Nico Echavarria, a Colombian professional golfer, won his third career PGA Tour title on Sunday at the 2026 Cognizant Classic. He finished 17-under-par and held off a late challenge to win at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Echavarria’s win is a big deal for him and gives him a boost as the PGA Tour moves into the busiest part of its spring schedule in 2026.
A big change in the last round
Echavarria started the final round several strokes behind the early leaders, but he stayed calm and played well to win.
The Colombian shot a 66 in the last round, which included a key birdie on the par-3 17th hole that helped him take the lead.
Shane Lowry of Ireland was ahead by three shots for most of the day, but he fell behind late in the game when he made back-to-back double bogeys on holes 16 and 17.
This gave Echavarria the chance to take control and finish two strokes ahead of the rest of the field.
Taylor Moore and Austin Smotherman also finished tied for second, with a score of 15-under-par, the same as Lowry.
Echavarria’s career achievement
This win is Echavarria’s third on the PGA Tour. He had already won the 2023 Puerto Rico Open and the 2024 Baycurrent Classic.
Since turning pro in 2017, he has steadily built his professional career. His win on Sunday makes him one of the tour’s rising stars.
Prize Money and FedEx Cup Impact
The Cognizant Classic had a $9.6 million prize pool, and Echavarria won $1,728,000 as the champion.
His strong finish also improves his position in the FedEx Cup rankings, which is good for him as the PGA Tour gets ready for big events like the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship.
Lowry, Moore, and Smotherman all won a lot of money for finishing in the top spots, which shows how competitive the leaderboard was all week.
Lowry’s Final Round Collapse
One of the biggest stories of the day was Lowry’s fall at the end. The former Open Champion was in the lead for most of the last round, but he lost it after making two mistakes in a row on the tough 16th and 17th holes, where his tee shots went into the water hazards and he ended up with double bogeys.
Even though he was disappointed at the end, Lowry was able to tie for second place.
After the round, he admitted that the last stretch was hard and that it was hard to deal with the emotions of being so close to winning.
What This Means for the Rest of the Season
Echavarria’s win gives him a lot of momentum going into the middle of the PGA Tour season. This win could have big effects on his ranking and confidence levels, especially with big events and signature tournaments coming up.
Players are now looking forward to the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the 2026 Players Championship, where they expect more changes in the standings and stories.
Final Result: Cognizant Classic 2026
- Nico Echavarria won (–17)
- Shane Lowry, Taylor Moore, and Austin Smotherman all tied for second.
- Place: PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- The winner gets $1,728,000 from a $9.6 million purse.
