Irish Golfer Lowry Ties for Lead at Florida Tournament After Stellar Round

Shane Lowry from Ireland fired an impressive 8-under-par 63 to tie for the lead at the Cognizant Classic in Florida. The golfer shares the top spot with Austin Smotherman heading into Sunday's final round.

Irish golfer Shane Lowry delivered a spectacular performance Saturday, carding an 8-under-par 63 that propelled him into a tie for first place at the Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Lowry now shares the top position with Austin Smotherman, who entered Saturday as the tournament leader after two rounds. Smotherman had a chance to maintain his solo lead when he faced an eagle opportunity from less than 16 feet on his final hole, but the putt came up short and he settled for a birdie, finishing with a 69 for the day.

Both golfers head into Sunday’s championship round at PGA National’s Champion Course with matching scores of 13-under-par 200.

Trailing by just one shot are Taylor Moore, who posted a 67 Saturday, and Colombia’s Nico Echavarria, who turned in a 66.

Lowry’s outstanding round included six birdies through his first 10 holes, and he capped off his day with additional birdies on his final two holes.

The 31-year-old Smotherman is seeking his inaugural PGA Tour victory. His recent form has been inconsistent, as he failed to make the cut in three of his four tournaments earlier this season.

Echavarria played flawlessly Saturday, recording a clean round without any bogeys, positioning himself well for what would be his third PGA Tour championship.

Several other players remain within striking distance. Jimmy Stanger sits at 11-under after shooting a 65, while Ricky Castillo (64) and Canada’s A.J. Ewart (68) are positioned at 10-under. Joel Dahmen trails the leaders by four strokes following his 68.

Stanger’s Saturday round was much steadier than Friday’s roller-coaster performance. After recording a bogey on the second hole, he collected seven birdies over his remaining holes, a stark contrast to Friday’s wild round that featured two eagles and two double-bogeys.

Last year’s champion Joe Highsmith struggled significantly, shooting 76 and finding himself in 67th place at 5-over-par.

Tournament officials moved Saturday’s tee times up by several hours due to anticipated weather issues later in the afternoon. Players started from both the first and 10th tees to accommodate the schedule change.