The 2026 Cognizant Classic kicks off this week at PGA National’s Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where Bermuda greens and water hazards demand precision over power. With a $9 million purse on the line, early-season form and course history will separate contenders from pretenders in this invite-only field blending PGA Tour vets and challengers.
In this article, we’ll break down the latest Cognizant Classic golf odds, highlight the favourites to win outright, check out the outright odds board, and check in on the top Canadians in the field.
Cognizant Classic best bet
Best bet: Nicolai Hojgaard (+2000)
Hojgaard holds tremendous value at 20-1 odds in this weakened field that doesn’t feature a single player inside of the top 25 of the World Golf Rankings.
Coming off a T3 finish at the Phoenix Open, Hojgaard boasts five top-15 finishes in his past seven events, demonstrating incredible consistency dating back to last season. He ranks third in Strokes Gained: Total and first in SG: Off The Tee in a small sample size this season, in addition to putting quite well over his last handful of events. He finished T18 at this event a year ago, shooting 69 or better across all four rounds.
Nicolai Hojgaard to win Cognizant Classic
Cognizant Classic betting favourites
Shane Lowry enters the 2026 Cognizant Classic at +1600 odds, making him a co-favorite alongside Ryan Gerard in a water-downed field at PGA National’s Champion Course—a layout suiting his ball-striking prowess amid Bermuda greens and bear traps. The Irishman boasts a stellar course history, tying for 11th at 13-under in his last start here, showcasing elite iron play (0.312 SG: Approach recently) that neutralizes the par-71 beast’s demands for precision over distance.
Lowry’s early 2026 form screams contention: consistent cuts made, top-20s in strokes gained total (0.229 average last five events), and recent Ryder Cup heroics honing his clutch putting (+0.148 SG). PGA National rewards scramblers who avoid big numbers—Lowry’s steady game (T-11 prior) and wind-handling shine here, where past winners averaged +1.5 SG: Tee-to-Green.
Ryan Gerard storms into the 2026 Cognizant Classic at +1600, riding scorching form into PGA National where he owns pedigree: 4th (10-under) in 2023, T-25 (11-under) in 2025. The 26-year-old cut machine (5-for-5 starts) thrives on Champion Course’s precision test, ranking elite in SG: Approach (0.691, 40th) and around-green (0.697, 23rd)—keys to taming water-riddled holes.
Gerard’s 2026 surge screams breakout: PGA Tour win at Barracuda (26-under), T-28 Genesis last week, top-5s thrice in 10 starts, +0.389 SG: Total average. Driving accuracy (312.2 yards, 50th) and GIR (75.69%, 51st) fit this birdie-fest (field average 68.5), where he eyes his second Tour victory.
Shane Lowry to win Cognizant Classic
Cognizant Classic outright odds (top 10)
| Golfer | Odds |
| Shane Lowry | +1600 |
| Ryan Gerard | +1600 |
| Nicolai Hojgaard | +2000 |
| Daniel Berger | +2500 |
| Brooks Koepka | +2500 |
| Michael Thorbjornsen | +2500 |
| Rasmus Hojgaard | +2500 |
| Keith Mitchell | +2800 |
| Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | +3300 |
| Aaron Rai | +3500 |
Cognizant Classic top Canadians in the field
Mackenzie Hughes (+5500): It’s been a slow start to the season for Hughes, who has finished no higher than T28 across his four events. In one start at PGA National’s Champion Course, Hughes missed the cut last year. With a weaker field than usual this week, perhaps he can move into the top 20.
Adam Hadwin (+15000): Hadwin will be making his first start of the season after beginning the 2026 campaign on the Korn Ferry Tour. Hadwin posted only one top-10 finish in 29 starts last season, but he’s able to play in this event due to a sponsor’s exemption.
Adam Svensson (+15000): Like many of his Canadian counterparts, Svensson has had a slow start to 2026, missing the cut twice in three events. His best finish was a T40 at the Sony Open in January.