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PALM BEACH GARDENS – Shane Lowry knows nobody is owed anything in golf. The luck of the Irish is an idiom, not a promise.
Still, if anyone deserves to win the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, it’s the once-burly Irishman. He has had three top-five finishes at PGA National in the last four years, including a heartbreaking runner-up finish to Sepp Straka in 2022 when a thunderstorm struck while Lowry was playing the 18th hole.
Lowry gave himself another opportunity to win – or come close – in the Cognizant with an 8-under 63 Saturday in benign conditions on the Champion course to share the third-round lead with Austin Smotherman (69) at 13-under 200.
“You don’t get everything you deserve in this game,” Lowry said. “I’ve had plenty of chances to win this tournament, and (Sunday) will be another one. I feel like I’m going to win this tournament at least once by the end of my career.”
More Cognizant Classic: Jack Nicklaus on future of PGA Tour event
PGA Tour officials made the astute decision to move tee times to the morning because of a bad forecast, and it was as accurate as Lowry’s putter. Nine minutes after play ended at 2:25 p.m. with Smotherman making birdie at 18 to tie Lowry, play would have been stopped because of an approaching storm.
The early play came with almost no wind, and the players pounced. There were 11 scores of 66 or lower and the field scoring average of 68.84 was almost three shots lower than the first two rounds.
Even the Bear Trap lost its teeth. The three-hole stretch from the 15th to 17th holes actually played collectively under par as what little wind was there was helping the players.
Lowry birdied six of his first 10 holes and closed with birdies on 17 and 18 to cap off his 63. Lowry will be trying to win his first PGA Tour title since the 2019 British Open (he paired with Rory McIlroy to win a team event in New Orleans in 2024).
“I needed to get off to a good start,” said Lowry, who started the day six shots behind Smotherman. “Then I started hitting the ball really well and giving myself lots of chances and converted a few. It was just a really nice, solid round of golf. Birdieing the last two was kind of the icing on the cake.”
It won’t be a Sunday stroll for Lowry. Four players are within a shot of the lead.
Smotherman may have three less PGA Tour titles and a major than Lowry, but the 31-year-old has shown grit with consecutive 69s after an opening 62. Smotherman also birdied the last two holes to get into the final pairing.
“Most excited for tomorrow,” said Smotherman, who’s playing in his 82nd PGA Tour event. “Hitting golf shots in front of all these fans and hearing people yelling your name and refocusing and trying to do it again the next shot, I think it's a fun challenge. I feel like I am ready.”
Nico Echavarria (66) and Taylor Moore (67) are tied for third, a shot behind the leaders. Both players have won on the PGA Tour and will be playing in the group in front of the leaders.
“Being one back, if you would tell me this on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I would take it,” Echavarria said.
Jimmy Stanger (65) is alone in fifth at 11-under, a shot ahead of Ricky Castillo (64) and A.J. Ewart (68). There are 11 players within five shots of the lead.
A major factor in the final round will be the wind coming from an opposite direction (the north) than Saturday. That will make the Bear Trap much tougher to navigate.
“They were playing downwind today, so you know it's an 8-iron on 15, it's 3-iron, 9-iron on 16; and it's a pitching wedge on 17,” Lowry said. “If the wind turns around and all of a sudden you're hitting 6-iron, 6-iron and 6-iron on those three holes, it becomes automatically two or three shots harder.”
Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, had a 2-under 69 to move to 4-under, tied for 32nd. He ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting, a good sign as he continues his return from LIV Golf.
“Today was by far the worst I hit it,” the West Palm Beach resident said. “The putter is starting to feel better. I’m excited about the way things are trending and I’m happy to be playing more golf.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Shane Lowry shares Cognizant Classic lead, eyes PGA Tour win
Continue reading...
Still, if anyone deserves to win the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, it’s the once-burly Irishman. He has had three top-five finishes at PGA National in the last four years, including a heartbreaking runner-up finish to Sepp Straka in 2022 when a thunderstorm struck while Lowry was playing the 18th hole.
Lowry gave himself another opportunity to win – or come close – in the Cognizant with an 8-under 63 Saturday in benign conditions on the Champion course to share the third-round lead with Austin Smotherman (69) at 13-under 200.
“You don’t get everything you deserve in this game,” Lowry said. “I’ve had plenty of chances to win this tournament, and (Sunday) will be another one. I feel like I’m going to win this tournament at least once by the end of my career.”
More Cognizant Classic: Jack Nicklaus on future of PGA Tour event
PGA Tour officials made the astute decision to move tee times to the morning because of a bad forecast, and it was as accurate as Lowry’s putter. Nine minutes after play ended at 2:25 p.m. with Smotherman making birdie at 18 to tie Lowry, play would have been stopped because of an approaching storm.
The early play came with almost no wind, and the players pounced. There were 11 scores of 66 or lower and the field scoring average of 68.84 was almost three shots lower than the first two rounds.
Even the Bear Trap lost its teeth. The three-hole stretch from the 15th to 17th holes actually played collectively under par as what little wind was there was helping the players.
Lowry birdied six of his first 10 holes and closed with birdies on 17 and 18 to cap off his 63. Lowry will be trying to win his first PGA Tour title since the 2019 British Open (he paired with Rory McIlroy to win a team event in New Orleans in 2024).
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“I needed to get off to a good start,” said Lowry, who started the day six shots behind Smotherman. “Then I started hitting the ball really well and giving myself lots of chances and converted a few. It was just a really nice, solid round of golf. Birdieing the last two was kind of the icing on the cake.”
It won’t be a Sunday stroll for Lowry. Four players are within a shot of the lead.
Smotherman may have three less PGA Tour titles and a major than Lowry, but the 31-year-old has shown grit with consecutive 69s after an opening 62. Smotherman also birdied the last two holes to get into the final pairing.
“Most excited for tomorrow,” said Smotherman, who’s playing in his 82nd PGA Tour event. “Hitting golf shots in front of all these fans and hearing people yelling your name and refocusing and trying to do it again the next shot, I think it's a fun challenge. I feel like I am ready.”
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Nico Echavarria (66) and Taylor Moore (67) are tied for third, a shot behind the leaders. Both players have won on the PGA Tour and will be playing in the group in front of the leaders.
“Being one back, if you would tell me this on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, I would take it,” Echavarria said.
Jimmy Stanger (65) is alone in fifth at 11-under, a shot ahead of Ricky Castillo (64) and A.J. Ewart (68). There are 11 players within five shots of the lead.
A major factor in the final round will be the wind coming from an opposite direction (the north) than Saturday. That will make the Bear Trap much tougher to navigate.
“They were playing downwind today, so you know it's an 8-iron on 15, it's 3-iron, 9-iron on 16; and it's a pitching wedge on 17,” Lowry said. “If the wind turns around and all of a sudden you're hitting 6-iron, 6-iron and 6-iron on those three holes, it becomes automatically two or three shots harder.”
Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, had a 2-under 69 to move to 4-under, tied for 32nd. He ranked 15th in Strokes Gained: Putting, a good sign as he continues his return from LIV Golf.
“Today was by far the worst I hit it,” the West Palm Beach resident said. “The putter is starting to feel better. I’m excited about the way things are trending and I’m happy to be playing more golf.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Shane Lowry shares Cognizant Classic lead, eyes PGA Tour win
Continue reading...
