The PGA TOUR is back in the United States this week after last week’s trip to Vidanta Vallarta for the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld. This week begins the Florida Swing with some of the biggest tournaments leading up to The Masters taking place in the Sunshine State over the next month. This week’s Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches takes place at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The history of the event
In case you are still adjusting to the new name, this tournament was The Honda Classic from 1984 until last year when the sponsor changed. Early in its history, the event changed courses a few times, but since 2007 it has found its home at the Champion Course at PGA National Resort and Spa.
The most famous part of the course is “The Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch named after Jack Nicklaus who oversaw the course re-design in 1990. Nicklaus has been the de facto host for this event since 2007 when the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, chaired by his wife Barbara Nicklaus became the primary beneficiary.
The Bear Trap is a challenging three-hole stretch from No. 15-No. 17 with two par-3s and a par-4 where golfers have to take on water hazards on each hole. At the start of the three holes, a famous statue of a bear welcomes players to this stretch. A plaque with the statue features a quote from Nicklaus: “It should be won or lost right here.” Looking back at the tournament—it usually is.
Last year, Austin Eckroat won the event by three strokes for his first of two PGA TOUR wins last season. Eckroat didn’t finish the win until Monday as the event needed an extra day due to inclement weather. Eckroat played his final round through the Bear Trap one-under to hold off second-place finishers Erik van Rooyen and Min Woo Lee. One stroke further back, Cameron Young, Jake Knapp, K.H. Lee, Shane Lowry and David Skinns all earned a top-five finish on this track.
A closer look at the course
The course as a whole is a challenging track that typically plays difficult relative to par. It shifted from a par-70 to a par-71 last year, with hole No. 10 changing from a very difficult par 4 to a scoreable par 5. As a par-71, it uses hazards and dog legs to increase difficulty rather than distance. It only plays at around 7,150 yards, but most of the approach shots take place from more than 125 yards out because of the layout.
Here’s a full flyover:
Typically, this is a firm and fast layout where staying dry is almost impossible for the week. With water hazards everywhere, players who can avoid disaster and make birdies typically contend.
Another important factor to keep in mind this week is that due to the move from the West Coast to Florida, the greens are Bermuda Grass instead of the Paspalum surfaces from last week in Mexico or the Poa Annua that we’ve seen in California. It doesn’t necessarily mean current form doesn’t matter, but it is a definite shift in skillset which benefits some players and hurts others.
As you make your picks for this week for DraftKings DFS contests or on DraftKings Sportsbook, here are some of the top stats to consider: Strokes Gained: Approach, Bogey/Double Bogey Avoiceance, Scrambling, par-4 scoring, Proximity 125-200 yards and Strokes Gained: Putting (Bermuda).
