The day after Joe Highsmith won the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches by two strokes and collected the $1,656,000 bonanza that goes with it, an elderly lady who plays the game asked a pointed question: "Who are these guys?" 

    'These guys' included Jacob Bridgeman, who finished tied for second with J. J. Spaun (each cashed in for $818,000), and Jake Knapp, who shot 59 on Thursday and was contending late Sunday until he took a water-logged triple bogey and wound up at 12 under. 

    There was a short list of the 'name' guys in the mix - Webb Simpson, Lucas Glover, Zach Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Matt Kuchar and Shane Lowry - but none of them were around down the stretch. It's been that way since the LIV guys took off for the bottomless money pit in the Middle East.

    Highsmith's victory was the stuff of which legends are made. He needed to can a five-foot putt on the final hole Friday to make the cut right on the line, then added a pair of 64s to come from way behind.

    The talk of the week was another great performance by Luke Clanton, the Florida State junior who is now ready - and eligible - to join the PGA Tour. Luke shot 67-66-70-69, 12 under par. If he had been eligible to cash, the others at minus 12 earned $117,606 each.

    The Seminole who did cash was Daniel Berger, whose 63-68-70-72 put him at 11 under, worth $73,271. It's the same score turned in by Gator veteran Billy Horschel, who shot 66-70-67-70. 

    The tour goes upstate this week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and Scottie Scheffler is the defending champ. Horschel and Berger will be there, but Jordan Spieth will not. Amazingly, he's the 7th alternate, while 'these guys' named Rafael Campos, Mackenzie Hughes, and Min Woo Lee have been given sponsors' exemptions. Doesn't make much sense to the lady in the first paragraph.     

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