Cognizant Classic: PGA Best Bets, Predictions, Past Results, and Course Info

After a weaker field finished up in Mexico in dramatic fashion, the PGA Tour heads to Florida for the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches at PGA National Resort (The Champion Course) in Palm Beach Gardens.

Here's all you need to know.

All golf odds come from FanDuel Sportsbook and may change after this article is published.

Cognizant Classic Info

PGA National (Champion) Course Info

Data from GCSAA, PGA Tour, and data golf's course table unless otherwise noted.

• Par: 71
• Distance: 7,167 yards (short)
• Average Fairway Width: 33.1 yards (average)
• Average Green Size: 7,000 square feet (large)
• Green Type: Bermuda
• Stimpmeter: 12
• Recent Winning Scores: -17, -14, -10, -12, -6
• Recent Cut Lines: -2, +1, +2, +1, +3

PGA National (Champion) Course Key Stats

• Strokes Gained: Approach
• Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
• Strokes Gained: Putting
• Strokes Gained: Around the Green
• Birdie or Better Rate
• Proximity from 125 to 200 Yards

Long known as the Honda Classic, the sponsor rebrand has come with a recent course setup change.

PGA National (Champion) was shifted to a par 71 last year, explaining a shift in the winning score and cutline trends from its status as a par 70.

There are a lot of forced layups due to water, doglegs, and tight landing spaces, so distance and accuracy can be rolled up into SG: off the tee. This also reduces the frequency of shorter approaches in favor of elevated mid-range approach shots.

Cognizant Classic Past Results

Here are each golfer's finishes over the last five years of this event, including their strokes gained data at this event.

PGA Tour Recent Results

Here are each golfer's finishes over the last five events on the PGA Tour, including their strokes gained data.

Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches Best Bets

These picks stand out relative to their FanDuel Sportsbook golf betting odds at FanDuel Sportsbook. All stats cited below originate at datagolf and reference ranks relative to the field over the past 50 rounds unless otherwise noted.

Russell Henley

• Odds To Win the Cognizant Classic (+2200)
• To Finish Top 10 (+270)
• To Finish Top 20 (+130)

Russell Henley checks the boxes this week. He's a great bermuda putter (first in the field over the last 12 months), an accurate driver (3rd over the last 50 rounds), and a successful player at PGA National already (T41, T3, and T8 in his three starts here over the last five years with three more top-25s and a win here if we go back to 2013).

Henley is also 22nd in strokes gained per shot from 150 to 200 yards over the last 12 months, and enters with positive SG: approach in 16 of his last 17 starts.

One more bit: Henley has the best mathematical ceiling among the favorites based on his scoring dispersion potential in recent rounds after field strength adjustments.

Taylor Pendrith

• Odds To Win the Cognizant Classic (+3000)
• To Finish Top 10 (+330)
• To Finish Top 20 (+160)

Pendrith is one of the most consistent ball-strikers in the field this week and has a lot of other paths to upside, especially with the flat stick.

Among the favorites, not many are strong putters on bermuda greens, but Pendrith is (+0.44 strokes gained per round over the last year). Pendrith also has 84th-percentile putting splits from within 15 feet since the start of last season, a great sign for continued putting success after two really bad weeks with the flat stick over his last three starts.

Pendrith has a T25, a T42, and a missed cut here at PGA National but has the game and form to contend this week.

Billy Horschel

• Odds To Win the Cognizant Classic (+5000)
• To Finish Top 10 (+500)
• To Finish Top 20 (+240)

Horschel has missed two straight cuts -- while losing strokes from his short game but gaining from approach. In fact, he's gained with his irons in five straight measured events. He now ranks 25th in this field in strokes gained: approach over his last 50 rounds.

Horschel's got that Florida angle this week, and he's a good bermuda putter. Horschel has five career top-20s here, including a T9 last year.

His statistical ceiling is higher than these odds suggest, and Horschel rates out as a fine value in my model, which isn't seeing a ton this week.

Max Greyserman

• Odds To Win the Cognizant Classic (+5000)
• To Finish Top 10 (+500)
• To Finish Top 20 (+240)

Max Greyserman's recent statistical ceiling is actually the highest in the entire field over the last 50 rounds, and he has had 12 top-25 finishes in his last 25 starts with 18 top-40s in that span.

His bermuda putting looks good, and the overall ball-striking ranks him 25th. He's 10th in combined short game over the last 50 rounds, and that's almost exclusively due to great putting, which is supported by good splits from within 15 feet (79th percentile).

Going back to those combined ball-striking and short game splits: only Russell Henley (11th in ball-striking and 13th in short game) also ranks top-25 or better in both of those simplified and combined strokes gained stats over the last 50 rounds.

New to FanDuel Sportsbook? You’ll receive $150 in Bonus Bets if your first $5+ bet wins! See here for full terms and conditions. Learn about today’s other offers at FanDuel Sportsbook Promos.

Looking for more golf betting opportunities? Check out all the golf odds and markets at FanDuel Sportsbook.

Sign up for FanDuel Sportsbook and FanDuel Daily Fantasy today!

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.