With the 2025 Cognizant Classic in full swing, all eyes are on the Californian sensation, Jake Knapp. He has been dominating the leaderboard over the first couple of rounds, setting a breathtaking pace. However, the competition is fierce, with Matthieu Pavon and his cohorts in hot pursuit, ready to seize any opportunity.
This prestigious PGA Tour event isn’t just about the glory of the championship. There’s also an enticingly lucrative cash prize to be won. The total prize pool of the 2025 Cognizant Classic stands at an impressive $9.2 million, a notable increase from the previous year’s $9 million.
The stakes are high: the champion of the tournament will walk away with a life-changing sum of over $1.65 million, as reported by Today’s Golfer. Moreover, the top 22 players on the leaderboard will secure a minimum of $100,000 each. Even the golfer who ends up in the 65th place will receive $19,780. The prize money will be divided amongst at least three other players since a total of 68 golfers have made the cut for the weekend.
Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the remaining payouts:
The leader will pocket $1,656,000, while the runner-up will take home $1,002,800. The third and fourth place finishers will receive $634,800 and $450,800 respectively. The prize money continues to decrease down the list, with the 65th ranked player earning $19,780.
To add some historical perspective, over the last two decades, only three golfers have managed to clinch the title twice. The legendary Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, and Padraig Harrington have all had the honor of lifting the trophy on two occasions. Unfortunately, the reigning champion, Austin Eckroat, won’t be joining this illustrious list this year, as he has missed the cut.
In the past, the tournament has been host to some epic battles. Rory McIlroy triumphed in 2012, defeating Tiger Woods and his team by two strokes. However, fate had a twist in store for McIlroy two years later when he lost to Russell Henley in a playoff. The championship was then claimed by Rickie Fowler and Justin Thomas in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Other notable winners include Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, and the 2025 Ryder Cup captain for Team Europe, Luke Donald.
As the 2025 Cognizant Classic progresses, will Jake Knapp add his name to the exclusive list of champions, or will there be a surprise victor? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for more updates and don’t forget to share your predictions.
