Pat Mayo & Geoff Fienberg preview the course and run through the odds while making their 2024 Cognizant Classic Picks, bets, and One and Done while providing their 2024 Mexico Open Recap and LIV Jeddah Picks.
FULL Cognizant Classic PICKS, BETS, PREVIEW
2024 Cognizant Classic — Picks & Preview | Info & Research | Stats/Tools
2024 Cognizant Classic— DraftKings Picks | LIV Picks | Ownership Projections
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2024 Cognizant Classic Overview
- Field: 144 Players
- Cut: Top 65 and Ties
- Lineup Lock: Thursday, Feb. 29
- Defending Champ: Chris Kirk
2024 Cognizant Classic Key Stats
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Par 4s Gained
- Total Driving Gained (Spilt 70% DD + 30% DA)
- Opportunities Gained
Mayo’s Key Stat Rankings powered by FantasyNational.com
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2024 Cognizant Classic: Course
- PGA National (Champion)
- Par: 71
- Yardage: 7,147
- Greens: Bermuda
- Average Green Size: 7,000 sq. ft.
- Number of Sand Bunkers: 60
- Number of Holes Water is in Play: 15
DraftKings Showdown Streak
With No. 10 changing to a par 5, the annual DK showdown mini-hack may be flipped. Since birdie streaks are going to be sparse this week, players starting on hole No. 10 used to have a slightly better chance of running three in a row together and earning those very valuable bonus points. The par-5 18th hole is the second easiest on the course, while Hole No. 1 is the third easiest (18% birdie rate), so if you got lucky on No. 2 or No. 17, you’re going streaking. Previously, the other turn (8-9-10) has a pair of easy holes, but No. 10 was the second toughest hole on the course (just a 7% birdie rate). Yes, it’s been lengthened by about 30 yards, but the birdie rate should now be 25%+, conservatively. So, in 2024, starting on No. 1 is the preferred showdown play if you’re between players.
2024 Cognizant Classic: Past Winners
- 2023: Chris Kirk -14
- 2022: Sepp Straka -10
- 2021: Matt Jones -12
- 2020: Sungjae Im -6
- 2019: Keith Mitchell -9
- 2018: Justin Thomas -8
- 2017: Rickie Fowler -12
- 2016: Adam Scott -9
- 2015: Paddy Harrington -6
2023: Chris Kirk (-14, beat Eric Cole in a playoff)
– His 62 on Friday was the round of the tournament and carried him (that was the only round in which he was better than Cole)
– The four best putters for the week all cashed top-five pay days
- Nine of the top 13 finishers lost distance off the tee on the field
- -14 was the lowest winning score since the tournament moved to PGA National in 2007; previous low: -13 (Camilo Villegas, 2010)
- Shane Lowry earned his second consecutive top five
2022: Sepp Straka (-10, beat Shane Lowry by 1 stroke)
– He was seven off the pace after Thursday, but a Friday 64 was the round of the day and his best of the tournament
– Four of the top six finishers lost strokes on the par 5’s (five of the top six gained on the par 3’s)
2024 Cognizant Classic Picks
All Cognizant Open Picks & LIV Bets
Daniel Berger
Maybe it’s too early with this, but I was super encouraged by his ball striking in Phoenix. If he can keep up his accurate driving and continue to build back to his former elite irons, the putting issues since his return may be extinguished at PGA National. In seven career starts in this event, he’s lost strokes on the greens one time; gaining over three strokes putting per start in his past three appearances. He lost in a playoff to Paddy in his tournament debut in 2015, and reeled off consecutive T4 finishes in his past two starts pre-injury. Yes, he gagged away a huge lead early Sunday in 2022, but it feels like he’ll get a win here at some point in his career, may as well be now.
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Pat Mayo is an award-winning video host and producer of long and short-form content, and the host of The Pat Mayo Experience daily talk show. (Subscribe for video or audio). Mayo (@ThePME) won the 2023 Fantasy Sports Writing Association Podcast of the Year and was a finalist for three FSWA Awards in 2023 (Best Podcast, Daily Fantasy Writer of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year). His 29 FSWA nominations lead all writers this decade and are second-most all-time.
Mayo has been recognized across multiple sports (Football, Baseball & Golf), mediums (Video, Writing & Podcasting), genre (Humor), and game formats (Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy, and Traditional Season Long Fantasy).
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is ThePME) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skills and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.