Shane Lowry carded a bogey-free, 8-under 63 to reach 13-under and take a share of the lead at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches. He leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach The Green (9.090).

“Everything went pretty well, especially early on,” said Lowry. “I hit the ball in the fairway a lot yesterday, and I missed a few fairways early today, but I holed a few nice putts at the start. Then I started hitting the ball really well and giving myself lots of chances and converted a few and I felt like it was just a really nice solid round of golf. Birdieing the last two was kind of the icing on the cake.

“My goal going out today was to get myself in the last two groups going out tomorrow. You want to be near the leaders, keep an eye on them and see what they’re doing. If the conditions are like this tomorrow, there is low scores out there, so someone could come from the pack. It’s not necessarily easy to lead around this golf course. There’s a lot of very difficult shots.

“But yeah, I’m up there where I want to be. I’ve had a few chances to win this tournament, and hopefully I can convert it tomorrow.”

This marks the Irishman’s sixth 54-hole lead/co-lead on the PGA Tour in his 208th career start (T2/2016 US Open; Won/2019 Open Championship; T4/2024 Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches; 3rd/2024 Arnold Palmer Invitationa; T2/2025 Truist Championship).

Lowry seeks his fourth career Tour victory and his first since the 2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans with playing partner Rory McIlroy (2019 Open Championship, 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational).

He started his season with back-to-back top-25 finishes (T8/AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am;T24/The Genesis Invitational) and entered the week No. 32 in the FedExCup standings.

American Austin Smotherman retained his share of the lead having carded a 69 featuring five birdies and three bogeys for his first 54-hole lead/co-lead on Tour in his 82nd career start. He leads all players with 19 total birdies this week; next best: 18/Shane Lowry.

This year marks his fourth season as a PGA Tour member and first since 2024 (finished 169th in FedExCup Fall standings). In 81 career starts he has had four top-10 finishes (best: T5, 2023 VidantaWorld Mexico Open).

He finished No. 3 on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour Points List to earn his 2026 PGA Tour membership where, in four starts this season, Smotherman has recorded three missed cuts and one top-10 (T8/The American Express).

Colombian Nico Echavarria recorded a bogey-free 66 to sit in T3 one shot behind the co-leaders.

American Taylor Moore is also tied at 12-under having made one bogey for a third consecutive 67.

Aon Swing 5

The Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches marks the final opportunity for players to earn FedExCup points towards the Aon Swing 5 and Aon Next 10 with entry into the next Signature Event: Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.

The top five players, not otherwise exempt, who earn the most FedExCup points during the Sony Open in Hawaii, The American Express, Farmers Insurance Open, WM Phoenix Open and Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches will qualify for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Aon Next 10

The Aon Next 10 for the Arnold Palmer Invitational will be determined by top ten FedExCup points earners, not already exempt, through the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.

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