Feb 04, 2020
Rose, Fleetwood, McDowell Commit to Play The 2020 Honda Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL — Justin Rose, the No. 10 Player in the world, and No. 11-ranked Tommy Fleetwood have committed to play in the 2020 Honda Classic, a PGA TOUR event February 24-March 1 at PGA National Resort & Spa.

Graeme McDowell, who jumped from No. 104 to No. 47 with his Sunday victory at the Saudi International on the European Tour, has also committed to play in the tournament.

Brooks Koepka, the No. 1 player in the world, previously announced he would play The Classic in The Palm Beaches along with British Open champ Shane Lowry, who is ranked 16th in the World.

Rose has been one of the steadiest players in the game for two decades with a Major victory at the 2013 U.S. Open, two WGC titles; an Olympic Gold medal and an overall World No 1 ranking in 2018.

In 2019, Rose won the Farmers’ Insurance Open on the PGA TOUR in addition to finishing third at the US Open, third at the Wells Fargo and earning four other top-10s, including THE PLAYERS and the WGC-Dell Matchplay.

Rose has adjusted his 2020 schedule to try to energize his game to even greater heights, shortening his time off between events. That quest to win more and rise in the rankings will once again bring him to The Classic in The Palm Beaches, where the challenging Champion course should help tighten his game for the challenges later in March at THE PLAYERS and then in April at The Masters.

Rose also will be defending his 2016 Olympic title at the Games in Tokyo this summer.

“You always see the signs on the range before you ever see them on the golf course, but I definitely feel motivated to try and kick on again and try to find the level that I was at (when he held the No. 1 ranking),” Rose said of his goals for 2020.

Fleetwood has won five times on the European Tour and continues to seek his first PGA TOUR victory. He made the cut in all 18 starts last year, extending his made cuts streak to 28, the longest active streak on the PGA TOUR at the time the season ended.

Fleetwood also recorded six top-10s for the second consecutive season, including runner-up finishes at The British Open and Zurich Classic, and led the TOUR in Scrambling (67.98%).

McDowell has gotten off to a great start this year finishing fourth at The Sony Open before winning in Saudi Arabia, his first European Tour title since 2014. His surge actually began last year when he started working with new swing coach Kevin Kirk, who told him he saw the best golf of McDowell’s career ahead of him. McDowell also won the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship at the end of March.

Now that he is back in the Top 50, McDowell aims to keep charging forward. If he maintains that ranking, he will get into all four Majors and also World Golf Championship events. He also now has a great chance of making this year’s European Ryder Cup team.

“My goal is to get back in the top 20 in the world and to be competing,” McDowell said. “I want another chance at a major championship on the back nine on a Sunday. This is all the steps. It’s a lofty goal. There’s going to be a lot of steps between here and now, but this really gives me the kick-on that I need.

“There are so many great players in the world. It’s exciting to be a top player in the world, and I want be back up there. I’ve got young kids at home, and I want them to see me out there. I want to show them that dad’s tough. Dad can still do it. I didn’t want them to have to pull up YouTube videos. I’m really happy with the direction I’m moving with my game.”

The Classic in The Palm Beaches awarded a record-shattering $5.1 million to 157 South Florida philanthropic organizations last year, the 13^th consecutive year that the PGA TOUR event has been able to increase its impact on the lives of local children and their families. More than 75,000 children and their families benefited from the Honda Classic Cares initiative.

Grounds tickets, Bear Trap tickets and other hospitality tickets and packages for the 2020 Honda Classic are on sale at thehondaclassic.com or by calling 1-844-8Honda8 (844-846-6328).