Rocket Classic 2025: Second round is complete with three-way tie for the lead in Detroit

Friday at the 2025 Rocket Classic saw another host of low scores at Detroit Golf Club, most notably Jake Knapp's course record of 61.

But Knapp is still three shots off the lead despite that incredible round. Chris Kirk, Andrew Putnam and Philip Knowles share the lead at 14 under after 36 holes, but there are dozens in contention as we head into the weekend, including major champions like Collin Morikawa, Hideki Matsuyama and Gary Woodland, who all sit in a tie for seventh at 11 under.

Read below for updates, scores, highlights, tee times and more from Friday's second round of the 2025 Rocket Classic. You can get caught up the cut line tracker here, where three past tournament champs didn't make the weekend.

Rocket Classic 2025 leaderboard

Stay up-to-date with every score being carded in Detroit with our 2025 Rocket Classic leaderboard from USA TODAY Sports. Here's the top five after 36 holes:

Three tied for Rocket Classic lead

Detroit Golf has seen plenty of low scores this week. It also has a three-way tie after 36 holes. A total of 86 golfers made the cut, a group that includes last week's winner at the Travelers Championship, Keegan Bradley.

Andrew Putnam grabs a share of the lead late Friday

Putnam entered the day just two back of the lead after round of 64 Thursday in which he made nine birdies. He's keeping the train rolling, too, with three birdies and an eagle en route to a 31 on the front nine. He's 14 under for the tournament and in a tie for the lead with Chris Kirk and Philip Knowles as of 4:30 p.m. ET.

Dozens in contention as low scores continue at the Rocket Classic

Jake Knapp's 61 still paces the field in terms of best rounds this week, but many golfers are going further and further into red numbers at Detroit Golf Club on Friday.

As of 3:45 p.m. ET, there are 26 players within five shots of the leader and 27 players have turned in second rounds of 5-under 67 or better, but no one has been able to catch the co-leaders, Philip Knowles and Chris Kirk.

Philip Knowles shoots 64 to grab a share of the lead at the Rocket Classic

Not one, not two, but three.

That's how many hole-out eagles Philip Knowles had on his scorecard in Friday's second round of the Rocket Classic. And these weren't just your run-of-the-mill chip-ins, either. Knowles holed pitch shots from 40 yards, 37 yards, and 27 yards to eagle three of the four par 5s at Detroit Golf Club. He birdied the other one to finish the day 7 under on the par 5s alone.

Philip Knowles of the United States looks on from the 18th hole during the second round of the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on June 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

All of that culminated in an 8-under 64 in the second round for Knowles, who now shares the lead with Chris Kirk at 14 under as of 2 p.m. ET.

Knowles hasn't made a cut on the PGA Tour since March and he only has one top 30 finish this season in 11 starts, which came at the Puerto Rico Open where he was T16. Suddenly, he finds himself firmly in the mix for his first career win with 36 holes left.

Chris Kirk cards back-to-back 65s to take solo lead

Kirk needed two more birdies to shoot 65 today than he did yesterday thanks to bogeys on the 12th and 15th, but regardless, he's taken the solo lead Friday afternoon and figures to be in great position to chase down his seventh PGA Tour victory. He's 14 under and leads by one over Mark Hubbard as of 12:45 p.m. ET.

Chris Kirk of the United States lines up a putt on the eighth green during the second round of the Rocket Classic 2025 at Detroit Golf Club on June 27, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.

Jake Knapp fires 61, puts himself in contention at the Rocket Classic

Jake Knapp rocketed up the leaderboard at the Rocket Classic on Friday morning with a scorching 11-under 61, which breaks the course record of 62 set by both Aldrich Potgeiter and Kevin Roy on Thursday.

Knapp started on No. 10 tee and made eagle on the par-5 17th en route to a 31 on the back nine, and then made birdie on all but three holes on the front nine to finish in 61.

Aldrich Potgieter grabs solo lead in AM

It's been a great couple of days for Aldrich Potgieter, who shot a 62 on Thursday to get into a tie for the lead and then he shot a solid, if unspectacular 35 on the front nine on Friday. But with a birdie on the 10th hole, Potgeiter took the solo lead at 9:30 a.m.

As of that time, Potgieter sat at 12 under while Chris Kirk and Max Greyserman were at 11 under.

What's the weather forecast for Friday at the Rocket Classic?

Friday will be hot and muggy on the golf course, with highs in the low 90s with humidity nearing 70 percent. There's another chance of storms later in the afternoon, as there has been at Detroit Country Club seemingly every day this week. If they stay dry, the weather should provide excellent scoring conditions, with light winds blowing at 5-10 mph from the south.

Rocket Classic 2025 betting odds

• Max Greyserman (+650)
• Min Woo Lee (+900)
• Aldrich Potgieter (+900)
• Kevin Roy (+1100)
• Patrick Cantlay (+1400)
• Mark Hubbard (+1400)

How to watch the second round of the 2025 Rocket Classic

• 6:45 a.m.-6 p.m., PGA Tour Live on ESPN+
• 12-6 p.m., SiriusXM PGA Tour radio
• 3-6 p.m., Golf Channel, NBC Sports app

Pace of play is improving on PGA Tour

The PGA Tour has crunched the numbers from its testing of distance-measuring devices earlier this year, along with other policy changes, and the results are in: play has sped up! The findings also match up with the returns of a survey of 153 players and another 144 caddies. According to the study, 82 percent of all players and caddies reported using DMDs.

“The majority of players believe that the overall speed of play improved, and we see that the majority of players feel that their individual speed of play improved,” the Tour reported during a Zoom call with members of the media on Wednesday. “Three-quarters of the players on both tours support the use of DMDs being permitted on a permanent basis on our tours.”

How much money does the winner get at the 2025 Rocket Classic?

Who won the Rocket Classic last year?

Australia's Cam Davis was the champion at Detroit Country Club in 2024 with a finish score of 18 under. Davis also won this event in 2021. Other past champions include Rickie Fowler (2023), Tony Finau (2022) and Bryson DeChambeau (2020).