Jake Knapp continues to command the spotlight at the Cognizant Classic, maintaining a one-shot lead after a challenging second round at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Despite suffering an 11-shot setback from his remarkable opening round of 59, Knapp managed to shoot a 1-under 70 on Friday, keeping him slightly ahead of Matthieu Pavon.
Knapp’s impressive performance on Thursday included an astounding 12 birdies, marking the 15th round of 59 or lower in PGA Tour history. He opened his second round with a birdie, but the day proved more difficult. As Knapp faced tougher conditions with stronger winds, he reflected on his previous day’s success, stating,
"Yesterday, everything was just clicking ball-striking wise, distance control felt really good, was able to control flight and windows. All that was perfect."
Pavon, who had a stellar day with a score of 64, briefly took the lead before finishing just one stroke behind Knapp. The competition intensified as Jordan Spieth also made his presence felt, sinking a dramatic 50-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole. Spieth added the Cognizant Classic to his schedule after not receiving a sponsor exemption for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
In addition to the battle for the top spots, Daniel Berger, a local favorite who grew up near PGA National, shot a solid 68 on Friday and sits at 11-under 131. Berger started strong with a front nine score of 31 but struggled to maintain momentum during the back nine, admitting,
"I just kind of lost a little steam on the back nine."
Berger's performance was dampened by difficulties on the par-5 18th hole, where he found himself in a bunker off the tee and was unable to reach the green in two shots.
Florida State junior Luke Clanton also made headlines with an impressive 5-under 66, easily making the cut and putting himself in contention for a coveted PGA Tour card. Clanton is now just four shots behind the leaders and has accumulated enough points to secure a PGA Tour card after the NCAA Championships.
Zach Johnson, the former Ryder Cup captain, joined Rickie Fowler and Taylor Montgomery at an aggregate score of 132 after shooting a solid 66 on Friday. The windy conditions presented additional challenges for all competitors, making scoring particularly difficult.
As the tournament progresses into its final rounds, all eyes will be on Knapp as he strives to hold off challengers like Pavon and Spieth, while other contenders look to capitalize on any opportunities presented by the fluctuating leaderboard.
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