Miles Bennett
The Honda Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It was founded in 1972 as Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic and was known as The Honda Classic from 1982 to 2023 when Honda was the title sponsor. The tournament takes place annually in February or March at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. In late 2023, Cognizant took over as the new title sponsor and the tournament was renamed the Cognizant Classic. The Cognizant Classic features one of the best stretches of finishing holes in the country, including the infamous Bear Trap, which is commonly regarded as the toughest three-hole stretch on the PGA Tour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founding | 1972 as "Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic" |
| Previous names | "American Motors Inverrary Classic" (1981), "The Honda Classic" (1982-2023) |
| Current name | Cognizant Classic (since late 2023) |
| Location | PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida |
| Date | Usually in February or March |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Prize money | $6.4 million in 2017, with a top prize of $1.152 million |
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What You'll Learn
The Honda Classic is a PGA Tour golf tournament
In 2007, the tournament found a permanent home at the PGA National Resort's Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, which is known for its challenging "Bear Trap" holes 15-17. The tournament typically takes place in February or March, with mild temperatures and sunny weather attracting spectators to enjoy a week of exciting golf action.
The Honda Classic has seen some celebrated champions, including Nicklaus (1976-1978), Rory McIlroy (2012), and Adam Scott (2016). The tournament offers a substantial prize purse, with a total of $6.4 million in 2017 and comparable to other PGA Tour events. In recent years, the tournament has improved its reputation and attracted top golfers by offering challenging courses and significant prize money.
The Cognizant Classic, previously known as The Honda Classic, continues to be a premier event on the PGA Tour calendar, providing thrilling golf experiences for both players and spectators alike.
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It was founded in 1972 as the Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic
The Honda Classic golf tournament has been a staple of South Florida since 1972, when it was founded as the Jackie Gleason Inverrary Classic. It is South Florida's longest-running PGA Tour stop. The tournament was founded by Jackie Gleason, an actor known for his role in "The Honeymooners", who owned a home in Lauderhill, where the tournament was first held.
Gleason's tournament replaced the National Airlines Open Invitational on the PGA Tour schedule. The inaugural 1972 edition featured a $260,000 purse, the richest of any tournament on the tour at the time, with a $52,000 winner's share. The tournament attracted golf legends like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, as well as celebrities such as Bob Hope, who was Gleason's usual pro-am partner.
Tom Weiskopf won the first edition of the tournament in 1972, beating Jack Nicklaus by one shot. Nicklaus went on to win the tournament three consecutive times, from 1976 to 1978, the only consecutive winner in the tournament's history.
Gleason's affiliation with the tournament ended in 1980 when he fell out of favour with PGA Tour officials, who wanted to focus on commercialisation. In 1981, the tournament was renamed the "American Motors Inverrary Classic" after its new sponsor, the American Motors Corporation. The following two years, it was known as the Honda Inverrary Classic after American Honda Motor Company took over as the title sponsor.
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American Honda Motor Company was the title sponsor from 1982 to 2023
The Cognizant Classic, a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in South Florida, was founded in 1972 as "Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic". From 1982 until 2023, the American Honda Motor Company was the title sponsor, and the tournament was known as The Honda Classic.
Honda's sponsorship of the tournament lasted for 42 years, making it the longest-running continuous tournament sponsor on the PGA Tour. During this time, the tournament was staged at different Broward County courses, giving it a reputation as a "rootless tournament" that struggled to attract top golfers. In 1984, the tournament moved to TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, where it remained until 1991. From 1992 to 1995, it was held at the Weston Hills Golf & Country Club in Weston.
In 2003, the event moved to Palm Beach Gardens, where it has been held annually since. The Champion Course at PGA National Resort and Spa became the permanent home of The Honda Classic in 2007, and the tournament's primary beneficiary became the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation. This move, along with the support of Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, helped to improve the player field and increase attendance.
Despite the success of The Honda Classic, Honda decided to end its sponsorship after 2023, concluding its long-standing role in the tournament's history. In late 2023, Cognizant became the new title sponsor, and the tournament was renamed the Cognizant Classic.
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The tournament has been held at various locations in South Florida
The Cognizant Classic, formerly known as The Honda Classic, is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour founded in 1972 as "Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic". The tournament has been held at various locations in South Florida, including:
Inverrary Country Club, Lauderhill: The tournament's predecessor, the National Airlines Open Invitational, was held at the Country Club of Miami in Hialeah from 1969 to 1971. In 1972, the Gleason tournament replaced it on the schedule a month earlier at the Inverrary Country Club (East course) in Lauderhill.
TPC Eagle Trace, Coral Springs: In 1984, the tournament moved to TPC Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, where it remained until 1991.
Weston Hills Golf & Country Club, Weston: From 1992 to 1995, the event was held at the Weston Hills Golf & Country Club in Weston.
Return to Coral Springs: In 1996, the tournament returned to Coral Springs, first at the TPC at Eagle Trace, and then at the TPC at Heron Bay from 1997 to 2002.
Palm Beach Gardens: In 2003, the event moved to Palm Beach Gardens, first at the Country Club at Mirasol through 2006, and then found its permanent home in 2007 at the Champion Course of the PGA National Resort and Spa, where it has been held ever since.
The Cognizant Classic is typically held in late winter or early spring, with varying dates in February or March, offering spectators the opportunity to enjoy golf in the warm Florida weather.
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The total prize purse was $6.4 million in 2017
The Cognizant Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in South Florida. It was founded in 1972 as "Jackie Gleason's Inverrary Classic". The tournament's permanent home is at PGA National, which has been the case since 2007. This decision helped improve the player field as the tournament had previously struggled to attract top players due to its itinerant nature.
The Cognizant Classic had a total prize purse of $6.4 million in 2017, with a top prize of $1.152 million. This is a significant increase from the tournament's inaugural year in 1972, when the purse was $260,000 and the winner's share was $52,000. In fact, in 1972, the winner's share of $52,000 was more than double that of the Masters, which offered a first prize of $25,000.
The Cognizant Classic has seen a steady increase in its prize purse over the years. For example, in 1981, the total purse was $300,000, which would be equivalent to approximately $1,037,592 in 2024 dollars. The tournament's purse continued to grow, reaching $6.8 million in 2019, with a winner's share of $1.224 million.
The Cognizant Classic, previously known as The Honda Classic, has a rich history and has been sponsored by various organisations over the years, including National Airlines, American Motors Corporation, and American Honda Motor Company. The tournament has been a platform for celebrated players to rise to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking, such as Rory McIlroy in 2012.
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Frequently asked questions
The Honda Classic Golf tournament is held in February or March each year.
The tournament takes place at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
I cannot find information on the 2024 Honda Classic. The most recent winner I can find is Joe Highsmith in 2025.
From 1982 until 2023, the tournament was sponsored by Honda. Since late 2023, it has been sponsored by Cognizant.
The total purse in 2017 was $6.4 million, with a top prize of $1.152 million.
