A top priority for players at PGA Tour events is to make a 36-hole cut, even if they do so on the cut line.
After that, anything happens.
Ask Joe High Smith, who cut the numbers with a 5-under par. He then won the Cognizant Classic at Palm Beach, the first PGA Tour title of his young career. He is also the first player in nine years. After making a cut, you win the PGA Tour event As for the number, Brandt Snedeker last did that at 2016's Farmers Insurance Open.
Highsmith, who co-played for Pepperdine alongside Sahith Theegala, fired a 7-under 64 for a back-to-back Saturday and Sunday. He makes 230 feet worth of putts over the weekend and makes it seemingly everything.
This all came after Highsmith revealed he had a “poor warm-up” before Saturday's third round. However, it did not foresee any future. Instead, Highsmith can book a trip to Augusta National and Quail Hollow for the PGA Championship, as Joe Lacava IV is caddying for him. He is also eligible for each remaining signing event and has secured status on the next two seasons of PGA Tour.
Cognizant Classic Final Leaderboard & Payout:
1. Joe Highsmith-19 – $1,656,000
T2. JJ Spaun -17 – $818,800
T2. Jacob Bridgeman-17 – $818,800
T4. Max McGreevy -16 – $414,000
T4. Ben Griffin-16 – $414,000
T6. Russell Henry-15 – $310,500
T6. Michael Kim-15 – $310,500
T6. Jake Knapp-15 – $310,500
T9. Erik Van Rooyen -14 – $259,900
T9. Jordan Spieth-14 – $259,900
T11. Blythe Garnet-13 – $184,986
T11. Shane Laurie-13 – $184,986
T11. Andrew Putnam-13 – $184,986
T11. Min Woo Lee -13 – $184,986
T11. Sepp Straka -13 – $184,986
T11. Max Greyserman -13 – $184,986
T11. Doug Ghim -13 – $184,986
T18. Patrick Rogers-12 – $117,607
T18. Alex Smarley-12 – $117,607
T18. Victor Perez-12 – $117,607
T18. Matti Schmid -12 – $117,607
T18. Doug Ghim -12 – $117,607
T18. Ricky Fowler-12 – $117,607
T18. Nicolai Højgaard-12 – $117,607
T25. Charlie Hoffman-11 – $73,272
T25. Billy Horchel-11 – $73,272
T25. Ricky Fowler-11 – $73,272
T25. Niklas Norgaard -11 – $ 73,272
T25. Daniel Berger-11 – $73,272
T25. Rico Wheele-11 – $ 73,272
T25. Taylor Montgomery-11 – $73,272
T25. Ryan Gerald-11 – $73,272
T32. Ryan Gerald-10 – $52,638
T32. Brian Herman-10 – $52,638
T32. Joel Dermen-10 – $52,638
T32. Jang Kim-10 – $52,638
T32. Beau Hossler -10 – $52,638
T32. Vince Wheely-10 – $52,638
T32. Jesper Svensson -10 – $52,638
T32. Quade Cummins -10 – $52,638
T39. Karl Vilips -9 – $41,860
T39. Isaiah Salinda-9 – $41,860
T39. Michael Thorbjornsen -9 – $41,860
T42. Zach Johnson -8 – $33,580
T42. Keith Mitchell-8 – $33,580
T42. Christian Bezuidenhout -8 – $33,580
T42. Matthieu Pavon -8 – $33,580
T42. Taylor Moore-8 – $33,580
T42. Jackson Suber-8 – $33,580
T48. Sam Rider-7 – $23,806
T48. Brian Campbell-7 – $23,806
T48. Rikuya Hoshino -7 – $23,806
T48. Denny McCarthy-7 – $23,806
T48. Davis Riley-7 – $23,806
T48. Sami Valimaki -7 – $23,806
T48. Patrick Fishburne-7 – $23,806
T48. Matt McCarty -7 – $23,806
T56. Matt Kuchar -6 – $21,252
T56. Chris Kirk-6 – $21,252
T56. Bud Cauley -6 – $21,252
T56. Kris Ventura -6 – $21,252
T56. Ricky Castillo-6 – $21,252
61. Jhonattan Vegas -4 – $20,700
T62. Antoine Rosner-3 – $20,424
T62. Ben Polland -3 – $20,424
T64. Greyson Sigg -2 – $20,148
T65. Matthew Riedel-1 – $19,872
T65. Francesco Molinari -1 – $19,872
67. TomHoge E – $19,596
68. AlejandroTosti+2 – $19,412
Jack Mirco is a golf staff writer who plays SB Nation. Follow him with x @jack_milko.
