Austin Smotherman leads by three at Cognizant Classic
Austin Smotherman leads by three at Cognizant Classic
Field Level MediaSat, February 28, 2026 at 12:14 AM UTC
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Feb 27, 2026; Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA; Austin Smotherman walks off of the third green during the second round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images (Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images)
Austin Smotherman will carry a three-stroke lead into the weekend at the Cognizant Classic at The Palm Beaches.
Smotherman followed his opening 62 with a 2-under-par 69 on Friday at PGA National's Champion Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. That brought him to 11 under, comfortably clear of Taylor Moore, who is in second after his second straight 4-under 67.
Smotherman, 31, is in fine position for his first win on the PGA Tour since turning pro a decade ago. He has won three times on the Korn Ferry Tour, including last June.
He suffered three bogeys Friday after a bogey-free opening round, but the key stretch for him after starting on the back nine was between Nos. 17 and 3. He birdied four holes in that stretch, starting with a 54-foot bomb at the par-3 17th hole.
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Canadian A.J. Ewart had the round of the day, a 64 that powered him to 7 under for the week. He's tied with Colombia's Nico Echavarria (72), and Joel Dahmen is in fifth at 6 under after a second consecutive 68.
Irishman Shane Lowry, one of the most recognizable players in the field, is in a large knot for sixth at 5 under after posting a 67. Defending champion Joe Highsmith made the cut on the number at even par.
Notable players who missed the cut included Webb Simpson (1 over), Gary Woodland (2 over), Matt Kuchar (2 over) and Canada's Adam Hadwin (3 over).
--Field Level Media
Source: “AOL Sports”
