Shane Lowry heads into the weekend just five shots off the lead after Jake Knapp could only add a 70 to his opening 59 in the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
Knapp made a curling 15 footer for birdie on his final hole to lead by one stroke from France’s Matthieu Pavon on 13-under.
“I’ve never had to follow up a 59 at a tournament before,” Knapp said. “It’s all new to me.
“Yesterday, everything was just clicking ball-striking wise, distance control felt really good, was able to control flight and windows. All that was perfect.”
After making 12 birdies on Thursday, Knapp followed an opening birdie at the 10th with a bogey at the 16th, then birdied the third and fourth before finding water from the tee en route to a double bogey six at the sixth.
He repaired some of the damage with that birdie at the ninth and wasn’t worried about his game.
“A couple of wayward shots, but nothing too concerning,” he said.
Pavon, who won the Farmers Insurance Open last year, started eagle-birdie-birdie on the back nine and briefly held the lead before signing for a 64 that left him alone in second on 12-under.
Daniel Berger (68) was tied for third with Michael Kim (66), Doug Ghim (63) and DP World Tour graduate Jesper Svensson (67) on 11-under.
Lowry was just five behind, tied for 15th on eight-under after chipping in for birdies at the sixth and seventh in a 68.
“Yes, I didn’t hit the ball as well as I would have liked, but I think eight-under for two rounds around here is pretty good, even though the leaders or leader is a decent ways ahead,” Lowry said
“There’s a lot of golf to play this weekend, and I think even I’ve seen this morning the course is firming up, and it will firm up as the week goes on and it won’t be as easy.
“I’m very happy with the position I’m in.”
Seamus Power shot 72 and missed the five-under par cut by four strokes.
At the LPGA Tour’s HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore, Leona Maguire rediscovered her putting touch and made five birdies in a three under 69 to move up to 35th on one-over.
She’s 11 strokes behind New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, who shot 68 to lead by a shot on 10-under from England’s Charley Hull, who also shot 68.
Meanwhile, Sara Byrne fired a five-under 67 on her Epson Tour debut to get her bid for an LPGA card off to the perfect start.
Byrne made seven birdies to end the day tied for third in the Central Florida Championship at Winter Haven, just two shots behind leader Savannah Carlson.
With LPGA cards on offer for the top 10 in the final rankings on the second-tier US Tour, the Cork star was thrilled but also fully aware she has a long season ahead.
“I feel really happy with that round and a great start,” she said. “I felt really good out there, and honestly, I could’ve hit the ball a little better, so I’m happy with that day.
“It is only the first round of approximately 60 rounds on the Epson Tour this year, so I’m just really happy with the start, but there is a long year still ahead!”
