2026 Cognizant Classic Picks & Predictions: PGA Longshots
The Cognizant Classic is the next event on the 2026 PGA Tour circuit this week. Hosted at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, 123 golfers will compete with a 36-hole cut line.
Prominent names like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy won’t be in attendance this week. That leaves a ton of value on the board in the outright winner betting market, led by Ryan Gerard at +1400 and Shane Lowry at +1700 odds.
We’ve yet to hit a longshot outright winner this season, although we’ve had a couple of opportunities heading into the final round on Sundays. This week, it feels like any golfer has the chance to make a run up the leaderboard.
PGA National is a par 71 course that has been modified to run a bit further than previous outings at 7,223 yards. Water hazards abound, especially on the infamous “Bear Trap” stretch from Holes 15-17.
Bermudagrass covers fairways, three-inch rough, and 7,000 square foot greens. Expect greens to run 12 feet via Stimpmeter. Off-the-tee accuracy, approach play, and hole proximity will be huge this week, especially at a course that has seen the winner go -14-under-par or lower in three straight events.
Let’s dive into three of my favorite longshot golfers to bet in the outright winner market ahead of Round 1 at the 2026 Cognizant Classic. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more free bets and PGA Tour analysis throughout the 2026 PGA Tour season.
2026 Cognizant Classic: PGA Longshots
(Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook)
Beau Hossler (+8000)
It’s been a tough start to Beau Hossler’s 2026 PGA Tour campaign. Hossler has yet to make the cut, although he should have a better opportunity to play the final two rounds with a less star-studded field.
The 30-year-old is at his best when he’s got the putter in hand. Hossler ranks 27th in SG: Putting, including top-ten marks in putting average, one-putt percentage, and putts per round.
Tee-to-green has been the glaring issue for Hossler. Obviously, he’ll need to improve quickly to have a chance to contend at PGA National. In 2025, Hossler started -8-under-par, before fading to -2-under-par across the final two rounds, settling for a T32 finish.
At 80-1, oddsmakers appear to value Hossler above a lot of other golfers in the field this week. Let’s take a flier on one of the PGA Tour’s best putters and stake a quarter unit (0.25) on Hossler to secure his first PGA Tour win at +8000 odds.
Andrew Putnam (+10000)
We’ve seen Andrew Putnam fluctuate between a T2 finish and a missed cut in two events played this season. In 2025, Putnam played well enough at PGA National to card a T11 finish at -13-under-par.
He leads all PGA Tour golfers in driving accuracy and greens in regulation hit at 77.7 percent. Putnam is also fourth in putting average and fifth in one-putt percentage.
As a result, Putnam is first in par 4 scoring. He’s also third in birdie average and 25th for scoring average. Problem areas include proximity and distance.
There’s a lot to like about Putnam at his current 100-1 price in the outright winner betting market. It’s been eight years since Putnam’s lone PGA Tour victory at the 2018 Barracuda Championship.
Let’s toss another 0.25 unit wager on Putnam to end this eight-year win drought at PGA National this weekend.
Matti Schmid (+10000)
Hold your nose and prepare to back Matti Schmid at 100-1 this week. The German golfer has struggled out of the gate, failing to log a top 40 finish in six events this season.
Schmid played well at several events last season, including the Cognizant Classic. He posted a T18 finish at -12-under-par, never carding worse than -2-under-par in any round played.
In 2026, Schmid’s metrics are a sight for sore eyes. However, we’re going to bet on the 28-year-old to figure it out, leaning on his approach shot accuracy and putting inside of 10 feet to boost Schmid’s momentum.
Place one final 0.25 unit wager on Schmid to grab his first outright win on the PGA Tour at +10000 odds.