Three top favorites, including Ben Griffin, Adam Scott, and Jacob Bridgeman, withdrew from the Cognizant Classic on February 23, 2026, leaving the field without any players from the top 25 in the Official World Golf Ranking. The event at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, now features only Ryan Gerard from the top 30 and eight from the top 50. This development underscores ongoing concerns about the tournament's place in the evolving PGA Tour schedule.
The Cognizant Classic, formerly known as the Honda Classic, has long been a key stop on the PGA Tour's Florida Swing, held at the challenging PGA National course. Past champions include Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, and Rickie Fowler, with Tiger Woods and others frequently participating. However, recent schedule changes have diminished its appeal.
In 2019, the Players Championship shifted to March, positioning the Arnold Palmer Invitational between it and the Cognizant Classic. The introduction of the Signature Event model in 2023, featuring $20 million purses, further impacted the event, which now follows two such high-stakes tournaments and precedes others with even larger prizes, including the Players at $25 million.
The withdrawals on February 23 exacerbated these issues. Ben Griffin (No. 11 OWGR), Jacob Bridgeman (No. 20), and Adam Scott pulled out, joining earlier withdrawal Sahith Theegala. Griffin and Bridgeman cited upcoming commitments at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players, avoiding a potential sixth straight week of play. The field now includes Ryan Gerard (No. 26, the highest-ranked entrant), Shane Lowry (No. 31), Brooks Koepka, Billy Horschel, Gary Woodland, and defending champion Joe Highsmith.
Justin Thomas, a five-time participant, described the situation as "a bummer" after a TGL match, noting the event's unfortunate timing amid a packed schedule of elite courses. "It’s one of those events that has fallen at an unfortunate time in the schedule," Thomas said. Billy Horschel, playing his 14th Cognizant, echoed this, stating, "It’s tough with any tournament on the PGA TOUR schedule, outside of Signature Events... This field has sort of been up and down the last couple years."
The PGA Tour, now operating the event directly since 2023, faces calls to reschedule it amid rumors of a 2027 overhaul. Led by new CEO Brian Rolapp and Tiger Woods' Future Competitions Committee, plans aim for 22-25 events in major markets, emphasizing scarcity and top-player participation. The tournament begins February 26, 2026, on the 7,223-yard Champion Course, offering a $9.6 million purse and 500 FedExCup points to the winner.
