Nicklaus: WGC-Mexico ruined the Florida Swing

The Florida Swing had been pretty solid for a decade, with PGA National, Trump Doral, Innisbrook and Bay Hill hosting a four-week stretch through the Sunshine State which setup the final weeks before the Masters.

However, with the PGA Tour moving away from Doral and toward Mexico City for the first World Golf Championships of the year, the schedule had an awkward flow from the West Coast. The Genesis Open was at Riviera near Los Angeles. Then, instead of going to Mexico City for the WGC, the Tour schedule went to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and PGA National for The Honda Classic. Consequently, the Honda field slightly suffered in terms of top-10 players in the field, although Rory McIlroy didn’t play out of volition but because of injury.

Nevertheless, Jack Nicklaus, who is effectively host of the tournament because it benefits his Children’s Health Care Foundation, says the Tour bungled the schedule’s geographic flow — the jet stream, if you will.

“I don’t think going from LA, here, to Mexico City is very good; should be going from LA, Mexico City, here. Actually, that destroyed the Florida Swing as we knew it, and I think they realize that,” Nicklaus told Global Golf Post. “I hope they’ll switch it back, go to LA, Mexico, here and then they’ve got a Florida Swing again. It hurts all the Florida events.”

In the words of Jack Nicklaus, here is what killed the Florida Swing this year: pic.twitter.com/9IDYm6gwUw

— Global Golf Post (@GlobalGolfPost) March 7, 2017

For at least next season, the schedule will remain the same. Then it’s up for discussion.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is also in a tough scheduling spot because it is the week before the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play. A number of top players, including Jordan Spieth, will not be at Bay Hill, choosing instead to compete in Austin for the 64-player event.

Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

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