The 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches will feature a 120-player field headlined by Ben Griffin, Brooks Koepka and Chris Kirk at PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The tournament, marking the start of the PGA Tour's Florida Swing, offers a $9.6 million purse with $1.728 million to the winner. It runs from February 26 to March 1, 2026, as the seventh event on the schedule.
The PGA Tour's Florida Swing begins with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, played at PGA National Resort's Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. This Jack Nicklaus-designed layout includes the challenging Bear Trap stretch on holes 15-17, often under windy conditions that test players' scoring ability.
The field comprises 120 players, including nine from the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Notable entrants include Ben Griffin, Ryan Gerard, Brooks Koepka and Chris Kirk, with Joe Highsmith as the defending champion. There are no Monday qualifiers, and alternates such as Sam Ryder and Jackson Suber are ready to step in for any withdrawals.
A 36-hole cut will advance the top 65 players and ties to the weekend rounds. The event carries a $9.6 million purse, distributed according to the PGA Tour's standard chart, with the winner receiving $1,728,000 or 18 percent. Beyond the prize money, the victor earns 500 FedEx Cup points, 65 Official World Golf Ranking points and exemptions into the Masters, PGA Championship and The Players Championship for two years.
This tournament kicks off a four-week Florida cluster, followed by the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players Championship and Valspar Championship. All events feature 36-hole cuts, with the Arnold Palmer Invitational as a Signature event limited to a minimum 72-player field and offering $4 million to the winner.