Golf fans at the Cognizant Classic don't seem to know much about tournament's title sponsor
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Decked in neon hats and tropical-printed polos designed for paradise, spectators stumbling around the Bear Trap at the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches knew they came to drink on Saturday.
Unsurprisingly, few fans in attendance knew who the new sponsor of the longtime Palm Beach County golf event was.
The venue of the Champions Course at PGA National remained, but the Honda Classic is no more after 18 years.
“Cognizant? Meaning you’re mentally aware of the situation?” Robert Diaz, age 29, asked.
The Lighthouse Pointe resident knew the definition of the word “cognizant,” but when it came to knowing Cognizant in relation to the tournament, Diaz was blunt.
“Oh, I don’t give a ____ about golf,” Diaz said.
“If we’re being very honest, I came here to drink for $93. It is what it is.”
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Miami residents Max and Marcus, ages 30 and 28, gave their best guess outside of the Tito’s Stillhouse Tent on No. 17.
“A software company?”
Friend of the group Scott, who was visiting from Massachusetts, described Cognizant as a company that “increases companies’ revenue by increasing their technology.”
Despite his attempt at an explanation, Scott came clean.
“I found out on the shuttle ride here,” he admitted.
In theory, the three were correct for a broader definition that summed up the services of the artificial intelligence-driven, global tech outsourcing and consulting provider.
Simultaneously, all three were unaware of what Cognizant was until the day of the tournament.
Some say the party at the 17th hole is a fun addition to the golf tournament. For others, it’s the main event.
Bella Touzos and a few of her friends waded through a sea of e-cigarette vapor and spilled booze to get to the center of the deck beyond what some say is one of the toughest holes to play on the course.
It’s where hundreds of people gather each year to drink and meet other fans.
Touzos is on vacation in Palm Beach Gardens from Boston with seven of her friends. It is her first time at Cognizant, but she said she liked the atmosphere so much that she wants to travel back to Florida for it in the future.
“I’m having so much fun,” said Touzos, 23. “I love the vibe, the weather is perfect and the drinks are good. I’m not a huge fan of golf, but I like it.”
Rowdy crowds have drawn complaints in the past
In the past, staff have complained about how rowdy and loud the party at the 17th hole gets while golfers try to find a moment of quiet to concentrate before taking their putts.
Touzos also said she had never heard of Cognizant, the IT company sponsoring the tournament for the first time, beforehand and didn’t know what it meant.
Carsette Wallace, 38, of West Palm Beach was also unsure of what it meant. She is a big fan of golf who religiously attends the Waste Management Phoenix Open tournament every year.
Said Wallace: “I guess we all should know what Cognizant is now.”
Emilee Smarr is a sports reporter for The Palm Beach Post. She can be reached via email at esmarr@gannett.com.
Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Cognizant Classic's hole No. 17 proves to be a party haven
