Ahead of the 2026 Cognizant Classic, Billy Horschel complained about overseeding at PGA National through X.

Horschel pointed out that the PGA Tour has stated why the course shouldn’t be overseeded. But that’s in the course owner’s control. 

A day later, during the first round of the Cognizant Classic, Horschel expanded on his thoughts in front of the media. 

“That's just my comments,” he said. “It's nothing against the owners of PGA National. They've done a great job of hosting this event. Obviously, it's changed hands many times over the last decade, but they do a great job of putting on a good event.”

PGA National used to be one of the top-10 hardest courses. But over the last couple of years, according to Horschel, it has ranked in the top 30s. He put some blame on the wind. But it’s also one of the softest courses in the world. 

He noted, “That's just my take on it. It's not a shot at anyone." He further clarified that his comments were rather meant for someone who had earlier taken shots at the PGA, and just meant to clarify that things are not always in their hands.

Nevertheless, Horschel understood the reason behind the owners’ tendency to overseed their lawns.

And the reason is that they want the course to look pretty on the screens. Horschel and the others can certainly complain about it. But at the end of the day, the final decision lies with the owners. 

“This isn't just PGA National; it goes to a lot of courses that we play throughout the years.”

But Horschel wasn’t alone. Even Brooks Koepka seemed to have an issue with overseeding. 

Brooks Koepka Backed Billy Horschel Regarding the Overseeded Lawns

“I definitely think they (scores) will be lower just because of the overseed,” the five-time major champion said. 

“I think you saw last year with Jake, those scores are definitely possible. Not saying anybody is going to do it this year. They very well could, but it's definitely gotten easier.”

Last year, Jake Knapp scored a 59, setting the single-round record. But it was Joe Highsmith who actually set the course record with a 19-under 265 in 2025. 

Although Koepka and Horschel wouldn’t aim to hit a lower score, it’s going to be interesting to see how they fare through the next couple of rounds.

But do you think overseeding significantly affects golf play? Let us know in the comments

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Written by

Krushna Pattnaik

Edited by

Joyita Das