Temp: 75 high/65 low
Partly cloudy with winds from the east around 18 mph and gusts up to 33 mph |
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| Player notes |
| Here are some of the players you'll see on the Golf Channel's coverage of Thursday's first round |
| ROBERT ALLENBY |
The local resident and four-time PGA TOUR winner is still seeking his first victory at the Honda Classic, despite much success at the event. He posted three consecutive top-5 finishes from 2007-09 and also finished T4 in 2004. His best finish in 2011 thus far was a T4 at the Northern Trust Open.
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| VIJAY SINGH |
The Big Fijian is rounding into form this season, with a runner-up finish at the Northern Trust Open and T3 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. If the past is any indication, the Honda Classic could be the site of his 35th victory on the PGA TOUR. He's making his 10th start, with four top-4 finishes in his last five starts (1st-1999, 2-1998, T2-2005, T4-2010). He has never missed a cut.
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| GRAEME MCDOWELL |
| He is making his third career appearance at The Honda Classic, with his best finish coming last year where he finished T-31st. McDowell has 2 top 10s in his first 2 starts of the 2011 season (3rd at Hyundai TOC and T-9 at last weeks World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship). |
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