The PGA Tour is gearing up for its highly anticipated Florida swing, kicking off this week with the 2025 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches on Thursday, February 27. Defending champion Austin Eckroat returns to try and hold onto his title, though he’s facing some stiff competition, with several big names in the field. World No. 18 Shane Lowry leads the pack and comes in as the favorite, but he’s not the only one to watch. Russell Henley, Sungjae Im, Sepp Straka, Daniel Berger, and Taylor Pendrith are all looking to make their mark in this high-stakes event.

With a massive $9.2 million purse and a winner’s share of over $1.6 million, this tournament promises plenty of drama and excitement, plus 500 valuable FedEx Cup points for the victor. The stage is set, but the question remains: what exactly is the format of the event? The Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches follows a 72-hole format, with 144 pros split into threesomes for the first two rounds.

Players are divided into morning and afternoon waves, and each group of three stays together for the first two days of the competition. After 36 holes, a cut is made to the top 65 players and ties, with everyone who makes the cut eligible to continue. For the final two rounds, pairings and tee times are determined by the total score of each player through the first two and three rounds, with the highest scores going off first. The final group consists of the two players with the lowest scores.

If there’s a tie after 72 holes, the winner will be determined through a sudden-death playoff under PGA Tour rules. The playoff will take place on holes 18, 17, 18, 17, and then 18 again, with players going head-to-head until one scores the lowest. All players who qualify for the playoff will compete for hole-by-hole until a winner emerges.

It does sound interesting! Imagine how great it would be to watch it live. However, if you cannot, you can still be part of all the action.

Catch the 2025 Cognizant Classic on Golf Channel

After 54 years, the Cognizant Classic is returning to the PGA National Members Club in the Palm Beaches. Set for February 27, this event is taking place in a destination famous for its 47 miles of Atlantic coast beaches and top-tier golf courses. While the tour won’t feature any Top 10 players, 16 of the Top 50 players will be competing, making it an exciting start to the Florida swing.

For those watching from home, The Golf Channel has you covered. On Thursday, February 27, the channel will broadcast the first round from 2 pm to 6 pm (EST). The same schedule applies for Friday, February 28. As for the third and fourth rounds, it’s also pretty simple. On Saturday, March 1, Golf Channel will cover the third round from 1 pm to 3 pm (EST), followed by NBC from 3 pm to 6 pm (EST). For the final round on Sunday, March 2, Golf Channel will air the action from 1 pm to 3 pm (EST), with NBC taking over from 3 pm to 6 pm (EST).

Who do you think will win this year? Let us know in the comments section below!