Joe Highsmith Wins Maiden PGA Tour Title At Cognizant Classic After Making Cut On The Number

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the final round of the 2025 Cognizant Classic at PGA National Resort in Florida.

With one of the most tightly-packed leaderboards in recent times, an increasingly difficult golf course and blustery weather conditions on show, we are sure for a fascinating end to this week's PGA Tour event.

The leaders are just about to tee off, so all that's left to say is thank you for tuning in and enjoy the ride until a winner is crowned!

LUKE ON THE MOVE

One of the big movers of the day so far is Luke Clanton, who began the day six behind overnight leader Jake Knapp. He's currently T5 just two behind Knapp. However, he's on the 14th hole while Knapp has just got started. The leader is looking for his second PGA Tour win after victory at the 2024 Mexico Open.

GHIM FOR THE WIN?

Right behind Knapp on the leaderboard is Doug Ghim. He's yet to win on the PGA Tour - or at any point in his professional career for that matter. Could this be the day that changes? He's off to an encouraging start, with a birdie at the first before making par at the second.

And just like that, Ghim joins Knapp at the top with a birdie at the third!

TIED AT THE TOP

Knapp has a long birdie putt on the second as he attempts to shake off Doug Ghim at the top of the leaderboard. It doesn't quite have the legs, though. He makes no mistake with the par putt and remains at 16-under heading to the par-5 third.

TIGHT LEADERBOARD

It's safe to say things are congested towards the business end of the leaderboard, with six players three off the lead, another three two off the lead, five more within one after Doug Ghim makes a bogey at the fourth and Jake Knapp at the top!

SPIETH ON THE CHARGE

One player who has flown under the radar so far this week is three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth. Don't write off his chances just yet, though. He makes a birdie on the ninth to join a host of players at 13-under, three behind leader Jake Knapp. Could he make a back-nine run for his first PGA Tour win since the 2022 RBC Heritage?

KIM AND KNAPP SETTING THE PACE

Now it's Michael Kim's turn to keep Knapp company at the top of the leaderboard. He moves to 16-under with a confident birdie putt on the third that finds the center of the hole from eight feet. If that ruffles Knapp, it doesn't show as he matches the feat seconds after to move back into the solo lead at 17-under.

CLOSE FOR KNAPP BUT LEAD STAYS AT ONE

At the fourth, there's a chance for Jake Knapp to move two ahead of Michael Kim at the top as he puts his second shot to within 12 feet of the hole for a birdie chance. Kim's not as successful. His ball lands on the green before trickling off the back to leave a far more difficult proposition.

Kim's first, putting from way out, only to find his birdie chance disappear as it breaks right past the hole. Knapp then gets closer, but it runs out of steam, stubbornly refusing to find the extra inch or so it needs to drop.

ONTO THE FIFTH

Onto the par-3 fifth, Knapp finds the center of the green, but with 44 feet to go, that's going to take some doing if he's to make birdie here. With the door ajar for Kim, he doesn't exactly force it open, leaving his tee shot to the left of the green and another 46 feet for birdie.

COSTLY FOR KIM

Onto the par-3 fifth, Knapp finds the center of the green, but with 44 feet to go, that's going to take some doing if he's to make birdie here. With the door ajar for Kim, he doesn't exactly force it open, leaving his tee shot to the left of the green and another 46 feet for birdie.

Knapp's birdie attempt is excellently judged, but it just fades at the last. Kim then hits his effort too hard and it keeps on going beyond the hole. Kim then misses his par attempt right to fall two off the lead.

Further on, Jacob Bridgeman completes his third successive birdie at the 15th to move one behind Knapp at 16-under.

END OF A MEMORABLE WEEK FOR CLANTON

Luke Clanton has had a hugely satisfactory week. On Friday he secured his PGA Tour card by making the cut, and he's just completed a final round of 69 to finish on 12-under. The Florida State player continues to impress on the PGA Tour and we'll surely be seeing a lot more of him towards the top of leaderboards in the future.

HENLEY JOINS KNAPP IN THE LEAD!

If Jake Knapp is to close out his second PGA Tour win, it seems increasingly likely he'll have to shake off a seasoned campaigner to do it. Four-time PGA Tour winner Russell Henley is now level with Knapp at 17-under after this third birdie of the day at the seventh.

SETBACK FOR HENLEY

At the eighth, co-leader Russell Henley has 10 feet to make par. It looks good, but... is that heading a touch right? Sadly for the 35-year-old, the answer is "yes" as it lips out, taking his status at the top of the leaderboard with it.

STEADY FROM KNAPP

Knapp has another birdie look at the eighth from around 25 feet heading downhill.

Like much of his time on the greens so far today, it's fine - but not much more. It stops a foot or so left, leaving a near-certain par, but not the chance to extend his lead.

Right after, Jacob Bridgeman completes his round of 64 with a birdie to move level with Knapp.

LUCKY BREAK FOR JAKE

A the par-4 ninth, Knapp's tee shot over water gets a lucky break when his ball bounces of a tree trunk and lands just to the left of the fairway. Then he has a nice approach shot to leave another birdie chance, albeit from 41 feet.

MIXED BAG FOR KNAPP

At the par-4 ninth, Knapp's tee shot over water gets a lucky break when his ball bounces of a tree trunk and lands just to the left of the fairway. Then he has a nice approach shot to leave another birdie chance, albeit from 41 feet.

While he's contemplating that, Joe Highsmith joins him in the lead with a birdie at the 11th. How can Knapp respond? Sadly for him, not in kind as his chance misses right. It's tight at the top!

KNAPP BIRDIES EVENTFUL 10TH

After Henley birdies the 10th to once again become joint leader, another of the players at the top of the leaderboard, Jake Knapp, finds the left of the fairway with his tee shot at the 10th.

Facing an approach shot some 209 yards from the hole, his body language doesn't look great and a few seconds later, you can see why, as his ball flies into a gallery to the right, lodging itself in the structure. He gets a free drop and takes his third from the right rough, 49 yards from the hole, and his next shot lands within six feet. That leaves an eventful birdie opportunity, and he takes it, moving to 18 under and in the outright lead again.

Soon after, Joe Highsmith then joins him at the top with a birdie at the 13th.

DISASTER AT THE 11TH FOR THE CO-LEADER

The drama continues for Knapp at the 11th. After a beautiful tee shot leaves him with 153 yards to go, his approach over a lake to the green fails to make it up the bank.

Meanwhile, at the 12th, Henley is in a greenside bunker with a proper fried egg and barely makes it out with his effort. He fails to hole his par putt from it meaning he'll fall at least another shot behind.

Back with Knapp and there are shades of Jean van de Velde at the 1999 Open as he has his right shoe off and his pant leg rolled up with his foot in the water as he tries to salvage the situation. Oh, no! It doesn't make it out. Off he goes again. This time it's on the bank, but this is proving costly...

WHAT A TURNAROUND AT THE TOP

The upshot of Knapp's disastrous dalliance with the water at the 11th is he makes a triple bogey that moves him into the pack. That leaves him three off Joe Highsmith at the top of the leaderboard.

UNLIKELY OPENING FOR JOE HIGHSMITH

You have to fee for Jake Knapp after his calamity at the 11th, but PGA Tour golf is notoriously unforgiving, and his misfortune gives Joe Highsmith an unlikely chance of victory. He only made the cut on the number, but he finds himself one ahead of Ben Griffin and Jacob Bridgeman with four to play!

KNAPP ALMOST BACK ON TRACK

Fair play, Jake Knapp! Lesser players would have fallen to pieces after that oh so costly experience at the 11th. Still, despite falling three behind the leader after a triple bogey, he almost salvages something with a long birdie chance at the 12th. Alas, it heads narrowly left but that's a warning to the others that he's not giving this one up without a big fight.

THE LEADER FACES THE BEAR TRAP

Joe Highsmith now has a chance to fully take advantage of Knapp's earlier problem. So, what's just about the last thing you need as you eye the chance of your maiden PGA Tour win? How about one of the most notorious stretches in golf, The Bear Trap?

He comes through the first of its three-hole test well enough, making par at the 15th...

UNLUCKY FOR THE LEADER

On the par-4 16th - and the second of The Bear Trap - Highsmith finds the green in two to leave a 35-foot birdie chance. That would stretch his lead to two.

He's been putting beautifully all day, so you certainly wouldn't put it past him. Off it goes downhill... is it going in? No! It grazes the right edge of the hole and frustratingly stays out.

JOE HIGHSMITH STRETCHES HIS ADVANTAGE

Two down, one to go. Joe Highsmith faces the last of The Bear Trap's considerable challenges at the par-3 17th, which features a carry over water. Just what you need when you're looking for a maiden PGA Tour win...

He doesn't need to do anything fancy here... and he doesn't, placing his tee shot using his 7-iron to the right of the flag. That should lead to a par at the very least.

It's better than that - he drains it from 20 feet to move two ahead.

MATURE PERFORMANCE FROM THE LEADER

On his 18th, Joe Highsmith - playing in just his 34th PGA Tour event - is approaching the task at hand like a pro with dozens of big finishes under his belt. After finding the fairway with his first two, he's on the green with his third. There's nothing spectacular about any of this, but leading by two, he's determined to hold on to what he has, with a chance of extending his lead.

His birdie putt is from 47 feet downhill. It goes right but the pace is excellent. That'll be a par to send him back to the clubhouse on 19-under.

HIGHSMITH ON THE BRINK OF MAIDEN PGA TOUR WIN!

The state of play is that leader Joe Highsmith is back in the clubhouse with a two-shot advantage over two others who have finished on 19-under.

Still on the course is Ben Griffin, on 16-under, who is on the 18th and not likely to trouble him. Russell Henley is also three back heading to the 18th and all but out of contention too.

Short of an albatross from either Griffin or Henley, that leaves Jake Knapp and Michael Kim each on 15-under with three to complete and the only ones who can spoil Highsmith's big moment. Frankly, it's not looking likely as neither has looked like making a charge, and Knapp's triple-bogey at the 11th in particular looks like coming back to haunt him.

JOE HIGHSMITH WINS COGNIZANT CLASSIC!

There are still four players on the course in the Cognizant Classic, but Joe Highsmith has won the event as none of the remaining players can catch him. For Highsmith, it's his maiden PGA Tour title and he's now in the remaining signature events this season as well as The Masters!