Bud Cauley leads, Thomas Detry scuffles at Cognizant Classic

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Bud Cauley leads the PGA Tour. This might not have seemed likely a few years ago.

Cauley, who was seriously injured in a car accident in 2018 and is playing in a tour event for only the third time in nearly 4 1/2 years, shot a 6-under 65 Friday at PGA National to take a lead in one stroke after 36 holes of the tournament. Conscious classic.

Cauley has 11 birdies and no bogeys over his last 27 holes. He made a 12-foot birdie at the par-5 18th on Friday as darkness began to set in, posting an 11-under 131 and giving him his first 36-hole lead on tour since the Valero Texas Open in 2017.

“I expected to go out and compete, and I felt like my game was in a good place,” Cauley said. “Saying it is one thing, doing it is another. I'm really happy with the way I played. I feel like my game is developing in the right direction. I hit the ball well and I just needed to get things started.”

Thomas Detry was not so lucky.

The Belgian shot 80 on Friday, missing the cut by 13 shots – and drawing attention for his explosion on the par-4 6th.

Detry had a 50-footer for birdie. He hit this putt about 6 feet from the hole, then missed the par putt, then missed a 3-footer for bogey, then missed a tap-in, then missed another 3-footer before tapping in to finally complete a six putt, quadruple bogey 8.

He became the fifth player to make six putts on a single hole in the last 10 seasons on tour. The other four – Danny Lee at the 2020 US Open, Phil Mickelson and Scott Stallings at the 2018 US Open and Ernie Els at the 2016 Masters – have all competed in major championships. (Mickelson incurred a 2-stroke penalty, which is why he was officially listed with six putts on this hole.)

It was a misstep on a rare off day for Detry, who entered the week 29th in the FedEx Cup standings thanks to two top-25 finishes early in the 2024 schedule.

Austin Eckroat (67) and Garrick Higgo (65) fought back. Kevin Yu (67) and Victor Perez (66) were tied for fourth at 9 under, while Shane Lowry and world No. 2 Rory McIlroy (both 67 for a second straight day) were in a three-way field delay shots.

Cauley broke six ribs and suffered other injuries in the 2018 accident and did not play on tour for four months. Everything seemed fine for a few years – until it wasn’t. Bones had grown on the plates installed in his ribs, a multitude of problems developed, several surgeries were required and Cauley couldn't help but wonder if his best golf was behind him.

“There were many times when I thought my career was over,” Cauley said. “It's nice to be back here playing and playing well. It makes me even happier that I kept going and didn't stop trying.”

A few top-35 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour in January gave him some momentum. He made a successful return to the tour in Phoenix last month and now finds himself in the mix at PGA National.

Among the top five players at the halfway point, only one is ranked in the top 100: Perez is 97th. Eckroat is 101st.

“Solid,” Eckroat told Golf Channel after his four-birdie, bogey-free round. “Really stress-free golf for the most part. … Just solid in every way.”

Rickie Fowler had a successful weekend, shooting 67 after a 71 on Thursday.

“I had to shoot a decent round to make sure I could make the weekend,” Fowler said.

His first hole was more than okay.

The 2017 PGA National winner opened on the back nine, and the par-5 10th – which played like a par 4 last year – is primed for birdies. Fowler flirted with an albatross; his 193-yard approach rolled just beyond the right of the cut and stopped close enough to give him an eagle.

He started the first round tied for 96th; he was tied for 36th after Friday.

Chad Ramey, who entered Friday tied for the lead, shot a 72 and was 6 under. Defending champion Chris Kirk (70) easily advanced at 5 under, tied for 23rd with, among others, Billy Horschel (71), Matt Fitzpatrick (67) and Nick Dunlap – whose round of 16 finish were highlighted by an ace at the par-3, 7th hole.

“I think someone on the balcony of one of the houses screamed, and we thought the object probably went in,” Dunlap said.

First-round co-leader SH Kim shot a 74, 10 shots worse than Thursday, and was 4 under.

Information from ESPN Stats & Information and the Associated Press was used in this report.