Cognizant Classic Betting Tips, Predictions & Odds
The PGA Tour moves to Florida this week for the Cognizant Classic, the opening event of the swing that leads through some of the biggest stops of the season.
Sitting between higher-profile tournaments, the field has taken a few hits, but that often creates opportunity from a punting perspective.
PGA National has changed in recent years, with softer conditions producing lower scores than its long-standing reputation suggests, although water remains a constant threat on most holes.
Wind will likely dictate how difficult it plays, particularly across the closing Bear Trap.
Historically, this is a tournament where those at bigger prices can contend, and that alone makes it one of the more interesting betting heats.
Free Bets golf expert Ben Smith is here with his golf tips ahead of the action in South Florida.
The Cognizant Classic Betting Tips
Check out our golf betting tips for the Cognizant Classic below.
Tip 1: Winner - Daniel Berger (Each-Way)
Daniel Berger makes plenty of appeal returning to a course and region that have consistently brought out his best. Few players in this field have his level of comfort on Bermuda greens or his familiarity with Florida conditions, and his record here reflects that with multiple high finishes across his career.
Recent modest results will put some off, but some of those came on layouts that don’t play to his strengths, particularly Riviera, where he’s rarely looked at his best.
Earlier in the season, he showed enough with his iron play to suggest his game isn’t far away, and this represents a much more suitable test.
Berger has also thrived on comparable venues that reward accuracy and control, so in a weaker field, there’s a clear case that his odds underestimate his chances this week.
Tip 2: Winner - Eric Cole (Each-Way)
Eric Cole is easy to make a case for now that the schedule shifts back to Florida, a region where he’s historically been far more competitive than out west.
His narrow playoff defeat here a few years ago showed how well his eye fits PGA National, helped by both local familiarity and confidence on Bermuda surfaces.
Follow-up visits haven’t produced the same results, but his recent performances suggest his game is trending the right way again, with strong positions deep into tournaments before fading late. That profile often precedes a bigger week.
Cole also has an extensive winning record in Florida from earlier in his career, so returning to these conditions could easily spark another satisfactory showing at a venue we know suits him.
Tip 3: Winner - David Ford (Each-Way)
David Ford looks a lively outsider given the level of his ball-striking over recent months. His approach play has been consistently positive since the autumn and he’s combined that with accurate driving, a blend that tends to hold up well on this type of layout. Early professional results already include a third-place finish in Utah and a solid effort at The American Express, so he’s not arriving without positives.
There’s also a useful course reference point from his amateur career. With his long game in this sort of shape, he has more than enough ability to get involved.
Tip 4: Winner - Andrew Putnam (Each-Way)
Andrew Putnam kicked off 2026 with a runner-up finish at The American Express, and while that was followed by a missed cut at Torrey Pines, that was no surprise given the nature of that test.
He was 11th here last year and ranked highly for accuracy metrics during his recent second place, which is encouraging for a layout where precision tends to matter more than power.
Cognizant Classic Latest Odds
Take a look at the latest Cognizant Classic odds from the top UK betting sites below.
Where to Watch The Cognizant Classic
If you’re planning to follow the action live while getting involved with golf betting this weeked, here’s how you can watch every shot from the Cognizant Classic as it happens.
TV Channel
The Cognizant Classic will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf.
Live Stream Information
Sky Sports subscribers can stream the tournament live through Sky Go, while non-subscribers can catch every shot on NOW with a flexible day or monthly pass.
