After a run of events out west, the PGA Tour packs its bags for the Sunshine State with this week’s Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches kicking off the four-tournament Florida Swing. The event has a new title sponsor and a new name, but the former Honda Classic will be played at PGA National Resort for the 18th straight year. Several former winners are in the field with 2012 champ Rory McIlroy the prohibitive favorite in the outright market. There hasn’t been a repeat winner here since the Golden Bear in the late 1970s and Chris Kirk is next in line to attempt the back-to-back feat. Kirk opened the new season with a win at The Sentry in January and is positioned further down the outright odds board. There are a number of intriguing matchups available with odds after McIlroy suggesting a wide-open field. Visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of matchup betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Cognizant Classic Matchup Odds
Rory McIlroy -225 vs. Cameron Young +175
Rory McIlroy -200 vs. Russell Henley +165
Cameron Young +100 vs. Russell Henley -120
Matthew Fitzpatrick -110 vs. J.T. Poston -110
Matthew Fitzpatrick -110 vs. Tom Kim -110
J.T. Poston -110 vs. Tom Kim -110
Eric Cole -118 vs. Sungjae Im -102
Eric Cole +114 vs. Byeong Hun An -137
Sungjae Im +106 vs. Byeong Hun An -127
Min Woo Lee -130 vs. Shane Lowry +109
Min Woo Lee +111 vs. Corey Conners -133
Shane Lowry +110 vs. Corey Conners -132
Keith Mitchell +100 vs. Chris Kirk -120
Daniel Berger -135 vs. Rickie Fowler +113
Matthieu Pavon +109 vs. Sepp Straka -130
Alex Noren -110 vs. Adam Svensson -110
Denny McCarthy -120 vs. Tom Hoge +100
Luke List -144 vs. Justin Rose +120
Tom Hoge -115 vs. Brendon Todd -105
Jake Knapp +109 vs. Erik Van Rooyen -130
Rasmus Hojgaard -110 vs. Thorbjorn Olesen -110
Doug Ghim -120 vs. Akshay Bhatia +100
Lucas Glover -130 vs. Taylor Pendrith +109
Billy Horschel -103 vs. Thomas Detry -117
Christiaan Bezuidenhout -110 vs. Mark Hubbard -110
Davis Thompson +100 vs. Adam Schenk -120
Ryan Fox +114 vs. Maverick McNealy -137
Taylor Montgomery +109 vs. Austin Eckroat -130
Justin Suh +106 vs. Brandon Wu -126
Gary Woodland -115 vs. Jhonattan Vegas -105
Robert MacIntyre -125 vs. Alexander Bjork +105
Ben Griffin -120 vs. Michael Kim +100
Chesson Hadley -125 vs. Matt Kuchar +105
Need to know
PGA National Champion Course hosts as it’s done every year since 2007. And while it’s not particularly long the course ranked as one of the most difficult par 70 tracks on Tour. That all changes, though, with a reconfigured 10th hole. Additional yardage changed the hole from a difficult 500-yard par 4 to a more manageable par 5. Overall par is now 71 with the layout stretching to nearly 7,150 yards. Carding a 14-under last year, Kirk matched the lowest winning score at PGA National in the fifth edition that went to a playoff. The length isn’t intimidating, but water and sand make this an iron and woods approach. A conservative game doesn’t always win tournaments, but it will help get you to the weekend. The legendary “Bear Trap” of holes 15-17 also creates plenty of drama.
Cognizant Classic Matchup Picks
Eric Cole +114 vs. Byeong Hun An
A playoff loss here last year got the ball rolling for Cole to earn PGA Rookie of the Year. That’s a nice accomplishment but a win would’ve been sweeter. Cole is back still searching for that maiden Tour victory and he’s playing good golf. He was T10 in his most recent start at The Genesis, his fifth top 25 in seven starts. He’s been consistently good since the end of last season and at his price I’m losing money if I don’t back him.
Taylor Montgomery +109 vs. Austin Eckroat
I’m going back to a player who I had matchup success with early last season. I rode Montgomery when he started last season on a roll but have avoided him since the tarnish wore off. Well, I’m back and hoping Montgomery is too. He played well in the fall earning a couple of top 20s in his last three starts and has cashed in five of six starts this season with a pair of top 15s. And there’s plenty of value at his plus-odds price.
Christiaan Bezuidenhout -110 vs. Mark Hubbard
On a course that has the feel of ones in his native South Africa I expect Bezuidenhout to be right at home. And that’s a good place with nearly half of his 10 professional wins taking place on home soil. And Bezuidenhout is getting used to his stay on the PGA Tour finishing among the top 30 in four of five starts this season with a best of runner-up at the AMX. He made the cut in both tries here with a top 25 two years ago.
J.T. Poston -110 vs. Tom Kim
We could call Poston a late bloomer since a lot of his success on Tour has come recently. He closed last season going 9 for 9 with five top 10s and has continued his inspired play in 2024 with three top 10s among his five top 20s in six starts. He did have his streak of made cuts end in Phoenix but responded with a T10 at The Genesis.
Rasmus Hojgaard -110 vs. Thorbjorn Olesen
On a course that rewards players with a strong flat stick Hojgaard has an excellent opportunity to score points. He ranks as one of the best putters on the DP World Tour and enters this tournament on run of strong form with three straight top 10s on the European circuit with a runner-up to his matchup foe at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE in late January. This was a toss-up but I’m backing Hojgaard based on better results over a prolonged stretch.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel, NBC
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