Players Frustrated As Course Changes Make PGA National 'Too Easy' At Cognizant Classic
PGA National's Champions Course, traditionally one of the PGA Tour's toughest tests, faced criticism from players after recent changes made the course significantly easier during the Cognizant Classic's opening round.
Jake Knapp capitalized on the favorable conditions to shoot a 59 - just the 15th sub-60 round in PGA Tour history. An impressive 115 players finished under par, with 15 shooting 65 or better.
Bear sculpture overlooking golf hole
The dramatic scoring shift came after several course modifications:
- Overseeding bermudagrass with rye grass for the first time since 2014
- Softer fairways and greens
- Removal of several bunkers
- Even the notorious Bear Trap became less challenging
Billy Horschel led the criticism: "It's a little disappointing because it's such a great test of golf. The rough isn't long or penal enough when you miss the fairway."
Jordan Spieth noted the impact: "The overseeded fairways being softer makes them wider, and it's significantly easier around the greens than dormant Bermuda - easily a stroke per round easier."
Other players echoed these sentiments:
- Russell Henley: "When the wind is down like this, it's definitely gettable"
- Daniel Berger: "The course was not the old Bear Trap we're used to"
- Joel Dahmen simply tweeted: "I miss the old PGA National"
The course had maintained a scoring average of 71.41 over the previous decade, establishing itself as one of the tour's most challenging venues. While perfect weather conditions contributed to the low scoring, the recent modifications have fundamentally altered the course's character and difficulty level.