The 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches is the first of four events on the PGA Tour’s Florida Swing. The tournament comes after back-to-back signature events and ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the Players Championship.
The field took a hit on Monday, with last week’s winner (Jacob Bridgeman) and a popular international player (Adam Scott) withdrawing. The tee sheet does feature area resident Brooks Koepka, playing his third event since returning from LIV Golf.
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Keep tabs on all the goings-on Thursday with Golfweek’s live updates.
A tee marker on the course at PGA National Resort And Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, for the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
2026 Cognizant Classic leaderboard
The 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches leaderboard will be updated all day Thursday. You can also see tee times, groupings and course info for the first round.
Where to watch the 2026 Cognizant Classic
NBC Sports makes its 2026 season debut as the lead golf network. Golf Channel, Peacock and PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ are also all involved in the coverage.
First round, Thursday, Feb. 26
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PGA Tour Radio on Sirius XM: 12 p.m. ET – 6 p.m. ET
How much money is up for grabs at the 2026 Cognizant Classic?
There is $9,600,000 in the prize fund and a $1,728,000 first-place check awaiting the winner on Sunday evening.
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Where do they play the 2026 Cognizant Classic?
The tournament joined the schedule in 1972. Host venue PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which opened in 1981, started hosting this event in 2007. PGA National is tied for 78th on the Golfweek’s Best 2026 top 200 resort golf courses in the U.S. list, which came out in January. Tom Fazio is the course architect. PGA National will play as a par 71 this week and measure 7,223 yards.
Will this be the final playing of the Cognizant Classic?
One of three things could happen to the PGA Tour event that is celebrating its 20th year at PGA National. Joel Paige, managing director at PGA National when the then-Honda Classic moved there in 2007 after four years at The Country Club at Mirasol, believes Cognizant is in a vulnerable position.
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Inside the numbers at the Cognizant Classic
232 feet, 7 inches. That is how many feet of putts defending champion Joe Highsmith made, including nine putts made over 10 feet, in the final two rounds last year. Highsmith made 135 feet, 10 inches of putts in the third round, the most feet of putts made by a winner in a round at the tournament since 2007. He also shot 128 on the weekend, recording the lowest combined third and final round scores at PGA National since 2007.
Who are the recent past champions of the Cognizant Classic?
These are the champions of the tournament since it moved to PGA National in 2007:
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Highsmith, Eckroat, Straka, Im, Mitchell, Thompson, Yang and Wilson each made this tournament their maiden PGA Tour victory.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Cognizant Classic leaderboard updates for Thursday’s first round
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