The event formerly known as the Honda Classic is getting an early field boost.
The first two commitments for the Feb. 29-March 3 Cognizant Classic were announced Friday morning, with world No. 2 Rory McIlroy and No. 27 Rickie Fowler slated to appear at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
For McIlroy, it will be his first time competing in the tournament, which lost longtime sponsor Honda after last season, since 2018. McIlroy, who won the Honda in 2012 to move to No. 1 in the world for the first time, could mark the Cognizant’s highest-ranked competitor since 2015, when McIlroy was No. 1, should he stay at least No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking by tournament week.
Tournament officials have had a tough time attracting top Tour talent to PGA National in recent years, largely a byproduct of the schedule. In each of the past three seasons, no top-10 players have teed it up. While the event still precedes two signature events, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship, getting McIlroy is already a marked improvement.
“It’s always good to come back to a tournament where you’ve won and had success before, and even better when it’s a bit of a home game,” McIlroy said. “PGA National is a great test of golf and the fan support and incredible crowds make for an exciting atmosphere throughout the week for the players.”
McIlroy recently completed his Dubai fortnight, tying for second at the Dubai Invitational and last Sunday winning the Dubai Desert Classic for the fourth time.
