Expert Picks: The Honda Classic

ORLANDO, Fla. — Asking Davis Love III, John Daly and Greg Norman a few questions about driving the golf ball is a no-brainer. After all, each of the three have impressive credentials in that area. Love led the TOUR in driving distance (measured drives) in 1986 and 1994 and ranked inside the top 10 in that category a dozen other times. Norman ranked inside the top 10 in driving distance for nine seasons during his heyday. Daly, of course, goes down as one of the PGA TOUR’s biggest hitters, leading in driving distance 11 times during a 12-season stretch. In 1997, he was the first player to average 300 yards in a single season. All three players are in this weekend’s PNC Father/Son Challenge and were gracious enough to weigh in on a few driving questions. DAVIS LOVE III Q: Who would you say are the top-three drivers of the golf ball of all time? You can include yourself if you want. DAVIS LOVE III: “I won’t include myself. I’ll let someone else do that. I’m probably not in the top 10. I would go with Greg Norman.â€� Q: Is this in order? Is he one? Or just in the top three?  LOVE: “Oh. I’m going Greg Norman for No. 1 distance and direction. Who else? I’m going to go Calvin Peete just because straight. He drove it as straight as anybody I’ve ever seen. And then, um … who else would I want to drive for me? Right now, Rory McIlroy.â€� Q: What are you thinking about Cameron Champ? Do you think he’d be outdriving you when you were in your prime? LOVE: “Oh definitely. He reminds me a lot of me. I played with him first two rounds at [The RSM Classic]. And he’s got a driver and then a 2-iron. “He hits the 2-iron past everyone’s driver. That’s what I did when I came out. I had a driver and then a Ping 1-iron. He’s the modern technology. You know when I came out in ’86, he’s that now, but with more power, you know, with the modern clubs. It’s just a whole different … but he’s that much longer than everybody else. That’s what I did, I was the longest in comparison.â€� JOHN DALY Q: Who would you say — you can include yourself — are the top-three drivers of the golf ball of all time? JOHN DALY: “Oh, that’s a hard one. The generations have changed. A month ago, I was being called the greatest of all time, but that was from fans. I just don’t know how you would even predict it. How would you take it, like, fairways hit over your career and how far the average was. But we only (measure) two holes on TOUR. I guess Nicklaus had to be one of the greatest drivers of the golf ball.â€� Q: If you had one guy to hit the tee shot on No. 15 at Augusta. who would it be? I guess that would be a good determining factor right there. DALY: “If it’s with an iron, it’s Tiger. You know? (Laughs) Driver-wise I mean, right now it’s [Brooks] Koepka because he hits it so far and straight. Right now. But the greatest of all time? Man, that’s tough.â€� Q: Do you think, in your prime, you hit it farther than Cameron Champ? DALY: “It’s hard to say. Persimmon wood with a real soft ball? I think the ball is what’s made the difference in people hitting it so far now. How far do you think Nicklaus would have hit it in the era that we grew up in?â€� Q: Yeah, it’s tough, I mean how far would you be hitting it with a new ball and a new head back in your prime? DALY: “Well, I did know when I went from playing a Ping laminated driver back in those days and I switched to a bubble with TaylorMade, and back then with a balata ball, it didn’t change it. I think the golf ball is what’s changed it.â€� GREG NORMAN Q: Including yourself, who are the top-three drivers of the golf ball of all time? And is Cameron Champ on that list? GREG NORMAN: “No, he’s got a long way to go before he’s on that list. He’s a kid. He hasn’t played all the great golf courses under varying conditions and stuff like that. [Pointing to his caddie] He’d probably be the better one to ask. Who are the three best drivers of the golf ball of all time?â€� CADDIE TONY NAVARRO: “He is the best driver of all time (points to Norman). I’d say Trevino was probably really good, and I think Adam Scott’s a great driver of the golf ball.â€� NORMAN: “I would say Adam Scott. I’d put Adam right in there too. I would say there’s three different generations, right? Know what I mean?â€� Q: What about Jack? NORMAN: “Look, Jack was a good driver, I don’t think he was a great driver. I mean, a great driver of the golf ball is when you can put it out there and every time, there’s no fear, you’re just going at it. I’d put Jack in probably the top dozen.â€� Q: Does Tiger hit enough fairways to make that list? NORMAN: “He’s not, he’s not a great driver. Everybody picks up on Tiger, but he’s not a great driver of the golf ball, because he’s not consistent. He’s a great middle iron and iron player. But he’s not a great driver.â€�

Click here to read the full article…

Bernhard Langer won’t be able to defend his Senior PGA Championship title on May 24-27 because his youngest son is graduating from high school that weekend.

Click here to read the full article…

David Toms ran off three straight birdies after a rain delay and closed with a short birdie when he judged the wind right, giving him a 7-under 65 and a share of the lead with Ken Duke after one round of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.

Click here to read the full article…