PALM BEACH GARDENS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Nico Echavarria, who together with his wife, on Monday, closed on a new home on the grounds of PGA National,  then played a steady final round of 5-under-par (66) and benefited from late struggles from Ireland’s Shane Lowry to win the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches on Sunday.

Echavarria, who trailed by three strokes on the backside, turned in a 17-under 267 at PGA National’s Champion Course for his first PGA Tour victory since 2024 and his third overall. He held a two-stroke edge on Lowry, Austin Smotherman and Taylor Moore.

Lowry, who posted 68, appeared heading toward a victory until double-bogeys on Nos. 16 and 17 cost him. His tee shots on both holes ended up in the water.

Until then, he was 6 under for the round without a bogey.

The first double-bogey allowed Echavarria, who was in the process of notching a birdie on No. 17, to pull even. The next series of miscues handed Echavarria the lead.

Moore also shot 68. Smotherman, who began the round tied for the lead with Lowry, had a birdie on the last hole to register 69.

Ricky Castillo, with a final-round 68, finished fifth at 13 under.

Brooks Koepka had a notable final day as his 65 was tied for the best score of the round. Koepka ended up at 10 under in a ninth-place tie. Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard also had 65, putting him at 11 under in a sixth-place tie with William Mouw (67) and Keith Mitchell (68).

–Field Level Media

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PALM BEACH GARDENS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Austin Eckroat won the weather-delayed Cognizant Classic by three strokes Monday to capture his first career PGA Tour title in the tour’s first event of the season in Florida.

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Eckroat was 15 under through seven holes Sunday when play was suspended due to darkness at PGA National’s Champion course. He added three birdies and a bogey on the back nine Monday morning to card a 4-under 67 for a winning score of 17-under 267.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen had been the leader in the clubhouse after finishing at 14 under on Sunday. He posted a final-round low of 63 and tied for second with Australia’s Min Woo Lee (final round 67).

Five players tied for fourth at 13 under, including rookie Jake Knapp (66), who was picked up his first career win at the Mexico Open at Vidanta last week. South Korea’s Kyoung-hoon Lee (66), Cameron Young (66), Ireland’s Shane Lowry (71) and England’s David Skinns (71) were also at 13 under.

–Field Level Media

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