Jake Knapp was 11 pictures worse than his opening spherical on the Cognizant Traditional however nonetheless stayed in entrance with a one-shot lead over Matthieu Pavon.
Knapp set a course document on the Champion Course in Florida’s Palm Seashore Gardens with a spherical of 59 to turn into simply the fifteenth participant to document a sub-60 spherical in PGA Tour historical past.
Nevertheless, he went 10 holes with no birdie in Friday’s second spherical and had a double bogey when his tee shot discovered the water. One among his higher pictures hit a sprinkler cap and bounced 40 yards away.
“I’ve by no means needed to observe up a 59 at a event earlier than. It is all new to me,” Knapp stated after his one-under 70.
“Yesterday, all the things was simply clicking ball-striking sensible, distance management felt actually good, was in a position to management flight and home windows. All that was excellent.”
Pavon, the Frenchman who gained at Torrey Pines final yr, shot a 64 and briefly had the lead till narrowly lacking a birdie on his final gap to complete one behind.
Daniel Berger, who grew up close to PGA Nationwide, went out in 31 to share the lead however did not make one other birdie the remainder of the best way. He fell again with a bogey during which he gouged one shot out of the muck and weeds on No 11 and did properly to restrict the injury.
Berger had a 68 and was at 11-under general, together with Michael Kim (66), Doug Ghim (63) and Jesper Svensson (67), to sit down two pictures off the lead in third.
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“I simply form of misplaced slightly steam on the again 9,” Berger stated. “I do not know if I did not eat sufficient meals and began to really feel slightly bit off there. However hit a foul nine-iron, plugged it within the hazard, and I really received away with one simply to make a bogey there.”
Former Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson confirmed sufficient recreation aged 49 to submit a 66 and joined Rickie Fowler (68) and Taylor Montgomery in tied-seventh, three pictures off chief Knapp.
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One participant who had motive to have a good time, together with shedding just a few tears, was Florida State junior Luke Clanton.
Clanton simply made the reduce with a five-under 66, giving him sufficient factors for the 21-year-old to get a PGA Tour card after the NCAA Championships on the finish of Could.
He already has two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour and a pair of different prime 10s, so is used to the large stage, and he has one other alternative this weekend.
Watch the Cognizant Traditional all through the weekend stay on Sky Sports activities Golf. Stay protection continues on Saturday from 3pm. Get Sky Sports activities or stream with no contract on NOW.
