Pat Mayo picked Michael Kim at +100 in a head-to-head matchup against Kurt Kitayama. He pointed to Kim’s steady streak of top 20 finishes this year, contrasting with Kitayama’s less consistent results in similarly weaker fields.

Pat Mayo advised backing Taylor Pendrith at 30-1 odds for the Cognizant Classic, highlighting his distance off the tee to dominate the par 5s at PGA National. Mayo noted that a return to Pendrith’s usual putting form would keep him in contention throughout the tournament.

Pat Mayo recommended fading Daniel Berger at 22-1, expressing concern that Berger’s odds are too short given his recent form. Mayo cautioned bettors that the public might be overestimating Berger’s readiness for a top result this soon.

Pat Mayo identified Nicolai Hojgaard as a strong sleeper play at 55-1. He emphasized Hojgaard’s stellar tee-to-green performance in his past two PGA Tour starts, including a top 10 finish in Mexico, suggesting the Dane can excel again on a ball-striker’s course.

Pat Mayo picked Michael Kim at +100 in a head-to-head matchup against Kurt Kitayama. He pointed to Kim’s steady streak of top 20 finishes this year, contrasting with Kitayama’s less consistent results in similarly weaker fields.

Pat Mayo endorsed Shane Lowry for a top-10 finish at +260 based on Lowry's near-automatic success at PGA National, citing his runner-up, fifth, and fourth-place finishes in his last three trips and consistent play in challenging, windy conditions.

Brandon Gdula named Russell Henley as a top contender at 25-1, highlighting Henley’s top-15 rankings in both strokes-gained/ball-striking and strokes-gained/short game over his last 50 rounds. Gdula also pointed to Henley’s strong history at PGA National, including a 2014 win, and his accurate driving.

Brandon Gdula advised fading Sungjae Im at 22-1 due to Im’s decline in approach metrics, having lost strokes on approach in four of his last five starts. Gdula also noted Im’s struggles in recent appearances at PGA National, including two missed cuts where he continued to lose strokes on approach.

Brandon Gdula identified Max Greyserman at 50-1 as a dark-horse pick, citing Greyserman’s strong Bermuda putting and recent ball-striking. Gdula’s analysis suggests Greyserman’s historical scoring trends point to one of the highest ceilings in this weaker field.

Brandon Gdula chose Luke Clanton (-105) to beat Rickie Fowler, noting that Clanton has a +0.77 strokes-gained advantage per round over his last 50 rounds. Gdula emphasized Clanton’s superior ball-striking compared to Fowler’s current form.

Brandon Gdula suggested a top-10 wager on Taylor Pendrith at +320, pointing out Pendrith’s strong long-term putting baseline despite recent struggles. With his ball-striking remaining a constant, Gdula forecasted positive regression on the greens.

Keith Stewart tipped Denny McCarthy at 40-1 as a strong contender, calling him the ‘true flat-stick aficionado’ who can score on any surface. Stewart pointed to McCarthy’s well-rounded performances in 2025, including top finishes on varied course setups and his resumé as a Florida resident.

Keith Stewart warned bettors off Daniel Berger at 22-1, cautioning that many are expecting him to replicate past success at PGA National. Stewart noted Berger’s lack of Florida wins, struggles to close out here in 2022, and numerous missed cuts in the Sunshine State.

Keith Stewart labeled Gary Woodland an 80-1 sleeper for the Cognizant Classic, pointing to Woodland’s recent form with top-25 finishes in 2025 and his history of success on demanding courses. Stewart emphasized Woodland’s strong trajectory and ball speed as key in windy Florida conditions.

Keith Stewart took Ben Griffin (+100) over Davis Thompson in a head-to-head matchup, praising Griffin’s solid play over his last 10 tournaments, including a fourth-place finish in Mexico. Stewart highlighted Thompson’s iron struggles and poor putting displays in six of his last seven starts as reasons to back Griffin.

Keith Stewart favored Shane Lowry for a top-10 result at +260. Stewart highlighted Lowry’s runner-up, fifth, and fourth-place finishes in his last three outings at PGA National, noting his ball control and comfort on Bermuda surfaces make him a prime candidate at this challenging venue.

Stephen Hennessey touted Daniel Berger at 25-1, asserting that Berger’s iron and off-the-tee prowess appear fully restored. Hennessey emphasized Berger’s No. 1 standing in strokes-gained/total at PGA National historically and his low ball flight, which suits the Florida winds for a strong showing.

Stephen Hennessey endorsed Nicolai Hojgaard at 55-1, citing his consistent ball-striking and the success of European players at PGA National. Hennessey noted Hojgaard’s strong recent form, which positions him as a potential first-time PGA Tour winner.

Stephen Hennessey advised fading Denny McCarthy at 30-1, pointing out McCarthy’s surprising lack of success at PGA National despite his putting skills. Hennessey believes the track may not align with McCarthy’s eye, adding further doubts to his short odds.

Stephen Hennessey took Shane Lowry (-120) over Russell Henley, referencing data-driven predictions that give Lowry a 70% chance to triumph in this matchup. Hennessey noted Lowry's strong record in windy conditions and comfort competing near his Florida base.

Stephen Hennessey picked Matteo Manassero for a top 10 at +1200, referencing the Italian’s prior success at PGA National from 2013–2014 and his proven record on difficult setups overseas. Hennessey believes this layout could spark a revival in Manassero’s stateside performances.

Christopher Powers backed Cameron Young at 45-1, recalling last season’s top-five finish in this event and a subsequent runner-up at Valspar. In a comparatively weak field, Powers sees Young’s upside as worth the risk despite his sporadic putting displays.

Christopher Powers tabbed Luke Clanton at 55-1 as a dark horse. Powers highlighted Clanton’s length off the tee, Florida roots, and incremental improvements in approach play, predicting a possible breakthrough at a familiar venue.

Christopher Powers advised fading Sepp Straka at 22-1 despite his past victory at PGA National. Powers cited Straka’s slump at Torrey, particularly losing five strokes on approach, as a red flag for repeating success on a demanding course.

Christopher Powers recommended Lucas Glover (-110) over Austin Eckroat based on Glover’s consistent track record of making nine of his last eleven cuts. Powers pointed to Glover’s three third-place finishes during that stretch as evidence of his reliability in similarly difficult setups.

Christopher Powers suggests Kris Ventura as a top-10 finisher at +1200 after a T-25 showing in Mexico, where Ventura excelled off the tee and on approach in two of his rounds. Powers believes a more consistent four-round performance could lead to a career-best result.

Andy Lack backed Russell Henley at 25-1, describing him as the top ball-striker in a weaker field. Lack credited Henley’s middle-iron prowess and his past success at PGA National as core reasons one should trust him to contend.

Andy Lack singled out Ryan Gerard at 80-1 as a solid under-the-radar pick, highlighting Gerard’s 17th-place finish at the Mexico Open where he gained over 1.5 strokes in key ball-striking categories. Lack believes a return to a course where Gerard finished fourth previously could spark another big result.

Andy Lack warned against backing Taylor Pendrith at 30-1, pointing to a notable regression in his approach stats and the reduced importance of driving distance at PGA National. Lack feels the course’s emphasis on irons and putting does not align with Pendrith’s current strengths.

Andy Lack took Daniel Berger at +100 in a head-to-head versus Taylor Pendrith, pitting his pick to win against his fade. Lack cited Berger’s strong play at Phoenix and Torrey, combined with a proven record on southeastern Bermuda courses that downplay driving distance.

Andy Lack pegged Kurt Kitayama at +475 for a top 10, describing it as a prime buy-low scenario after a missed cut in Mexico. Lack pointed to Kitayama’s past third-place result at PGA National and sustained ball-striking this year as signals of strong upside.