Knapp maintains lead at the Cognizant after 2 rounds
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The second round saw Jake Knapp maintain his dominance after his opening 12-under 59, carding a 5-under 66 to reach 17-under 125 through 36 holes, extending his lead to six shots. Knapp’s round featured steady play with birdies offsetting a lone bogey, navigating the par-71, 7,167-yard layout—including the treacherous “Bear Trap” (holes 15-17)—with precision, reinforcing his bid to go wire-to-wire in the $9.2 million event. His 125 total tied the tournament’s 36-hole record, showcasing his command in the Florida Swing opener.
Matthieu Pavon held solo second at 11-under after a 4-under 67, while Daniel Berger climbed to 10-under with a 6-under 65, joining Michael Kim (66) in a tie for third. Doug Ghim slipped to 8-under with a 70, fading from contention. Defending champion Austin Eckroat posted another 5-under 66, moving to 10-under and into the top five, keeping his title defense alive. Jordan Spieth, after a 6-under 65 on Thursday, struggled with a 2-under 69, dropping to 8-under, still in the mix but needing a weekend surge. Shane Lowry improved to 9-under with a 5-under 66, while Rickie Fowler (68) and Russell Henley (70) lagged at 3-under and 2-under, respectively, facing a fight to make the cut.
Conditions remained breezy but scorable, with the cut projected at 2-under, trimming the 144-player field for the weekend. The “Bear Trap” continued to challenge, though Knapp and others tamed it effectively. Coverage ran on PGA Tour Live via ESPN+ from 6:45 a.m. ET and Golf Channel from 2-6 p.m. ET, highlighting Knapp’s pursuit of his second PGA Tour win against a field featuring 16 top-50 ranked players.
With two rounds left, Knapp’s lead loomed large, but the Champion Course’s history of late drama—especially around its water-laden closing stretch—kept the chasing pack, including Eckroat and hometown favorite Berger, in contention for the 500 FedExCup points at stake.