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The PGA Tour heads to Florida for the 2025 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, where a competitive field will duke it out for the top prize.
This tournament, known for its challenging course setup and unpredictable finishes, presents a prime betting opportunity for golf punters. With several of the world’s best players in the mix, bettors alike will be keeping a close eye on the latest PGA Tour action.
If you’re looking for the best sports betting sites and want expert advice on betting on golf, we’ve got you covered with odds, predictions, and top picks for the 2025 Cognizant Classic.
Where Is the Cognizant Classic?
The 2025 Cognizant Classic will be held in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, continuing its tradition as one of the premier stops on the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing. PGA National’s Champion Course serves as the venue, featuring the infamous “Bear Trap,” a three-hole stretch that often determines who ultimately comes out on top.
How to Watch the Cognizant Classic?
Golf fans can tune into the action on the Golf Channel and NBC, with streaming options available on ESPN+ and Peacock. Coverage will feature early-round action, featured groups, and full weekend broadcasts, ensuring fans don’t miss a moment of the drama.
Is There a Cut at the Cognizant Classic?
Yes, the Cognizant Classic follows the standard PGA Tour cut rules. After two rounds, the field will be cut to the top 65 players and ties, making every shot on Thursday and Friday vital for players hoping to contend over the weekend.
Who Won the 2024 Cognizant Classic?
American Austin Eckroat won the 2024 Cognizant Classic with a 17-under to win the event by a healthy 3-stroke margin. Min Woo Lee and Erik van Rooyen tied for 2nd place. Eckroat’s score was the lowest at this event since Justin Leonard finished 24-under par way back in 2003.
That was Eckroat’s 1st career win on the PGA Tour, with his 2nd victory coming last November at the World Wide Technology Championship.
The Cognizant Classic Odds
Check out the latest Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches odds:
Player | Winner Odds | Player | Winner Odds |
---|---|---|---|
Shane Lowry | +2000 | Sungjae Im | +2200 |
Daniel Berger | +2500 | Sepp Straka | +2500 |
Russell Henley | +2500 | Taylor Pendrith | +2800 |
Min Woo Lee | +3000 | Denny McCarthy | +3500 |
Davis Thompson | +3500 | Kurt Kitayama | +4000 |
Keith Mitchell | +4000 | Ben Griffin | +4000 |
Jordan Spieth | +4500 | J.J. Spaun | +4500 |
Cameron Young | +4500 | Byeong Hun An | +4500 |
After reviewing the odds, we see that Shane Lowry enters as one of the early betting favorites, while Sungjae Im is right behind him. With a strong field, the tournament is wide open, and there’s value in looking at players beyond the top-tier favorites. If you’re looking for expert picks, check out the best handicappers for guidance.
The Cognizant Classic Favorites
The following golfers are considered the odds-on favorites, according to the latest Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches odds
Shane Lowry (+2000)
Lowry has the consistency and ball-striking ability needed to handle PGA National’s demanding layout. His +2000 odds indicate he’s a strong contender, and, as one of the highest-ranked players in this year’s Cognizant Classic field, he could well be in the mix come Sunday.
The Ireland native hasn’t gotten off to the best start this season, however. Lowry did finish 2nd at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at the beginning of February, but he tied for 39th at the Genesis Invitational before missing the cut entirely at the Farmers Insurance Open in his last Tour start.
Lowry did perform well at the 2024 Cognizant Classic, however, finishing tied for 4th. That was enough to net him a cool $344,000. The year before, Lowry tied for 5th when the event was known as the Honda Classic, while he finished 2nd here back in 2021.
So, Lowry has enjoyed a series of top-5 finishes at this event in the past. While he has yet to win it, there’s a reason he’s the early favorite at +2000.
Sungjae Im (+2200)
A past winner in Florida, Sungjae Im’s game suits this course well. His ability to keep the ball in play and navigate the Bear Trap will be key to his chances.
The 26-year-old has been a fast riser in the PGA Tour ranks in recent years, and he’s slightly behind Lowry at +2200 to win the Cognizant Classic this year. Im is off to a solid start in 2025, with a pair of top-5 finishes at The Sentry and the Farmers Insurance Open. However, he’s also missed a pair of cuts at the AmEx and the Genesis Invitational, which was his most recent appearance a couple of weeks ago.
Im missed the cut entirely at last year’s Cognizant Classic after shooting 71 and 72 in the first 2 rounds, respectively. He finished tied for 42nd a couple of years ago, while he missed the cut again in 2022. So, needless to say, Im’s track record at this course isn’t quite as impressive as that of Lowry.
Russell Henley (+2500)
Russell Henley has performed well at PGA National in the past and has the putting prowess needed to succeed here. If he gets hot with the flat stick, he could find himself near the top of the leaderboard.
Henley finished tied for 3rd at the 2021 Honda Classic after carding a 6-under 274. He skipped the 2022 and 2023 editions of the tournament before returning last year, though he slumped his way to a tie for 41st at 7-under par.
Henley’s 2025 is off to a solid start, however. He’s made the cut at each of his first 4 events with a pair of top-10 finishes. The Georgia alum finished tied for 5th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the heels of a 10th-place showing at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Henley opened his season with a 30th-place finish at The Sentry before a tie for 39th – his worst finish of the season – last time out at The Genesis Invitational.
Henley is one of the most consistent players on the PGA Tour, so his +2500 odds to emerge victorious this week offer some upside. Henley’s last win came at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba back in November of 2023, so you can say he’s due to get back to the to of the leaderboard.
The Best Cognizant Classic Betting Value
If you’re looking for a sleeper, Taylor Pendrith (+2800) is a solid ball striker with the distance needed to attack this course. His odds offer good value for a player who has shown promise on difficult layouts.
The 33-year-old Canadian is hardly a household name on the PGA Tour, but he’s off to a hot start in 2025. Pendrith has 3 finishes inside the top 13 across his 5 starts this season, while he’s made the cut in each of his events. He finished tied for 7th and 9th, respectively, at the Farmers Insurance Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, while he carded a 22-under 270 at The Sentry to kick off the campaign.
Pendrith did miss the cut at last year’s Cognizant Classic, however, and he’s finished outside the top 20 in his 2 outings before that. Despite his relative lack of success at PGA National, he’s still priced among the betting favorites at +2800 to win this weekend. Pendrith has just 1 PGA Tour win on his ledger, which came at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson in May.
Min Woo Lee (+3000) has an aggressive style that can pay off at PGA National. If he can avoid costly mistakes, he has the potential to outperform his odds.
As mentioned, Lee finished tied for 2nd at this tournament last year, 3 shots adrift of the winner, Austin Eckroat. It’s a bit surprising to see that Lee isn’t priced among the rest of the favorites, and his +3000 odds do offer quite a bit of upside if he hits.
That said, his recent form likely has something to do with his longer odds. Lee got off to a solid start with ties for 17th and 12th at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and WM Phoenix Open to start the campaign, but he fell to 48th at The Genesis. This will also just be Lee’s 2nd outing at the Cognizant. While he found quite a bit of success in his maiden voyage, there is some uncertainty with such a limited history at this course.
Still, all things considered, Lee is better than his +3000 odds would lead you to believe.
The Top Cognizant Classic Longshot
Ben Griffin (+4000) made an appearance in this section in our Mexico Open preview last week, and he nearly paid off. Griffin finished tied for 4th last weekend with a very impressive 18-under 266 at VidantaWorld. He shot no worse than 67 in any of his 4 rounds, so he’ll enter the Cognizant Classic with no shortage of confidence.
The American has quietly been putting together some strong performances, and his odds present a great opportunity for bettors looking for a high-upside play. He’s shown he can compete in tough conditions, making him an intriguing longshot pick.
Griffin’s overall results haven’t been amazing this season, however. He did tie for 7th at the AmEx in January, but he’s finished no better than a tie for 36th at any of his other 5 starts. That includes a missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open.
The risk of betting on Griffin to win this weekend is baked into the +4000 odds. You can do worse than a flier here.
The Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches Predictions
With a stacked field, predicting a winner is never easy, but Lowry’s experience and well-rounded game make him a solid pick to take home the title.
That said, I’d like to hunt for a little more value here. I’m having a hard time overlooking Min Woo Lee at the +3000 odds. He came close to notching a win here last year, and this year’s field is missing several of the world’s top names, including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
I expect Lee to take full advantage, and I’ll gladly plop down a few bucks on his +3000 odds to win.
If you’re looking for expert takes, check out the latest golf picks for additional analysis.
Best Be: Min Woo Lee (+3000)
The Best Cognizant Classic Prop Bets
The following PGA Tour prop bets are courtesy of Bet365:
Best Top 5 Finish
Russell Henley’s (+450) past success on this course makes him a great option for a top-5 finish. He has the short game needed to survive the weekend grind. I don’t hate a small flier on Henley’s +2500 odds to win the whole thing, but there’s still profit potential in the +450 top-5 finish odds, too.
Best Be: Russell Henley (+450)
Best Top 10 Finish
Jordan Spieth (+400) is always a wild card, but his creativity and ability to make clutch putts make him a decent bet to finish inside the top 10. Spieth has been one of the most volatile players on the PGA Tour during his career, but the talent is undeniable. This will be Spieth’s first-ever outing at this tournament, so he has a wide range of outcomes.
Bet: Jordan Spieth (+400)
Best Top 10 Finish
Min Woo Lee (+300) has the aggressive playstyle needed to contend at PGA National. Because I think he’s a good bet to win it, I certainly like the +300 odds we’re getting on the Aussie to crack the top 10.
With several major contenders and some exciting potential longshots, the 2025 Cognizant Classic is shaping up to be one of the most competitive events of the season. Whether you’re looking for favorites or value picks, the odds suggest a wide-open battle for the title.
Bet: Min Woo Lee (+300)