In the opening round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic, PGA Tour rookie David Ford carded a one-over 72 that masked a dramatic rollercoaster, including a quadruple bogey on the 17th hole followed by back-to-back eagles on holes 2 and 3. The 23-year-old, fresh off earning his PGA Tour card from the University of North Carolina, showcased resilience at PGA National. His round left him in contention for the cut despite the volatility.
David Ford's debut season on the PGA Tour got off to an eventful start during the first round of the 2026 Cognizant Classic on Thursday at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The 23-year-old rookie, who topped the 2025 PGA Tour University rankings while at the University of North Carolina, began his round on the back nine at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Ford quickly moved to two under par with birdies on the 10th and 12th holes. However, challenges mounted as he bogeyed the 13th, followed by bogeys on the 15th and 16th—where his tee shot found water. The toughest moment came at the par-3 17th, part of the notorious Bear Trap stretch. Ford's tee shot landed in shallow water short and right of the green. Opting against an immediate penalty, he attempted to play his next two shots from the hazard, but both returned to the water. He then took a penalty stroke, dropped, and hit his fifth shot, followed by two putts, resulting in a quadruple-bogey 7. This dropped him to five over for the round.
Ford rebounded on the front nine, birdieing the 18th to finish his first nine at four over. After a par on the first, he holed out from 144 yards on the par-4 second for eagle, improving to two over. On the par-5 third, after laying up, he holed a 90-foot wedge shot for another eagle, erasing the quadruple bogey and reaching even par in four holes.
The remainder of his round was steadier, with five pars and one bogey, closing with a 72. Ford's scorecard featured eight pars, four bogeys, three birdies, two eagles, and one quadruple bogey. Entering Round 2, he sat near the projected cut line in the middle of the pack.
Prior to this event, Ford had made two of three cuts in his 2026 starts, including a T13 at the American Express. The tournament, held on the 7,223-yard par-71 Champion Course, drew a strong field including Brooks Koepka and defending champion Joe Highsmith.
