PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Shane Lowry has yet another chance to win at PGA National.
The native of Ireland who now calls South Florida home had a bogey-free round of 8-under 63 on Saturday, moving to 13 under and finishing with a share of the lead following three rounds of the Cognizant Classic.
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Shane Lowry of Ireland talks to Jimmy Stanger on the 17 green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Aaron Smotherman looks at his shot on the eighth green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Austin Smotherman reacts to his putt on the eighth green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Shane Lowry of Ireland shows his ball on the 18th green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Shane Lowry of Ireland shakes hands with Aaron Rai of England, at the end of the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
He's tied with Austin Smotherman, who battled his way to a 69. Lowry said his goal going into Saturday — which had tee times moved up because of anticipated bad weather — was just to get into one of the final two groups for Sunday, then did a little better than that.
“You want to be near the leaders, keep an eye on them and see what they’re doing,” Lowry said. “If the conditions are like this tomorrow, there (are) low scores out there, so someone could come from the pack. It’s not necessarily easy to lead around this golf course. There’s a lot of very difficult shots. But I’m up there where I want to be. I’ve had a few chances to win this tournament, and hopefully I can convert it tomorrow.”
He's had more than a few. It's almost become an annual tradition.
Lowry was second in 2022 when the event was still called the Honda Classic, losing the lead in a most bizarre fashion at the end — getting caught in a deluge that wreaked havoc on the final hole. Sepp Straka wound up winning by one shot, and Lowry wound up getting soaked.
“You get good breaks and bad breaks, and that was a bad break,” Lowry said. “Yeah, we’ll see. Hopefully none of that tomorrow.”
He tied for fifth at PGA National a year later, had the solo lead going into the final round of the Cognizant before finishing tied for fourth in 2024, then tied for 11th last year.
“There wasn’t much wind out there, so there’s certain things that aligned today to make it play easy enough, wind direction being one of them,” Lowry said. “But you still need to go out there and hit the shots. The greens are firm. It can get away from you if you’re not hitting the ball well. I felt like I did everything pretty good today.”
It seemed like things tried to get away from Smotherman — who led after Rounds 1 and 2 as well — a few times on Saturday, but he held it together just enough to finish knotted for the top spot.
Back-to-back bogeys on the par-4 6th and the par-3 7th threatened to throw his round off-stride, but a birdie-birdie finish might have given him a little momentum headed into Sunday as he seeks what would be his first PGA Tour victory.
“Most excited for tomorrow," Smotherman said. "Hitting golf shots in front of all these fans and hearing people yelling your name and refocusing and trying to do it again the next shot, I think it’s a fun challenge. Start of the week, this is what you kind of prep and play for. Not that you expect to be there, but when you are there, you know you’re ready, and I feel like I am ready.”
Nico Echavarria (66) and Taylor Moore (67) were a shot back at 12 under, and Jimmy Stanger — who'll earn a check on tour for the first time since April 2024, after spending the last two years dealing with serious elbow issues — is alone in fifth at 11 under after shooting a 65 Saturday.
“It just feels good to be back,” Stanger said. “It feels good to be playing a weekend. It’s been a couple years. It’s good to be healthy. It’s just a cherry on top to be in contention here this week.”
Moving Day, as Saturdays tend to be called on tour, had some movers.
Lowry's 63 tied Patton Kizzire for the round of the day; Kizzire moved up 45 spots into a tie for ninth at 8 under. Keith Mitchell and Beau Hossler both shot 64s to join Kizzire there, five shots behind the leaders.
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Shane Lowry of Ireland talks to Jimmy Stanger on the 17 green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Aaron Smotherman looks at his shot on the eighth green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Austin Smotherman reacts to his putt on the eighth green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Shane Lowry of Ireland shows his ball on the 18th green during the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
Shane Lowry of Ireland shakes hands with Aaron Rai of England, at the end of the third round of the Cognizant Classic golf tournament, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026, in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
The U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Saturday in what President Donald Trump said was a massive operation to destroy the country’s military capabilities and eliminate the threat of it creating a nuclear weapon. He urged Iranians to “take over your government.”
About 12 hours after the attacks began, the U.S. military reported no U.S. casualties and minimal damage at U.S. bases despite “hundreds of Iranian missile and drone attacks.”
Iran launched counterattacks, firing drones and missiles at Israel and strikes aimed at U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. The exchanges of fire continued into the night. Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said on Saturday evening that at least 201 people had been killed and more than 700 injured.
The strikes came two days after the latest U.S.-Iran talks as Trump had pressured Tehran for a deal to constrain its nuclear program, building up a fleet of American warships in the region. Iran's theocracy also has been struggling with growing dissent following nationwide protests that began over the economy but turned into anti-government ones.
The U.S. military said it was looking into reports of civilians killed in Iran in Saturday's strikes. More than 80 people were reported killed and dozens wounded at a girls’ school in the south, the local governor told Iranian state TV.
Israel said it had worked with the U.S. for months to plan the attacks. The U.S. military said targets in Iran included Revolutionary Guard command facilities, air defense capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and military airfields.
One of the first strikes hit near the offices of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Later Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a nationally televised address that there were "growing signs" that Khamenei had been killed.
The 86-year-old Khamenei has ruled since 1989 and holds ultimate power.
Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told NBC News that Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian are alive “as far as I know.”
The U.S. and Israel also struck Iran last June during earlier nuclear talks, greatly weakening Iran’s air defenses, military leadership and nuclear program.
The Trump administration has asserted that Iran had been rebuilding its nuclear program, which Tehran has insisted is for peaceful purposes.
Iran responded Saturday by launching missiles and drones targeting Israel and strikes targeting U.S. military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.
Israel’s military said Iran fired “dozens” of missiles at Israel, with many intercepted. Emergency responder Magen David Adom noted 89 “lightly injured” people.
Saudi Arabia said Iran had targeted its capital and eastern region in an attack that was repelled. Bahrain said a missile attack targeted the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet headquarters in the island kingdom, and three buildings were damaged in the capital, Manama, and Muharraq city by drone strikes and debris from an intercepted missile.
Kuwait’s civil aviation authority said a drone targeted the main international airport, injuring several employees. Kuwait’s state-run news agency said three troops were injured by shrapnel from strikes that hit Ali Al-Salem air base. Explosions could also be heard in Qatar. Jordan said it “dealt with” 49 drones and ballistic missiles.
Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, meanwhile, have vowed to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping routes and on Israel, according to two senior Houthi officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no official announcement from leadership.
In an 8-minute video on social media, Trump announced “major combat operations” and indicated the U.S. was striking for reasons far beyond Iran's nuclear program. He listed grievances stretching back to the beginning of the Islamic Republic following a revolution in 1979 that turned Iran from one of America’s closest allies in the Middle East into a foe.
Trump told Iranians to take cover but urged them to later rise up and topple the Islamic leadership.
“When we are finished, take over your government,” Trump said. “It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations.”
The attacks came a day after Trump voiced frustration over lack of progress in negotiations to stop Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons.
The U.S. had assembled a vast fleet of fighter jets and warships in the region to try to pressure Iran into a deal over its nuclear program.
The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in January to bolster the number of warships. The world’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, and four accompanying destroyers later were dispatched from the Caribbean to head to the Middle East and are now in the Mediterranean.
The fleet has added more than 10,000 U.S. troops to the region.
The fighting disrupted air travel in the region. Tens of thousands of travelers around the globe were stranded.
Israel, Qatar, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain closed their airspace, while Oman’s Muscat International Airport shut down and all flights were restricted over the United Arab Emirates, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24.
Major airlines based in the Middle East canceled hundreds of flights, while many other travelers were diverted to airports across Europe or flown back to departure airports.
The strikes also could rattle global markets, particularly if Iran makes the Strait of Hormuz unsafe for commercial traffic. A third of worldwide oil exports transported by sea passed through the strait in 2025.
This image from video provided by U.S. Central Command shows a missile being launched from from a U.S. Navy ship in support of Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (U.S. Central Command via AP)
This image from video provided by U.S. Central Command shows a missile being launched from from a U.S. Navy ship in support of Operation Epic Fury on Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (U.S. Central Command via AP)
Rescue workers and residents search through the rubble in the aftermath of an Israeli-U.S. strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (ISNA via AP)
People sits in a shelter after warning sirens sound following Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Vehicles drive along a highway following Israeli and U.S. strikes in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Vehicles queue outside a gas station following Israeli strikes in the city, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026.(AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
