Ryan Palmer will achieve a monumental feat as he tees off at the PGA National Members Club. He will make his 500th PGA Tour appearance at the 2024 Cognizant Classic. Although the field has notable names like Chris Kirk and Rory McIlroy, the focus has shifted to Palmer, who has been dedicated to the tour for over two decades.
He made his first appearance at the 1998 US Open as an amateur and two years later he turned pro and received his PGA Tour membership in 2004. Since then, he has been one of the most hardworking golfers. He has also won four titles with the most recent coming at the 2019 Zurich Classic. Now, apart from Palmer, another star who received limelight for coming back to the PGA event is Rory McIlroy.
24 time PGA Tour champ Rory McIlroy returns to the Cognizant Classic after five years
The last time the Northern Irishman played at the Cognizant Classic was when it had a different name. It was then known as the Honda Classic.
His last appearance was in 2018 and since then, he has skipped the tournament. Although Rory McIlroy won the event title in 2012 after defeating Tiger Woods, the North Irishman did not pay heed to returning to the PGA National.
Moreover, McIlroy was one of the first names to commit his presence this year at the PGA National Members Club and now the event has a different sponsor after four decades. As the four-time major winner was asked about his return, he said:
“It’s always good to come back to a tournament where you’ve won and had success before, and even better when it’s a bit of a home game. PGA National is a great test of golf and the fan support and incredible crowds make for an exciting atmosphere throughout the week for the players.”
This year, Rory McIlroy won the Dubai Desert Classic and is gearing up for the Masters to complete his grand slam. These PGA Tour events like Cognizant Classic only serve as practice sessions for him and they are to see how far he’s prepared for the major.
