Cognizant Classic Betting Tips: 5 PGA Tour Selections From PGA National
The Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches may well be the worst named golf tournament on the planet, but a trip to PGA National is a great way to kickstart the Florida Swing.
Formerly the Honda Classic, this tournament is played at the tough par-71 Champion Course at PGA National where wind and water are obstacles to overcome on this parkland lay-out.
No player inside the world’s top 30 has won this tournament in the last six years during which there have been three triple-priced winners, including Keith Mitchell at 300/1 in 2019.
Austin Eckroat won his first PGA Tour event here 12 months ago, but it’s Shane Lowry who starts as the favourite with betting sites after an excellent run of results on this course in the last three years.
The Irishman is the opening selection from our team, which had a couple of shared pay-outs at last week’s Mexico Open (Alex Smalley T10 at 28/1 ew, Greyson Sigg T17 for Top 20 at 13/5) and frustratingly Stephan Jaeger finished sixth when advised at 25/1 for five each-way places.
Cognizant Classic Betting Tips: Lowry Loves Palm Beach
Although outsiders have fared well at Palm Beach Gardens in the last six years, we are siding with 20/1 favourite Lowry, who has finished inside the top six in his last three visits to one of the most difficult courses on the PGA Tour.
Lowry went closest to winning here in 2022 when he was tied with Sepp Straka at the par-five final hole, but came up short against the Austrian in driving rain.
Fifth a year later and then fourth 12 months ago, Lowry has certainly taken a liking to this course where winners since 2019 have been inside the top five in the Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green metrics.
That said, winning requires an excellent all-round game as you would expect from a Jack Nicklaus-inspired course which is just a few minutes away from Lowry’s home.
Runner-up to Ryder Cup colleague Rory McIlroy at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am where only Russell Henley putted better than Lowry, things seem to be clicking into gear and a bold showing is expected.
Lowry ranks top for proximity to the hole, so his iron game could not be in much better shape even if his putter lets him down occasionally.
Cognizant Classic Prediction 1: Shane Lowry (Each-Way) - 20/1 With BetVictor (Five Places)
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Cognizant Classic Betting Tips:
- Shane Lowry (Each-Way) - 20/1 With BetVictor (Five Places)
- Nicolai Hojgaard (Each-Way) - 50/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)
- Jake Knapp (Each-Way) - 75/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)
- Russell Henley First-Round Leader - 45/1 With Betfred (Five Places)
- Andrew Novak Top 20 - 12/5 With BetVictor
Cognizant Classic Odds: Hop On Hojgaard
Nicolai Hojgaard missed the cut in his one and only appearance at PGA National three years ago, but we expect him to go well this week after an excellent performance in Mexico.
Hojgaard ended 2024 strongly and seems to be in the groove once again after a disappointing start to the year at the Dubai Desert Classic.
A solid T36 at the Phoenix Open was followed two weeks later with eighth place at the Mexico Open where he was the best player in the field from tee to green in the final round, almost a full stroke better than his nearest rival, and third over the four days.
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Hojgaard was let down by a poor display on the greens, but he proved in Phoenix that he can be a force with the flatstick.
Finding these large greens should not be a problem for the Dane, even if the fairways have been narrowed slightly, and he looks a decent prospect at 50/1 with golf betting sites.
Cognizant Classic Prediction 2: Nicolai Hojgaard (Each-Way) - 50/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)
Cognizant Classic Preview: Go Knapp
The third of our Cognizant Classic tips is a player that we put up for first-round leader last week.
Jake Knapp was only three shots off the leaders on Thursday as he looked to make a successful title defence in Mexico and continued his solid start to the season with a top 25.
Twelve months ago, the 30-year-old Californian proved that debutants can thrive at PGA National by finishing in a tie for fourth thanks to a closing five-under-par 66.
Knapp has been playing solidly in the first two months of the season and recently broke into the world’s top 100, so he is on an upward trajectory.
He may be playing for the sixth successive week, but his results have actually been improving and against another weakened field, he could once again be a contender at this tricky course.
Cognizant Classic Prediction 3: Jake Knapp (Each-Way) - 75/1 With BoyleSports (10 Places)
Cognizant Classic Tips: Henley Can Make Fast Start
Former Honda Classic champion Russell Henley is the 16/1 favourite with some betting apps to repeat his 2014 success, but at almost three times the odds it may pay dividends to delve into the first-round leader market.
Henley has finished no higher than 23rd in his last five starts after the opening round and he topped the leaderboard at Pebble Beach where he played the easier Spyglass Hill on the first day.
The wind is expected to be stronger in the afternoon, so it’s a relief to see Henley in the morning wave and he looks well priced at 45/1 with Betfred to top the leaderboard heading into Friday.
Cognizant Classic Prediction 4: Russell Henley First-Round Leader - 45/1 With Betfred (Five Places)
Cognizant Classic Predictions: Novak Can Deliver Top-20 Smash
Finally, we are going for Andrew Novak for a top-20 finish for the third time in four weeks.
Novak missed the cut at the Phoenix Open, but then paid out at 3/1 at the Genesis Invitational a week later.
The American has been inside the top 20 in three of his last four starts and he was ninth here last year, 12 months after finishing 29th.
At 12/5 with BetVictor, Novak for a top-20 finish is the last of our Cognizant Classic betting tips.
Cognizant Classic Prediction 5: Andrew Novak Top 20 - 12/5 With BetVictor
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