Cognizant Classic 2025: Ultimate guide to PGA Tour golf tournament in Palm Beach Gardens

It is arguably Palm Beach County’s biggest event. Not just sporting event. Event period.

The Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches – yes, we know that’s a mouthful – will be held this week at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. The actual PGA Tour competition starts on Thursday, Feb. 27 and runs through Sunday, March 2. There also is a Pro-Am on Wednesday. As for the name, most folks simply call it the Cognizant Classic.

The weather forecast appears to be perfect with temperatures in the 60s and 70s and the only chance of rain predicted for early Thursday morning. That’s a relief after last year’s final round had to be completed on Monday when heavy rains washed out the final two hours of Sunday’s final round. When defending champion Austin Eckroat put the finishing touches on his victory, there were not many fans in the stands.

That should not be the case this week, especially on the weekend. And those patrons will see some major changes around the 17th and 18th holes. More access to watch from behind the ropes, less party rooms.

As for the county’s biggest event, thanks to the postponement of SunFest amid changes to the downtown West Palm Beach music festival, there is no three- or four-day event that will draw the expected throng of people heading to PGA National this week than the Cognizant Classic.

Fans attending the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches this year will notice significant changes on the course.

The grounds will include fewer grandstands and suites as declining attendance and the PGA Tour looking to make a profit on the event they took over before the 2024 tournament has led to a reduced buildout.

“I don’t want to run from the fact things are changing,” said Todd Fleming, in his first year as Cognizant’s executive director. “Decrease doesn’t mean worse off. Decrease means we’re being honest with our demand and for those (attending) it means they’re going to get closer to the action and have a better experience.” Read more

There will be 144 golfers in the field for the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, but here are a baker’s dozen of the ones you should follow at PGA National.

Daniel BergerBest Cognizant Classic finish: 2 in 2015 (lost playoff to Padraig Harrington)

Berger, the Jupiter resident and Dwyer High graduate, will make his ninth appearance at Cognizant. He missed the 2021 and 2023 tournaments because of injuries. Once No. 12 in world rankings, Berger was forced to take off 19 months because of back ailments, returning in January 2024. Read more

The Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches returns on Monday with qualifying, and there’s a pro-am on Wednesday, but the real golf runs Thursday through Sunday.

To get you prepared and make sure your experience at PGA National is the best, here is our annual guide to everything you need to know about the Cognizant Classic. Read more

Taittinger.

Pronounced ‘tat-ten-jay’ per my pal Korinne who’s fluent in French, it’s fun to say, better to sip.

This premier Champagne brand’s tent is where The Cognizant Classic or “The Cog” for short, hosted a nibbles and sips preview for 2025’s golf tournament, which tees off at PGA National Resort on Feb. 27.

While you could start your morning with a mimosa (this is a judgment-free zone) with a 6:30 a.m. tee-off time, I suspect most would choose coffee; this year’s official joe is a collaboration between a Palm Beach couple whose beans are harvested in India then shipped to Tequesta for roasting.

That’s just one example of how the Cog is showcasing local purveyors, restaurants and hospitality groups, a top priority for Todd Fleming, the event’s new-ish executive director. Read more

For the first time in almost a decade, Justin Hicks will be playing a home game in the PGA Tour event at PGA National Resort.

A lot has changed since Hicks last played in 2016 – least of which the tournament is now called the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches instead of the Honda Classic.

A lot more had changed in Hicks’ life, too. The Wellington resident’s five-year stint on the PGA Tour ended at the end of 2016. He and wife Kathryn had a son, Owen, and he gradually stopped playing golf for a living. Read more

Monday qualifying has been a part of the PGA Tour since the 1960s, when it wasn’t even known as the PGA Tour.

But Monday qualifying in South Florida is going the way of the wooden driver, gutta-percha balls and the mashie.

Gone. Like a Ludvig Åberg drive.

Monday’s qualifier for the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, held at the Tesoro Club in Port St. Lucie, will be the final one held in South Florida after a ruling by the PGA Tour’s Policy Board to eliminate seven Monday qualifiers. Read more

As 2025 gets into full swing, we have yet another reason to head for Palm Beach Gardens: the Cognizant Classic at PGA Resort.

And once there, you might get hungry. PGA Boulevard is The Gardens’ unofficial dining corridor where you’ll find al fresco patios perfect for leisurely bites and drinks, higher-end restaurants fit for special occasions, casual counter-service spots good for quick meals and everything in between.

So where to eat and drink along this bustling dining hub?

Here’s a glance at Palm Beach Garden’s vast restaurant offerings on the PGA Boulevard strip and close surroundings. We’ve listed the restaurants from west to east, from PGA National’s golf greens to Highway U.S. 1. Read more