Jordan Spieth’s presence at the Cognizant Classic was surrounded by apprehension, with many predicting that the decision to play at the PGA National could be a regrettable one. Coming back from a wrist surgery, this tournament marked Spieth’s first appearance at PGA National, a venue that many deemed unsuitable for his style of play.
PGA National has a reputation for its rigorous challenges on tour. Since the dawn of the 21st century, the triumphant scores have been relatively low, with Sungjae Im, Padraig Harrington, and Ernie Els all emerging victorious with a score of six under par. Mark Wilson, too, clinched his victory in 2007 with a score of five under par.
Contrary to expectations, the recent tournament didn’t replicate the traditional tough test. Jake Knapp, despite his impressive 59 shot on Thursday, lost to Joe Highsmith who clinched the trophy with a record-breaking score of 19 under par.
The course’s unexpected ease drew the ire of many players, including Billy Horschel, who voiced his dissatisfaction with the setup at PGA National. During a conversation on ‘Dan on Golf’, Dan Rapaport echoed Horschel’s sentiments, revealing that a multitude of players were unsatisfied with the Florida track’s conditions.
Rapaport highlighted the stark contrast in the winning scores from 2013 to 2020, stating, “Something wasn’t right about last week’s tournament. The golf course was far too easy… This week, eight under would have been in a tie for 42nd.” He further criticized the oversight of the course setup, the scoring anomalies, and the public perception towards the drastically lowering scores.
The Cognizant Classic, previously known as the Honda Classic, has a reputation for difficulty. Fans and players alike associate it with challenging rounds and memorable duels, such as the ones between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy. However, this year, the tournament seemed to have lost its teeth, with players and fans questioning the integrity of the game and the tournament.
The dwindling scores have been a trend for the past four years. The question now is whether the PGA Tour will learn from its missteps and make the necessary changes to restore the challenging nature of the course by 2026.
In addition to the criticism from players, the tournament faced a daunting task of attracting viewers due to the absence of marquee names. The low viewing figures at The Sentry, where Hideki Matsuyama broke the PGA Tour record for the lowest score to par, added to the woes. As the week progressed and PGA National continued to show a lack of challenge, there’s a chance that even the most ardent fans might have tuned out.
All these factors combined raise a critical question about the future of the tournament – Will the PGA Tour take note of the criticisms and make changes to restore the challenge and excitement that the PGA National is known for, or will it continue on its current path, risking further alienation of players and fans alike?