Joe Highsmith won his maiden PGA Tour title after a remarkable turnaround over the final two rounds of the Cognizant Classic at PGA National in Florida.
The 24-year-old had to make a five-foot putt on the last just to make the halfway cut on Friday in Palm Beach Gardens, leaving him eight strokes back, only to charge up the leaderboard with an incredible weekend comeback.
Highsmith carded back-to-back seven-under par 64s to charge through the field and set the clubhouse target at 19 under, with the American’s final 36 holes the lowest in the tournament’s history and securing him a two-shot win.
He is the first player in nine years on the PGA Tour to win after making the cut on the number, following on from Brandt Snedeker’s 2016 Farmers Insurance Open success, with Rory McIlroy among the other players to have achieved it this century.
Highsmith described his bogey-free fourth round as “probably the best of my life”, with four birdies in five holes from the ninth the key to putting himself in contention.
In that same stretch of holes overnight leader Jake Knapp – chasing a wire-to-wire win – threw away his chance of winning after opting to play his ball out of the water at the par-four 11th, failing and subsequently carding a triple-bogey seven.
Highsmith eventually finished two clear of compatriots Jacob Bridgeman and JJ Spaun, who posted rounds of 64 and 66 respectively, with Max McGreevy and Ben Griffin three strokes back in a share of fourth.
Knapp – who carded a history-making 59 round on the opening day – ended in a share of sixth after a final-round 72, while Jordan Spieth finished in a share of ninth and Shane Lowry claimed tied-11th on 13 under.
Jake Knapp was looking to close out his second PGA Tour win in as many seasons
Highsmith’s victory means he will gain automatic entry into the remainder of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events this season, along with an invite to The Masters for his major debut next month and a place at the PGA Championship.
What’s next?
The PGA Tour stays in Florida for the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, held at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Scottie Scheffler returns as defending champion and Rory McIlroy is back in action.
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