Extended highlights from the opening round of the PGA Tour’s Cognizant Classic at PGA National, the first of four consecutive events on the Florida swing.
Will Zalatoris is the latest big name to withdraw from the 2026 Cognizant Classic. Zalatoris, who has had multiple surgeries on his back, is missing this week’s tournament with a left ankle injury. He is playing on Tour this year through a major medical exemption which means his starts are limited, Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard reports.
Nico Echavarria told Golf Channel’s Rex Hoggard that his 2026 season on Tour has been “a lot of highlights and a lot of lowlights.” The first round at PGA National is among the former as the 31-year-old Colombian native sits one shot off the lead after firing an 8-under 63 on Thursday.
Brooks Koepka struggled with his short game during the first 18 holes at the 2026 Cognizant Classic. Koepka, who’s playing in front of a hometown crowd this week, had similar issues with the putter during two West Coast events earlier this year.
The first of four Florida stops on the PGA Tour continues Friday at the Cognizant Classic, where Austin Smotherman and Nico Echavarria have gained separation on the leaderboard from the rest of the field.
Unfazed by a quadruple bogey on the 17th hole, David Ford rallied with an incredible approach shot for eagle on PGA National’s second hole. He followed it up with an equally impressive eagle on 3, completely undoing the four strokes gained from his front nine. And if that wasn’t enough, Ford’s hole-out par save on 4 gave him three consecutive makes from off the green.
Daniel Berger has the best combined opening-round score of any player on Tour at PGA National since 2020. Berger, who shot a 4-under 67 on Thursday, sits comfortably inside the Cognizant Classic’s top 10 after 18 holes.
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Joel Dahmen gave the “People’s Open” a new spin rocking a Seattle Seahawks helmet on the 16th hole before removing to chip in for birdie to the crowd’s amazement. Dahmen, a Washington state native, predicted the Seahawks will win Super Bowl LX by two touchdowns Sunday.
Tee times, groupings and how to watch the second round of the WM Phoenix Open.
Scottie Scheffler tied his highest-scoring round since the start of the 2025 season, finishing with a 2-over 73 at TPC Scottsdale on Thursday. The two-time WM Phoenix Open winner was visibly frustrated going through his first round and currently sits outside the cutline. Scheffler was last cut at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship.
Chris Gotterup talked with Golf Channel’s Ryan Lavner after his first round at the WM Phoenix Open. Gotterup, who missed the previous two cuts at TPC Scottsdale, is the clubhouse leader after shooting a 63 Thursday.
Brooks Koepka is switching from a blade to a mallet putter at the WM Phoenix Open. On “Golf Central Pregame,” Brandel Chamblee says all players -- professional and amateurs -- benefit from using the more forgiving putter.
Coming off a win in his first start of the season, Scheffler showed a lot of negative emotion in a 2-over 73 in Round 1 of the WM Phoenix Open.
Patrick Reed continued his torrid pace in the Middle East on Thursday when he made six birdies in the opening eight holes and finished with a 7-under 65 to share the lead with Daniel Hiller in the Qatar Masters.
Highlights of the 2026 Good Good Desert Open at Grass Clipping Rolling Hills in Tempe, Arizona.
U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark talked with Golf Channel about his meltdown at Oakmont Country Club last year and what he learned from the experience. Amid talk about the PGA Tour schedule, Clark vocalized support of starting the season at the WM Phoenix Open.
Brooks Koepka explains why TPC Scottsdale is a good fit for his game. Koepka also spoke about the work he’s been doing to improve his putting since last weekend’s Farmers Insurance Open.