The PGA Tour's Florida Swing is here as we makes 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches One & Done Picks.
Previously known as The Honda Classic, this tournament at PGA National (The Champion) provides a stern test year after year. For viewers, this is one of the better tournaments to watch, but it's not the players' favorite because there is danger lurking on every hole. One bad swing can lead to a double bogey, and two bad swings can lead to a missed cut with water on 15 holes. The margins are small here, but the penalties are significant.
This week I'm looking for golfers with strong overall tee-to-green play with an emphasis on playing out of the fairway and positive momentum on approach. Course history plays a large factor here as well as comp course history. Let's take a look at a few options for your 2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches One & Done picks.
2024 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches One & Done Picks
Rickie Fowler +8500
Disclaimer: This Rickie Fowler pick is for the chasing pack instead of the front runners in one and done pools.
Fowler heads to PGA National in poor form. He has lost strokes to the field in eight straight starts for the first time in his career as he has never struggled so consistently since he came onto the scene in 2008. He recently posted his best result of this frustrating run two weeks ago at The Genesis Invitational with a T35.
Building off that finish combined and heading back home for a change of scenery is exactly what he needs as he is not as far off as the stats show. This pick is hard to stomach and is clearly risky, but it will give you massive leverage. You will be one of, if not the only person in your pool, to select Fowler, and if it pays off, you will gain a ton of ground.
Fowler has a win here, three other top-seven finishes and some missed cuts. He is a very volatile golfer and a very volatile pick for a reason, but he could be a very rewarding pick.
Russell Henley +2700
Russell Henley is a much safer option than Fowler. His course history is much more consistent, and he provides a much higher floor than Fowler. Henley won this event back in 2014 and has finished in the top eight in his last two starts here.
Henley led the Tour in Driving Accuracy last season, which is extremely important around PGA National. Outside of that, he is always one of the better iron players in the field and does his best putting on Bermudagrass.
Earlier this year, Henley finished T4 at The Sony Open, which is a great corollary course. He also has a runner up and win at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Year after year, there continues to be a strong correlation between Waialae Country Club and PGA National. Let's not overthink it; shorter Bermuda tracks are Henley's jam!
Denny McCarthy +6000
Is it a matter of time for Denny McCarthy to win on the PGA Tour, or will he never break through?
If there is ever a spot for Big Den, it's PGA National. He has a mixed bag of results here but tied for third in 2021 and has gained over a stroke putting per round in three of his last four starts at PGA National.
McCarthy is a short but accurate driver of the golf ball, which plays at PGA National. His iron game is hit or miss but volatile in a good way. He has shown the ability to lose two strokes to the field or gain two strokes to the field. If he can find it, the course sets up for him in a great way. McCarthy is one of the best, if not the best Bermuda putters in the entire world and should fare extremely well if he can find the upside in his iron game.
McCarthy is a safer pick with some real upside and will not be one of the popular guys in your one and done pools.
