PGA Tour Brunch | Cognizant Classic
Recap of the 2026 Cognizant Classic | At the Palm Beaches
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
PALM BEACH GARDENS - Nico Echavarria (Won/-17) won his third PGA TOUR event in his 94th start at 31 years, 6 months, 25 days. He’s the first player in his 30s to win through seven events on TOUR this season.
Echavarria’s PGA TOUR wins: (2023 Puerto Rico Open, 2024 Baycurrent Classic, 2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches), the latter allowing him to move up 40 spots to No. 6 in the FedExCup standings.
With the win, becomes exempt through 2028 with starts in THE PLAYERS, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship and all Signature Events this season.
Key to the victory: He made the fewest number of bogeys for the week (3), all coming in the second round.
Shane Lowry (T2/-15) held a three-stroke lead at 19-under with three holes to play before finishing double bogey, double bogey, par. Lowry carded back-to-back double bogeys for the first time since the 2016 WGC-HSBC Champions (R4). He was bogey-free on the front nine (-12) for the entire week, marking the first time in his 194 stroke-play starts on TOUR that he has achieved the feat.
Lowry is still a cumulative 44-under in nine appearances at this event (15-over in first four starts, and 59-under in last five starts).
Cognizant Classic | Final Leaderboard
1 Nico Echavarria 63 72 66 66 267 (-17)
T2 Taylor Moore 67 67 67 68 269 (-15)
T2 Shane Lowry 70 67 63 69 269 (-15)
T2 Austin Smotherman 62 69 69 69 269 (-15)
5 Ricky Castillo 69 70 64 68 271 (-13)
Final Leaderboard: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch | The Basics
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at Noon (ET) Wednesday.
What They’re Saying
Echavarria Wins Cognizant Classic After Lowry Collapse (ESPN)
“I Wanted It for Her” … Lowry (PGATourCom)
Koepka Solid at PGA National (Golf Week)
What They Made $ (Golf Week)
Sporting Goods and Golf Industry News
Nico’s Winner’s Bag (Golf Week)
Masters Invitations to 88 (Golf Week)
On This Day in Golf History
March 2, 2015- Forty-three year old Padraig Harrington won his first PGA Tour event since the 2008 PGA Championship, beating 21-year old Daniel Berger in the 2nd hole of sudden death playoff at The Honda Classic. - (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
This Week
PGA TOUR Brunch is brought to you by Digital Sports Desk. Subscriptions to PGA Tour Brunch are the perfect gift for your friends and/or family members who love pro golf. This e-News is not affiliated with the PGA Tour and is solely for news coverage of the sports events.