PGA Tour steps in with preferred lies rule as final round of Cognizant Classic faces rough weather

The PGA Tour has confirmed that “Preferred lies are in effect for the final round of the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.” The update came from PGA Tour Communications ahead of Sunday’s play at PGA National. The decision was made because of expected rain, wind, and possible lightning in the area. Weather reports show a 35% chance of rain between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., along with wind gusts up to 20 mph and a risk of lightning later in the afternoon.This move has once again sparked debate among fans. Many believe the preferred lies rule changes the challenge of the course. Still, officials felt they had little option given the conditions. With the final round set to decide the champion, the rule will allow players to lift, clean, and place their golf ball on closely mown areas if it plugs or sits in a poor lie caused by wet ground.The timing of the rule matters even more because of what happened on Saturday. Shane Lowry produced one of the best rounds of the week. The Irish golfer fired an 8-under 63 to jump to the top of the leaderboard. It was a clean round with no bogeys, and it pushed him into a share of the lead heading into Sunday.Lowry now sits alongside Austin Smotherman at the top. Lowry has long experience playing in windy conditions, especially from his years on links courses in Ireland. That could help him if the wind picks up at PGA National. Smotherman, 31, is chasing his first PGA Tour win. The new rule could help him if fairways get messy, but final-round pressure is a different test.The preferred lies rule is not new this season. It was also used during the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year when bad weather affected play. Still, fans have grown frustrated with how often it has appeared. Many point back to the TOUR Championship, where heavy rain forced officials to use preferred lies for three straight rounds. That decision led to loud criticism online, with some claiming the rule softened the course too much.The PGA Tour has not suggested the rule favors any specific player. The goal, according to officials in past events, is to keep the competition fair when weather damages the course. Whether fans agree or not, Sunday’s champion at the Cognizant Classic will now be decided under preferred lies conditions.