Joe Highsmith’s Back-to-Back Bid Brings Meaning Back to PGA National

There’s something refreshing happening this week in Palm Beach Gardens, and it has nothing to do with the Florida weather or the prize purse. The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches is shaping up to be one of those tournaments that reminds you why we fell in love with professional golf in the first place: a genuine narrative arc, a defending champion with legitimate momentum, and the kind of historical significance that actually matters to the players involved.

After 35 years covering this tour—including a stretch as caddie for Tom Lehman back when caddies did more than just carry bags—I’ve seen tournaments come and go. Some blur together. Others stick with you because they represent something meaningful. This week feels like the latter.

The Highsmith Story Is Built to Resonate

Let’s start with the obvious hook: Joe Highsmith is chasing history. According to the source material,

“Defending champion Joe Highsmith looks to become the first golfer to win back-to-back titles at the event since Jack Nicklaus in 1977-78.”

Now, I’m not one to oversell these things, but that’s Jack Nicklaus we’re talking about. The Bear. And it’s been nearly 50 years since anyone’s managed the feat at this particular event.

What impresses me more than the historical angle is how decisively Highsmith won last year.

“Highsmith finished at 19 under last year and won by two strokes over J.J. Spaun and Jacob Bridgeman.”

That’s dominant performance on a course that doesn’t typically play easy. PGA National is no push-over—those Champion Course greens demand respect—and nineteen under is the kind of scoring that tells you a player has complete control of his game.

In my experience, that kind of winner’s confidence matters exponentially when you’re returning to defend. Highsmith isn’t coming back hoping to repeat. He’s coming back knowing he can. That’s a different mindset entirely, and honestly, it’s the kind of narrative the tour needs more of right now.

Brooks Koepka’s Return Adds Intrigue (But Not What You Think)

Now, let’s address the subplot everyone’s talking about.

“Brooks Koepka is also scheduled to make his third start on the PGA Tour this season after returning from LIV Golf.”

The media’s going to frame this as “LIV’s big name back in familiar territory,” and sure, there’s that angle. But what strikes me more is the simple fact that Brooks still cares enough about this competition to show up.

Here’s what casual fans miss: these guys don’t have to play the PGA Tour anymore. That’s the seismic shift nobody talks about enough. When a player of Koepka’s caliber—a five-time major champion—chooses to compete on the PGA Tour, it says something. It’s not about the money. It’s about the competition, the validation, and yes, maybe proving a point to yourself.

His PGA National history is interesting but not intimidating. A runner-up finish in 2019 behind Keith Mitchell is respectable, but it’s not the kind of track record that makes you think he’s a favorite this week. That actually works in the tournament’s favor. It keeps things unpredictable.

The Field and the Prize Structure

The Cognizant Classic features a solid $9.6 million purse, with roughly $1.7 million going to the winner. It’s solid money, but here’s where I want to be careful: in the current landscape of professional golf, that’s middle-of-the-road. It’s respectable. It’s what you’d expect from a PGA Tour event in its current state. But it’s not going to make headlines.

The field includes some excellent names—Ryan Gerard, Shane Lowry, Aaron Rai, Michael Brennan, and Kristoffer Reitan among the top players scheduled. Lowry especially is someone who plays well in Florida events. He understands speed and pace on firm greens, and he’s not afraid to get aggressive when conditions warrant it.

What I notice is the absence of some of the absolute elite names. That’s become more common on the PGA Tour in recent years, and it’s worth acknowledging. The tour is in a period of transition and recalibration. That’s neither entirely good nor entirely bad—it’s just the reality we’re navigating.

Why This Week Matters

Here’s what I think is genuinely important about the Cognizant Classic this week: it’s a tournament with real stakes and real history, and it’s being contested by players who want to be there. Highsmith’s attempt to join Nicklaus in back-to-back wins at this event matters because the players think it matters. That’s sometimes all it takes.

The television coverage—available on ESPN platforms including Disney+ for first-round action—suggests the tour is putting resources behind telling these stories properly. Featured holes and featured groups coverage is the kind of thing that helps casual viewers understand the nuances of professional golf.

I’ve seen this tour evolve in ways I never would have predicted. We’re figuring it out together, honestly. But this week, with Highsmith pursuing history and a field that seems genuinely committed to competing, feels like golf doing what it does best: creating moments that matter, one shot at a time.

That’s worth tuning in for.