Some trademark short game wizardry kept Shane Lowry in touch with the leaders on Friday, but 24 hours later, it was problems on and around the greens that had him going the wrong direction on moving day.
Lowry came into the weekend trailing 36-hole leader Jake Knapp by four, and an uncharacteristically poor iron to the first left him short-sided and lead to an opening bogey. From there, he’d claim the shot back with a long two-putt on the par-5 third, but despite hitting every green in regulation from two onwards, made the turn at level-par having missed makeable birdie putts on six of the seven other holes.
Having laid up on the par-5 10th, he wedged to tap-in distance, and picked up another shot on the par-4 13th, again having stiffed an approach. But in between, he missed birdie putts from 15 and 9 feet, and then surrendered a shot on 14. He’d par his way home, but having ranked first in Strokes-Gained-Approach for the day, a one-under 70 was a disappointing return and he slipped back into a tie for 35th.
Jake Knapp kept his hopes of a wire-to-wire victory alive with a crucial birdie on the 18th hole, ensuring he will head into Sunday’s final round of the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach Gardens with a shot at a wire-to-wire victory.at PGA National with a one-stroke advantage.
Knapp, who stunned the field with an opening-round 59 – only the 15th sub-60 score in tour history – followed up with a one-under 70 on Friday and went two better on Saturday to keep his nose in front with Michael Kim in hot pursuit.
The day wasn’t without its struggles for Knapp, however, as two bogeys on the front nine left him one-over for the day at the turn and playing catch up for the first time all week.
The back nine began with two consecutive birdies, and he finished with a flourish, adding two more birdies on the 16th and 18th holes.
“A little bit all over the place. I feel like I played pretty solid. I kind of misjudged a few things and definitely made a few bad swings,” he commented.
“But overall, I think I gave myself a fair number of chances. It’s just a bit tougher out there right now. I did a good job of staying patient, taking what the course gave me, and trying to make a few putts fall.”
Although no player has ever won wire-to-wire at this course, Knapp’s exceptional opening round has put him in a position to make history. The 30-year-old feels confident in his ability to handle the pressure of being the front-runner.
“Yesterday it just felt kind of weird after playing so well on Thursday, when the ball was going exactly where you want it to,” Knapp explained. “You hit shots and not every one is perfect, so I had to manage my expectations and not get frustrated. I understand it’s a long week, and there are plenty of great players who can go low. I just have to stick to my game plan.”
One of those challengers is Michael Kim, who has displayed remarkable consistency throughout the tournament. His four-under-par 67 on Saturday marked his highest score of the week.
Kim also had a bit of luck on the 15th hole, where his tee shot veered towards the water. However, the ball bounced off a rock and landed on a muddy bank, allowing him to recover and make bogey.
“I thought it was a decent swing, but the wind pushed it way more than I expected,” Kim recalled. “When it hit the rocks, I was just waiting for the splash. I went over, and I was pleasantly surprised with the lie. I managed to get the ball on the green and two-putt for bogey.”
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