Bud Cauley made his sixth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th hole to take the outright lead at the Cognizant Classic when play was suspended Friday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Cauley’s bogey-free, 6-under 65 propelled him to 11-under 131 through two rounds at PGA National’s Champion course. He was one shot ahead of Austin Eckroat and South African Garrick Higgo when darkness fell with 13 players still on the course.
They will finish their rounds Saturday morning, with the cut line projected at 2 under.
Cauley, a 33-year-old from Florida, is making just his second start on tour since he missed three-plus years due to an ongoing battle with injuries. He’s playing on a major medical extension and entered the week ranked No. 1,258 in the world.
Higgo shot a 65 and Eckroat posted a 67 to form their tie for second. Taiwan’s Kevin Yu (67) and Frenchman Victor Perez (66) are tied for fourth at 9 under.
The group tied for sixth at 8 under includes Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (67), Ireland’s Shane Lowry (67), Cameron Young (69) and last week’s winner Jake Knapp (66).
Nick Dunlap, who won The American Express as an amateur in January and turned pro, made a hole-in-one at the par-3 seventh Friday — four holes after making an eagle. A string of bogeys meant he had to settle for a 70, but at 5 under he will safely make the cut.
–Field Level Media