2024 PGA Picks: Cognizant Classic Odds and Expert Betting Predictions

The Florida swing begins this week for the PGA Tour with the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches. Most big-time names have taken this week off to prepare for the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in the following weeks. Rory Mcllroy and Cameron Young headline this week’s field as the top-two odds to win the event. Formerly known as the Honda Classic, the venue has stayed the same at the Champion Course of PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. There are 144 golfers in this week’s field and there will be a standard top-65 and ties cut after the first two rounds. Doc’s Sports will break it down below.

Get sports picks for every league and nearly every matchup on Doc’s free picks page.

A Look at the Field

Here is a look at the Top 12 and ties with the lowest golf odds to win it all at online sportsbooks

Rory Mcllroy +700 – Cameron Young +2200 – Russell Henley +2500 – Eric Cole +2500

Tom Kim +2800 – Byeong Hun An +2800 – Matt Fitzpatrick +2800 – Min Woo Lee +3000

J.T. Poston +3000 – Daniel Berger +3500 – Corey Conners +3500 – Stephan Jaeger +3500

Course Characteristics of Those Who Can Win or Secure Winning Golf Bets

The Champion Course of PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens is one of the harder tests on Tour. The infamous Bear Trap (holes 15-17) is regarded as one of the most difficult three-hole stretches on the entire PGA Tour. Tom and George Fazio designed the course in 1981 and it has gone under renovations by Jack Nicklaus in 2002, 2014, and 2018. The course has 60 bunkers and water comes into play on 15 out of the 18 holes. New for this year, hole No. 10 has been converted from a par 4 into a par 5 and added 20 more yards to the distance. Scoring well on the par threes is extremely important to contend, as the average scoring is over par.

Rory Mcllroy +700

Rory has not impressed in his first two starts this season, but it is hard not to ignore his talent in such a weak field. He won the 2012 Honda Classic at this course and lost in a four-man playoff in 2014. However, the Champion Course is a great fit for Mcllroy’s game, who was able to bounce back from a poor start at the Genesis to post rounds of 66, 69, and 70 from Friday to Sunday. Rory is still driving the ball with brilliance and could come alive this weekend in the first Florida swing event.

Eric Cole +2500

Up to this point last season, Cole was playing poorly and then finished in second after a playoff loss to Chris Kirk when he missed a 10-footer for birdie to tie. The Cognizant Classic catapulted Cole into winning Rookie of the Year and he has been playing amazing golf ever since. In seven starts in 2024, Cole has posted 5 top-21 finishes including a top-10 at the Genesis Invitational. After taking last week off, look for a well-rested Cole to contend this weekend in the state that he calls home.

Christian Bezuidenhout +8000

In the year of the long shots, I am buying Bezuidenhout this weekend for the 80-1 price tag. He has been stelar with his iron play, which has resulted in four top-30 finishes, including a runner-up at The American Express. In his five starts in 2024, his Strokes Gained: Approach have been one of the best on the PGA Tour and he has gained strokes on the greens in three of those five starts. Considering the list of winners so far this season, there is no hesitation taking a 80-1 price tag.

Golf Picks: Who to Consider This Week:

To win: Mcllroy, Cole, Bezuidenhout