Course Preview and Fits: Cognizant Classic

Another signature event is in the books. It was awesome to see Jacob Bridgeman break through on a big stage, even though it got a little sweaty down the stretch! This week brings a different feel with a non-signature PGA Tour staple event formerly known as the Honda Classic, now referred to as the Cognizant Classic at PGA National. Due to a tough spot on the schedule with two signature events preceding, and the Arnold Palmer following, the Cognizant field will lack top-end star power. There won’t be a single top-25 player in the world in attendance. Despite the lack of top-end talent, the field still has plenty of interesting names and should be good enough to provide some compelling golf this weekend.

The Course:

Although PGA National has hosted this event for many years, the course fundamentally changed when it switched title sponsors in 2024. Before 2024, it played as a par 70 with Bermuda grass through and through. Though it was a short golf course at just over 7,000 yards, it was one of the most challenging on the PGA Tour with hazards all over the place, gusty winds, and unpredictable Bermuda grass throughout the golf course. However, in 2024, the PGA Tour decided to prioritize aesthetics over difficulty, moving the tee back 20 yards on the 10th hole and changing it to a par 5, widening the fairways in many spots and overseeding the Bermuda rough with rye grass. They took that a step further in 2025 and overseeded the entire golf course from tee to green, leaving only the putting surfaces as Bermuda grass.