Palm Tree Causes Chaos for Daniel Berger at Cognizant Classic, But He Pulls Off Incredible Par Save
Palm Beach Gardens, FL – February 28, 2025
In a bizarre moment at the Cognizant Classic, Daniel Berger found himself in an unusual predicament when a palm tree nearly derailed his round. The incident occurred on the par-4 6th hole at PGA National, where Berger’s tee shot veered slightly right—only to get lodged in the towering palm tree, leaving him in a tough spot.
For several minutes, Berger, his caddie, and rules officials scanned the tree, trying to identify his ball. With no clear visual confirmation, he was forced to declare it lost, resulting in a penalty and a return to the tee box.
Despite the setback, Berger remained composed. His second attempt off the tee was much cleaner, landing safely in the fairway. From there, he hit a precise approach shot to about 10 feet and drained the putt for an incredible bogey save—turning what could have been a disastrous hole into a mere one-shot penalty.
The moment quickly went viral, with fans and commentators marveling at Berger’s ability to recover from such an unlucky break. Social media exploded with jokes about the palm tree playing defense, while golf analysts praised his mental toughness.
Berger, a Florida native, took it all in stride. “I guess the palm trees here don’t like me much,” he said with a smile after the round. “But hey, I’ll take a bogey after all that.”
His ability to shake off adversity helped keep him in contention as the tournament progressed. While the palm tree may have tried to throw him off his game, Berger’s resilience proved he wasn’t going to be swayed so easily.
More to Come
The Cognizant Classic continues this weekend at PGA National, with a strong leaderboard and unpredictable moments like Berger’s ensuring plenty of excitement for fans. Stay tuned for more updates from the tournament.