By: @Ryan_Humphries on Twitter & LineStar Chat

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Tournament & Field 🏆

The PGA Tour heads coast to coast as the Florida Swing gets underway, with the next four events set to be played in the Sunshine State. This stretch of the schedule is always equal parts exciting and demanding, and it begins in Palm Beach Gardens, FL, where the Champion Course at PGA National will host the Cognizant Classic (formerly the Honda Classic). With the move back east, tee times shift earlier as well, so be mindful that the first groups are scheduled to begin their opening rounds at 6:45 am ET on Thursday, February 26th – and, as always, DFS contests will lock at the same time.

This week marks a return to a full-field event, with the standard cut rule back in place. The top 65 golfers (including ties) after 36 holes will advance to the weekend. You’ll also notice a clear drop in overall field strength compared to recent weeks, as only five of the world’s top 50 golfers (per DataGolf) are in attendance.

Given the historically demanding nature of PGA National, the quick transition from the West Coast, and a pair of marquee events looming on the schedule – the Arnold Palmer Invitational and THE PLAYERS Championship – it’s not surprising to see many top players sitting this one out. Even so, this should be a fun and challenging week of golf, and it’s a great opportunity to get familiar with some lesser-known names as well. Best of luck!

The Course Preview ⛳

PGA National (Champion Course)

Par 71 | 7,147 Yards

Greens: Bermudagrass (TifEagle)

Course Style: Parkland

Course Difficulty (Last 5 Years): 35th, 20th, 17th, 7th, 6th

Cut Line (Last 5 Years): -5, -2, +1, E, +1

The PGA National Champion Course is a Par 71 that checks in at a moderate distance of just over 7,100 yards. While it played for many years as a brutally difficult Par 70, the conversion of the former 508-yard 10th hole into a 530-yard Par 5 has softened the scoring ceiling noticeably. Even so, despite players tearing up this course last season, this can still be one of the more demanding non-major venues on the PGA Tour. PGA National ranked outside the top 15 in difficulty over the past three seasons, but it had previously ranked inside the top 15 for ten straight years, and it is still far from a pushover.

Since this event began being hosted here in 2007, winning scores have rarely pushed beyond the mid-teens under par. While calm conditions can allow scoring to creep lower, this tournament has far more often been decided in the single digits under par, reinforcing its reputation as a true grind. Bogeys are very much in play, and patience is a requirement rather than a luxury.

One of the defining features of PGA National is its infamous three-hole closing stretch, The Bear Trap, which spans holes 15 through 17. This trio consistently ranks as one of the most difficult stretches on the PGA Tour. Interestingly, holes 5, 6, and 7 on the front nine can be just as punishing – and in some years, even tougher. Golfers who can navigate those six holes at or near even par will gain a massive edge on the field.

Hazards are everywhere at PGA National. Water comes into play on 15 holes, and nearly 100 bunkers are scattered throughout the course. The rough is thick and difficult to control from, and wind is often a major secondary defense – though current forecasts suggest conditions will be manageable this week. Driving distance is largely neutralized here, as many players are forced to club down off the tee to avoid water, bunkers, or awkward angles. Average driving distance typically sits around 280 yards, well below TOUR norms.

Approach play remains the primary separator. Greens in regulation rates are consistently among the lowest on TOUR, usually falling 5–7% below average – although 2025 saw the field post a 70.2% GIR%, which is about 4% above average. While the Bermuda greens are not small (roughly 7,000 square feet on average), holding them can be difficult, especially if the wind happens to pick up or surfaces firm out. That places a premium not only on iron play, but also on scrambling and bogey avoidance.

Golfers will need to capitalize on the three Par 5s – particularly the newly added Par 5 at No. 10 – but Par 4 scoring is just as critical, if not more so. This course does not reward reckless aggression, and on many holes, simply walking away with par can feel like a small victory.

There are plenty of speed bumps ahead at PGA National, and DFS lineup construction often feels more uncomfortable here than at most stops on the schedule. There are no truly “safe” plays, ownership can flip quickly, and fading popular names is very much in play. With no clear-cut favorite in this field, the door is open for anyone capable of stringing together four disciplined, mistake-free rounds. Expect volatility, frustration, and plenty of carnage from Thursday morning through Sunday afternoon.

Weather & Tee Times ⛅

Click the images above to view the most up-to-date forecasts.

⚖️Weather Verdict: Weather looks clean and largely non-impactful this week. Winds stay light overall, generally in the 5–10 mph range, with a modest afternoon uptick each day but nothing extreme. That same slightly breezier afternoon pattern holds across both Thursday and Friday, which removes any meaningful wave or tee-time edge. All in all, this is a very neutral weather setup that shouldn’t notably influence scoring or DFS decisions.

Cognizant Classic Tee Times

Key Stats to Consider 📊

Each key stat is paired with a weighted percentage (based on stat importance) for DFS model purposes.

1. Strokes Gained: Approach | 30%

2. Par 4 Average | 20%

3. Bogey Avoidance | 15%

4. Par 5 Birdie or Better Percentage | 10%

5. Birdie or Better Percentage | 10%

6. Strokes Gained: Around the Green | 10%

7. Strokes Gained: Putting | 5%

PGA Tour Stats Page

Cognizant Classic DFS Model Standouts 🏅

Below are the top 25 ranked golfers in both my overall model and my key stats model. Below that are the top 25 leaders in average finishing position over the last five and last ten starts. The players ranked on these lists do not necessarily mean they are the top golfers I’m targeting for this week's event, but many of these guys should no doubt be favorable DFS options.

Overall Model Rank: A golfer’s ranking (within the current field) in my personal DFS model, which weighs all of the key stats listed above in this newsletter, as well as factors like course history, recent form, recent average fantasy scoring results, and odds to win.

Course Fit / Key Stats Rank: Provides a golfer’s overall rank (within the current field) in my "key stats only" model, which considers only the key stats listed in the section above with the specified percentage weights allocated towards each statistic.

Cognizant Classic DFS Cheat Sheet📑

Click the Cheat Sheet above for the higher-quality direct image link

Alternative Cheat Sheet Direct Image Link

That will do it for our PGA preview! Best of luck this week and, once again, feel free to hit me up in the LineStar chat or on Twitter/X @Ryan_Humphries with any questions.