Cognizant Classic 2026: How to Watch Sunday’s Final Round & Tee Times

The 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches is set for a dramatic finish on Sunday at the Champion Course at PGA National, with Shane Lowry and Austin Smotherman tied for the lead after Saturday’s third round. Lowry, seeking his first PGA Tour victory since 2024 and his first individual title since 2019, carded a remarkable 8-under 63 to reach 13-under par alongside Smotherman.

Lowry’s performance on Saturday was particularly noteworthy, bringing his cumulative score to 57 under par over the past five seasons at PGA National. Despite his consistent success at this event – having finished in the top five three times in the last four years – a win has eluded him. He remembers a particularly painful near-miss in 2022, when a thunderstorm interrupted play while he was on the 18th hole, ultimately costing him the chance to compete for the title against Sepp Straka.

“You don’t receive everything you deserve in this game,” Lowry acknowledged, reflecting on his past experiences at the tournament. “I’ve had plenty of chances to win this tournament, and (Sunday) will be another one. I sense like I’m going to win this tournament at least once by the end of my career.”

The tournament organizers made a strategic decision to move up tee times on Saturday due to an approaching storm, a move that proved accurate as play concluded just minutes before inclement weather arrived. The favorable conditions contributed to low scores across the board, with the field average nearly three shots lower than in previous rounds.

Smotherman matched Lowry’s effort, securing his place in the final group with a 69. Four other players remain within one shot of the lead, promising a highly competitive final round. A predicted shift in wind direction is expected to build the course, particularly the challenging “Bear Trap” holes, more difficult on Sunday.

Lowry’s familiarity with the area is also a factor. He frequently has lunch at The Bear’s Club, a club located about 20 minutes from PGA National, and often encounters golfing legend Jack Nicklaus playing cards with other members. While Lowry jokingly admits he isn’t skilled enough to join their game, his consistent success at PGA National suggests he’s mastering the course itself.

Lowry attributes his improved performance in Florida to adapting to the unique challenges of the region’s golf courses. “When I moved here at first, I hated Florida golf, the grain, Bermuda (grass). Everything about it was tricky for me,” he explained. “Just from living down here and spending time down here, I’ve become better at it.”

Sunday’s final group will tee off at 1:45 p.m. ET. Television coverage will begin on Golf Channel at 1 p.m. ET, transitioning to NBC at 3 p.m. ET. For those preferring to stream, PGA Tour Live on ESPN+ will offer exclusive coverage starting at 7:45 a.m. ET, including featured group and featured hole streams. Peacock will also stream the Golf Channel and NBC broadcasts.

Round 4 Tee Times (ET)

Tee No. 1

8:05 a.m. – Joe Highsmith

8:10 a.m. – Tom Kim, Dylan Wu

8:20 a.m. – Emiliano Grillo, Adam Schenk

8:30 a.m. – Davis Thompson, Carson Young

8:40 a.m. – Alex Smalley, Danny Walker

8:50 a.m. – Billy Horschel, Max McGreevy

9:00 a.m. – Haotong Li, David Ford

9:10 a.m. – Jackson Suber, Seamus Power

9:20 a.m. – Chan Kim, John Parry

9:30 a.m. – Michael Brennan, Hank Lebioda

9:45 a.m. – Patrick Fishburn, Chandler Phillips

9:55 a.m. – Matt Wallace, Adrien Saddier

10:05 a.m. – Dan Brown, Austin Eckroat

10:15 a.m. – Jordan Smith, Christiaan Bezuidenhout

10:25 a.m. – Garrick Higgo, Pontus Nyholm

10:35 a.m. – Eric Cole, Daniel Berger

10:45 a.m. – Brooks Koepka, Ben Silverman

10:55 a.m. – Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Ryan Gerard

11:05 a.m. – Nicolai Højgaard, Mackenzie Hughes

11:20 a.m. – Kevin Roy, Zach Bauchou

11:30 a.m. – Max Homa, Kevin Streelman

11:40 a.m. – Steven Fisk, Lee Hodges

11:50 a.m. – Matthieu Pavon, Sudarshan Yellamaraju

12:00 p.m. – Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Adrien Dumont de Chassart

12:10 p.m. – Rasmus Højgaard, Thorbjørn Olesen

12:20 p.m. – Kristoffer Reitan, Mark Hubbard

12:30 p.m. – William Mouw, Aaron Rai

12:40 p.m. – Matti Schmid, Takumi Kanaya

12:55 p.m. – Patton Kizzire, Zecheng Dou

1:05 p.m. – Beau Hossler, Keith Mitchell

1:15 p.m. – A.J. Ewart, Joel Dahmen

1:25 p.m. – Jimmy Stanger, Ricky Castillo

1:35 p.m. – Nico Echavarria, Taylor Moore

1:45 p.m. – Shane Lowry, Austin Smotherman