Nico Echavarria carded a bogey-free, 5-under 66 to reach 17-under and win the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches by two strokes.

He led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee To Green (9.760) and made the fewest number of bogeys for the week (3), all in the second round.

“Feeling very excited, so happy,” said Echavarria. “We’ve put a lot of work. The lows have been low and the highs have been high, and this is a high for me. I can’t thank enough my team, my wife, my parents, my sponsors, everyone. They’ve been huge for me every step of the way. It’s thanks to them.

“To be honest, I didn’t think it was going to be possible with a three-shot lead that [Lowry] had. But at the same time, the Bear Trap played harder today than any of the other three days. It was playing into the wind. When that ball on 17 came up and it was pushed and the wind was taking it, I lost a lot of weight.

“The good thing is it was hit solid, so the push carried enough, but it didn’t even pitch on the green. It pitched a few inches off the green.

“But I’m happy it stayed there. Whenever you’re walking, we crossed all the bridge and we were walking to the green, my caddie told me, hey, that ball is — you’re putting for birdie now. It’s the easiest putt you can have on the green; let’s make this thing. I was only thinking of making the putt.

“I gave myself — I put a good read on it, and I just focused on where I wanted to start it, and that was it.”

This was the Colombian’s third PGA Tour title in his 94th start at 31. He is now exempt through 2028 with starts in The Players, Masters Tournament, PGA Championship and all Signature Events this season.

Echavarria had previously notched four missed cuts and one top-10 this season.

Taylor Moore signed for a 68 having made six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey at the par-4 6th to finish T2 at 15-under.

The American was one of two players to post four rounds in the 60s this week (Austin Smotherman). He earned a spot in next week’s Signature Event, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, via his No. 3 finish on the Aon Swing 5.

Overnight co-leaders Shane Lowry of Ireland and Austin Smotherman of the USA both carded 69s to tie for second place.

Lowry fired an eagle at the par-5 10 as well as four birdies to take the lead before making back-to-back double bogeys at the par-4 16th and par-3 17th while Smotherman made four birdies and two bogeys for his best finish in 82 starts on Tour.

American Ricky Castillo fired four birdies and one bogey for a 68 and finished fifth at 13-under, his third top-10 result in his 34th Tour start (T5/2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, 3rd/2025 RSM Classic, 5th/2026 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches).

Brooks Koepka of the United States made one bogey and recorded a 65 for a T9 finish at 10-under, his best finish in three starts this season since re-joining the PGA Tour through the Returning Member Program (T56/Farmers Insurance Open, MC/WM Phoenix Open).

Aon Swing 5

The top five players, not otherwise exempt, who earn the most FedExCup points during the Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Express, Farmers Insurance Open, WM Phoenix Open and Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches have qualified for the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.

Aon Next 10

The Aon Next 10 for the Arnold Palmer Invitational are determined by top ten FedExCup points earners, not already exempt, through the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

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