– Nico Echavarría (-17) has won the Cognizant Classic deservedly: very few can play 72 holes on the Champion course at PGA National and deliver three out of four bogey-free scorecards, including the last one, the decisive Sunday card (66 strokes). However, it must be acknowledged, and it remains a strange paradox, that the Colombian somehow stumbled upon his third victory on the PGA Tour when he least expected it, courtesy of Shane Lowry (-15)…
The Irishman was racing towards victory, and not even this iron-clad Echavarría could change the outcome in the final stretch, right at the legendary Bear Trap. Lowry had shifted gears at the midpoint of the decisive round, from a steady trot to a frenzied gallop (five-under between holes 9 and 13, including an eagle on the 10th), and had likely already passed the worst of the Bear Trap, the 15th hole, par 3, after hitting a perfect tee shot and putting for birdie from about six metres… And then, five minutes later, he hit a dreadful tee shot on the 16th and went into the water without reprieve.
– He was still going to save a great double bogey after being forced to drop 275 metres from the green, but already on the 17th tee, the second par 3 of the Trap, he saw Echavarría make birdie and tie at the top of the leaderboard with him. Now it was the Irishman’s turn… And again he went into the water with a shot almost as dreadful as the one on the 16th. Another double bogey. A real drama. A complete collapse when it was least expected, because Lowry had been playing and controlling like the great champions.
– It’s a very unusual case: Lowry has major victories in his record, like the WGC he won in 2015 and the Open in 2019. He has also won two Rolex Series tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Wentworth… But it’s evident that Shane struggles to finish, to add more victories, to further enhance that strong record, especially considering his talent. In fact, he still hasn’t won a regular tournament on the PGA Tour. His small drama from a few weeks ago at the Dubai Invitational also comes to mind, where he facilitated Nacho Elvira’s victory with a double bogey on the 72nd hole, also going into the water from a bunker…
– Echavarría has earned a spot in the Masters with this victory and will again play all four Majors this year, as in 2025. It’s the challenge he has yet to overcome: to make his mark in a major. He hasn’t played many to date, but surely in 2026 he will surpass in one of the four events the 41st place he achieved last year at the PGA, his best result. It is only right that this happens; he stopped being a promising player a long time ago.
– Two final notes. The first concerns Austin Smotherman (-15), who found himself outplayed for most of the day by his stellar playing partner, Lowry, until the Irishman’s collapse, a circumstance he took advantage of with a late birdie on the 18th to finish in second place, tied with Lowry and Taylor Moore (-15). Smotherman has earned respect and admiration this week, for his golf, of course, but also for his calm, honest, and humble demeanour. Wise, ultimately. And in the process, he has also earned a spot in next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, the first Signature Event of his career. He didn’t win, but the ending was also happy.
And the second note inevitably refers to Brooks Koepka (-10), who finished within the top ten with a final round of 65 strokes. The Florida native is gaining momentum on his home turf, and now he must be considered in the predictions for the major events. Starting with the Masters, of course.
