The PGA Tour heads east to Florida, where the Cognizant Classic welcomes a 121-player field to the Champions Course.
Reigning champ Joe Highsmith returns but none of the top-10 ranked players in the world will make it to the Palm Beaches at PGA National. Jacob Bridgeman and Adam Scott are two of the top three favorites at this week’s Cognizant Classic as the PGA Tour enters its Florida swing, with the first of four straight events in the Sunshine State.
Bridgeman is fresh off the first win of his Tour career at Riviera Country Club. Could he make it two in a row? Here’s what the oddsmakers say about his chances:
Cognizant Classic odds (as of Monday morning, courtesy of DraftKings):
- Ben Griffin (+1450)
- Jacob Bridgeman (+1650)
- Adam Scott (+2000)
- Shane Lowry (+2100)
- Rasmus Hojgaard (+2400)
- Ryan Gerard (+2600)
- Nicolai Hojgaard (+2600)
- Michael Thorbjornsen (+2800)
- Keith Mitchell (+2800)
- Brooks Koepka (+3400)
- Daniel Berger (+3600)
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+3700)
- Davis Thompson (+3800)
- Thorbjorn Olesen (+4000)
Cognizant Classic winner prediction
Hard to ignore Bridgeman after what he’s done the last two weeks, both Tour signature events. Plus, he finished T-2 here a year ago with J.J. Spaun.
Nonetheless, there’s something about the 4-under 67 that Shane Lowry shot Sunday at the Genesis that is calling for a play on the Irishman at +2100. He’s comfortable at this course with a T-11 and a T-4 in his last two trips on the Champions Course.
Additionally, he’s in fine form finishing T-8 and T-24 at Pebble Beach and Riviera, respectively, to start his 2026.
Best longshot to win at Palm Beaches
Patrick Rodgers jumped out at +5600, getting better odds than the likes of Thorbjorn Olesen (missed cut at the last two Cognizant Classics) and Daniel Berger (MC in 2024, T-25 last year).
All the Stanford product has done this year is go six-for-six in made cuts, finishing a solo-third at the Sony Open in Hawaii to start and T-34 last week at the Genesis in Los Angeles.
Rodgers’ final-round play has been inconsistent compared to his opening 54 holes so a first-round look isn’t a bad idea but compared to the field this one seems like a no-brainer for a player clearly hungry for his first win on Tour.
First-round leader prediction for the Cognizant Classic
Bettors could get lost in a sea of big numbers in this prop but if you look at early scoring average on Tour this season you find two very logical picks considering the long odds listed: Jordan Smith and Matthieu Pavon are each T-3 when playing first tee early and sit at +6400 and at +11500, respectively.
At that price, both are as close to no-brainers as you can get when looking to bet this specific prop.
And if you’re looking for a third “for fun” bet, you can do a lot worse than Blades Brown at +8000. Exactly a month ago, the 18-year-old phenom shot a 12-under 60 in Round 2 at the American Express— good enough for the Nicklaus Tournament Course record.
Cognizant Classic best bet
Given the considerably water-downed field it’s surprising that Ryan Gerard is getting plus-money to finish inside the top 20 (ties included). He finished T-25 a year ago at this course, and his form has only improved since.
Similar to Rodgers, Gerard has been a cut machine this year going five-for-five in all of his tournaments played thus far. Impossible to ignore +115 to finish tied T-20 at the Cognizant given the fact he’s finished second at both the Sony and the American Express.
He’s started a bit slow over the last two weeks but impressive Fridays have helped boost him up the leaderboard. We’ll avoid the first-round market for Gerard but gladly take the price for him to be in contention — or better — on Sunday.