Golf Tips
Cognizant Classic
Shane Lowry to win
Daniel Berger to win
Ben Kohles to win (each-way)
South Africa Open
Jayden Schaper to win (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Cognizant Classic
Shane Lowry to win
Nearly a decade has passed since Shane Lowry’s latest solo stateside triumph, but he has come very close to ending that drought during each of his last three visits to PGA National.
His runner-up finish in 2022 was the most devastating. He controlled the tournament until the final hole when a heavy rain shower forced a mistake that allowed Sepp Straka to swoop in and earn his maiden PGA Tour title.
The Irishman’s driving has been outstanding over the past 12 months. Length is advantageous at this venue, but missed fairways are particularly penal and that is an area in which Lowry has improved year on year, now managing to find the short grass two-thirds of the time.
Problems on and around the greens have held Lowry back somewhat, but a superb putting display at Pebble Beach earlier this month was a big step in the right direction and he made a string of excellent putts at last year’s Cognizant Classic.
Daniel Berger to win
It has understandably taken Daniel Berger some time to rebuild his form after he missed the second half of 2022 and all of 2023 due to a back injury.
The Florida native showcased his elite tee-to-green skills in Phoenix but had to settle for T2, just as he did four events prior at the RSM Classic.
Berger has gained strokes off the tee in all eight Cognizant Classic appearances. His three best performances on approach have all yielded top-five finishes, and he can produce that again if his ball-striking consistency continues through this week.
A spot at the Masters could be on the cards for Berger if he keeps this up, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a second Ryder Cup berth could be coming his way.
Ben Kohles to win (each-way)
Fairway-finding is key at PGA National, so it is worth a small play on the player who has been the most accurate driver in the field in 2025.
Ben Kohles’ average length off the tee is just under 300 yards, but the last two Cognizant Classic winners, Austin Eckroat and Chris Kirk, averaged 292 and 296 yards off the tee, respectively, en route to victory.
The Texan has excelled with the driver since early October and has kicked off 2025 with some quality putting, helping him record two top-25 finishes on either side of a missed cut at the less suitable TPC Scottsdale.
South Africa Open
Jayden Schaper to win (each-way)
Fifth in Doha, fourth in Kenya – Jayden Schaper continues to knock on the door, and what better event to notch his first professional win than his national open, which has been won by a South African six times in a row.
The 23-year-old came T9 and T5 at the two Blair Atholl renewals in 2022 and 2023, and never has he been better equipped to finish higher up the leaderboard in this co-sanctioned tournament.
Past competitions at Durban Country Club show that driving accuracy is of the utmost importance, which suits Schaper down to the ground. He ranked above the field average in that department in all four rounds in Kenya, making up for his relative lack of distance.
This week’s golf tips
Cognizant Classic
Shane Lowry to win
Daniel Berger to win
Ben Kohles to win (each-way)
South Africa Open
Jayden Schaper to win (each-way)
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
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