For the first of four events in Florida, the PGA TOUR is hosting the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, which is formerly known as the Honda Classic. Located in Palm Beach Gardens, the Champion Course of PGA National (par 71, 7,223 yards, Bermuda greens) has hosted this event since 2007. Joe Highsmith (-19) won last year’s Cognizant Classic by two shots. There will be 121 golfers competing this week with a top-65 and ties cut after the first two rounds.
PGA National is a tricky Florida track featuring large greens but narrow fairways, 60 bunkers, and water in play on a whopping 15 holes. With wind usually becoming a factor and a ton of hazards to worry about at PGA National, this is a less-than-driver course, where your work with your irons and putter matter most. Of the last five winners at PGA National, three have finished the event top-seven in SG APP and four have finished the event top-15 in SGP. Like most venues, scoring on the par fours is most vital at PGA National, but being efficient on the par threes is also important. This par 71 presents some of the most challenging par threes on the PGA TOUR and three of the last five victors at PGA National have finished the week top-12 in par three efficiency, including Highsmith last season, who led his field in the category.
Below, I have featured four of my favorite DraftKings bargain plays for the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, which all cost less than $7.5K.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $750K Sand Trap [$200K to 1st]
Top DraftKings PGA TOUR DFS Bargain Plays for the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches
Doug Ghim ($7,400)
Ghim is a standout value play at only $7,400. The 29-year-old has finished T16th and T11th at the last two Cognizant Classics, including a second-round 8-under 63 at last year’s edition of this event. Ghim has shot under par in six of his last eight rounds at PGA National and he returns to Palm Beach Gardens as the maker of eight of his last nine cuts.
Ghim has finished inside the top-35 four times during this stretch and he ranks 13th in total strokes gained when we analyze this field’s last 24 rounds.
Sam Ryder ($7,300)
Despite the volatile nature of PGA National, Ryder has never missed a cut here in five tries. Two of these finishes have been top-10s and Ryder ranks eighth among this field in strokes gained per round at PGA National. One of the main reasons for his excellent resume at this par 71 is Ryder’s strong putting and his work on the greens has been awesome recently. When we compare this field’s last 24 rounds, Ryder ranks fourth in SGP.
The 36-year-old has made nine of his last 12 cuts with five top-30 finishes during this time, making Ryder is an outstanding bargain at only $7,300 this week.
Billy Horschel ($7,100)
Horschel has made three-of-five cuts this season and the former Florida Gator has a long history of succeeding at PGA National. Horschel has made nine-of-13 cuts at this Florida track, including six top-25 finishes, three of which have come in the last four years.
Horschel ranks sixth among this field in strokes gained per round at PGA National and he has shot six straight under par rounds at the course. Horschel is underpriced for his chances of making the cut this week and is a strong target for all formats.
Andrew Putnam ($6,800)
Putnam finished T11th at last year’s Cognizant Classic — including a 5-under 66 in the third round — and prior to missing the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open in his last start, he nearly picked up his second PGA TOUR win by finishing runner-up at the American Express in late January.
The 37-year-old carded a career-low 12-under 60 during the second round of that near victory and has advanced to the weekend in five of his last seven starts entering this week. Putnam is clearly underpriced for his talent and should get overlooked by fantasy players coming off a missed cut.
