Cognizant Classic: Smotherman Sets the Pace with Record-Tying Round
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Austin Smotherman delivered a spectacular performance at the Cognizant Classic, carding a 9-under 62 to seize a one-stroke lead after the first round. This remarkable score matched the best of his career and marked a significant turnaround from his previous, unremarkable appearance at the tournament in 2022.
Smotherman joins an exclusive club, becoming the seventh player to shoot 62 or better at PGA National during this event. The previous record-holders include Jake Knapp (59 in 2025), Matt Jones (61 in 2021), Brian Harman (61 in 2012), Chris Kirk (62 in 2023), Brandon Hagy (62 in 2021), and the legendary Tiger Woods (62 in 2012).
A Course Transformed
“It was a pretty easy round,” Smotherman remarked, “on a golf course that shouldn’t be this easy.” Indeed, the current conditions at PGA National are a hot topic of discussion. The course has undergone overseeding – a process of adding rye to the Bermuda grass – resulting in a lusher, greener appearance, and crucially, a softer playing surface.
This overseeding has undeniably altered the challenge of PGA National. Historically, the course presented a more formidable test. Mark Wilson won the tournament’s inaugural year on this course with a score of 5 under, and for many years, winners typically finished under 10-under par. However, recent winning scores demonstrate a trend towards lower scores: 12 under, 10 under, 14 under, 17 under, and 19 under.
Billy Horschel, who shot a 2-under 69 on Thursday, commented, “This is a really good golf course. It’s a very fair golf course. When it blows hard, it’s a challenge, and when it’s sort of benign like it is today, it’s gettable.” He also acknowledged the impact of course maintenance, stating, “A few years ago the rough was longer and then they started cutting it down and then they overseeded the golf course.”
Horschel expressed a preference for the more challenging PGA National of years past, while acknowledging the balance between course setup and owner preferences. “I understand we are using a golf course that we don’t own a lot of times, and sometimes we’re at the discretion of what the owner wants to do,” he explained. “Obviously we give our opinion of what we think is best for the golf course.”
Canadian Contingent in the Mix
Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., delivered a strong performance, finishing at 3-under 68 and tying for ninth place. Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., and A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., both carded even-par 71s, tying for 52nd. Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., finished at 1-over, tied for 68th, while Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., was tied for 82nd at 2-over. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., sits in a tie for 108th at 4-over.
Smotherman’s Surge
Smotherman’s round was highlighted by an incredible run of six consecutive birdies on holes 7 through 12, culminating in a birdie on the par-5 finishing hole. This marked the second time he’s shot a 62 on the PGA Tour, having previously achieved the score in the first round of the Bermuda Championship in October 2022.
Despite holding a first-round lead before at the 2023 Mexico Open, Smotherman is yet to secure a victory in his 81 PGA Tour starts. Adding an intriguing element to his game this week, he’s opted to play without a line on his ball, focusing on a more intuitive putting stroke. “Trying to just be a little bit more freeing with the stroke…see the line, kind of let it just be external…and just trust that I’m pretty good at just aiming in the general vicinity,” he explained.
Nico Echavarria shot a 63 in the morning draw, but no other player could match Smotherman’s blistering pace.
