RADIO
The PGA Tour makes its way to beautiful Palm Beach Gardens for the start of the Florida swing as players are set to tackle historic PGA National for the 2025 Cognizant Classic. We have a full-field event with a couple of late surprise entries that have added some much needed spice to the field. The infamous "Bear Trap" awaits and one of the most penal courses on the PGA Schedule will test even the best players in the field.
I have carefully evaluated the players to project proper course fits and looked into how players' incoming form has been in the categories that matter the most, specifically at the Champion Course at PGA National. Let's dig into my top-10 power rankings for the 2025 Cognizant Classic.
No. 10 - Jordan Spieth
- The last player to commit to this field and the most popular star will definitely provide a boost for fans and sponsors.
- T4 finish at the WM Phoenix Open was his best result in over a year, gaining +6.9 strokes on approach for the week.
- Spieth has been more accurate OTT which is a must at PGA National. This will be his first ever start appearance in this event.
Jordan Spieth has entered the chat! 😤
Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!On the hunt for his 14th PGA TOUR win in his first appearance at the Cognizant Classic.#CognizantClassic pic.twitter.com/Fpp5TNu4Ji
— Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches (@the_cognizant) February 22, 2025
No. 9 - Lucas Glover
- Glover has been the best iron player in the field over the past 36 rounds. He ranks #1 in SG: Approach
- Top-10 in SG: Total at PGA National; best finish was a T4 in 2019.
- Scrambling effectively is paramount at PGA National. Glover ranks #1 in the field in scrambling from close range (10-25 yards).
No. 8 - Denny McCarthy
- McCarthy made significant gains in the speed department and picked up 5-10 in distance which was needed to take the next step.
- Raises his baseline on difficult golf courses. He ranks #3 in SG: Total on very difficult course setups.
- McCarthy told me that he personally loves "PGA National" which is unique. This is the place where he broke through to get his tour card so the vibes are high for Denny who is still looking for the breakthrough win.
Paint it down Denny 🦅 pic.twitter.com/t1o8XCt7gn
— Joe I (@TourPicks) February 16, 2025
No. 7 - Min Woo Lee
- Lee is an excellent chipper and scrambler. It feels like he chips in as much as anybody and he ranks 3rd in SG: ARG in the field.
- T26 here in 2023 and then backed that up with a 2nd place result last season in 2024.
- He's on the hunt for FedEx Cup points and needs to take advantage of weeks like this in weaker fields to secure his spot in the Signature series.
No. 6 - Taylor Pendrith
- He's currently the best player in the field OTT, ranking #1 over the last 36 rounds and his Driver is a major weapon.
- Pendrith lives in Palm Beach Gardens and should be very familiar with highly volatile Florida golf with testy course conditions.
- He's finished 13th or better in four of his last six starts on the PGA Tour. Trending form and this feels like the season where Pendrith takes the next step.
No. 5 - Russell Henley
- 2014 Honda Classic Champion and Henley has five career Top-20's at this event.
- Limited schedule for Henley this season, but he did finish T5 at Pebble Beach and T10 at the Sony Open.
- Henley is naturally a great course fit on these shorter courses that demand accuracy with wedges and reward a streaky putter.
Russell Henley, 1st and 9th in Driving Accuracy the past two seasons.
I can’t fully explain it, but I always think there’s something so free about the way his torso and head turn through the ball. It’s a very smooth motion. pic.twitter.com/BEDbSPGVI8
— LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) September 6, 2024
No. 4 - Daniel Berger
- Berger has been my pick to win this event for over a month. Trending form and a terrific course fit. I'm hoping we can get a 30-1!
- Phenomenal driving performance at the WM Phoenix Open that also has a ton of water. Berger was the most accurate player OTT in the field that week.
- He finished 4th in 2020 and 2022 at this event. He's finally back healthy and ready to win again!
If you know, or if you watched Preferred Lines, you know.
It’s coming…
Maybe not this week, but watch out when they get to Florida pic.twitter.com/EYxgiSh64w
— Joe I (@TourPicks) February 7, 2025
No. 3 - Sepp Straka
The big man has been doing damage to start 2025. He won The American Express in the desert a few weeks ago and has positioned himself in a great spot to earn his way onto the European Ryder Cup team once again this September in Bethpage.
Straka won the Honda Classic in 2022, dominating the field from tee to green, and then backed that up with a T5 finish in 2023. He excels on this style of golf course and has upped his consistency quite a bit over the past year.
Three career wins on the PGA Tour makes Straka one of the prolific winners in this field with a proven ability to close the deal in golf tournaments at this level. Nobody in this field has gained more strokes at PGA National than Sepp Straka, and he'll be on of the favorites to lift the trophy once again!
No. 2 - Sungjae Im
Since being named PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2019, many believed that Sungjae Im would have more than two career PGA Tour wins over the next six seasons. While he's underwhelmed in some places, PGA National is one of those stops where Im was able to capture victory.
He traditionally plays very well in Florida, rankings 2nd in strokes gained total in Florida and #1 is strokes gained on water-heavy golf courses. Sungjae is such a prolific and reliable iron player that the Champion Course is a perfect setup for him to accentuate his strengths.
He'll undoubtedly be one of the favorites to win and it's hard to believe that it has been over three years since his last trophy. Sometimes things just have to go your way, just like they did in 2020 where Im got his first victory with a fill-in temporary caddie for the week.
In first PGA Tour caddie gig, Albin Choi guides Sungjae Im to Honda Classic title https://t.co/MuCSKAHV4S pic.twitter.com/wGLL49vtZt
— Golfweek (@golfweek) March 3, 2020
No. 1 - Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry makes his home within the gates of PGA National and has spoken about how much he loves this event. He's been knocking on the door numerous times, most notably a few years ago when a pop-up Florida storm derailed Lowry on the final hole to lose in heartbreaking fashion.
He wants his revenge at PGA National and will look to accomplish that goal this season. Lowry has been a mainstay in the Top-20 of the OWGR rankings and his Driving accuracy prowess affords him the ability to separate on courses like the Champion Course.
Lowry ranks #1 in the field in SG: Total on Florida golf courses over the past five seasons. These shorter golf courses mitigate his lack of distance off the tee and he was able to finish in 2nd recently at another shorter golf course in Pebble Beach just a few weeks ago. I think it's finally his time to conquer the Bear Trap and get his win.
Enjoy the Mexico Open, and thanks for reading! Good luck, RotoBaller family!
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