CaddyBytes

2026 Charles Schwab Challenge Round 2 Recap & Highlights

Read the Round 2 recap and leaderboard update below, then scroll down for the official highlights video.

CaddyBytes 🏆 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge Round 2 Recap: Colonial Country Club moved into the weekend with a leaderboard that is still tight, but Friday finally gave the tournament a clear name at the top. Jordan Smith backed up his opening 65 with another 65, reaching 10-under and taking the 36-hole lead at Hogan’s Alley.

Smith’s round had the kind of putting and control that plays at Colonial. He made a long birdie at the par-3 16th to move in front, saved par from the bunker at 17, and finished at 130 through two rounds. For a PGA Tour rookie trying to win for the first time, that makes Saturday a real pressure test — not just about ball striking, but about whether he can keep the same calm pace with chasers stacked right behind him.

The Friday highlights also showed how dangerous the chase pack is. Hideki Matsuyama and Michael Thorbjornsen both posted 65s to get to 9-under. Thorbjornsen was one of the bigger Round 2 movers, using a putter change and a strong closing stretch to get himself right into weekend contention. Ryan Gerard and Brian Harman also stayed within one shot of the lead, giving Colonial a sharp mix of first-time pressure, proven major-championship experience, and younger upside.

There was also a Friday fireworks moment at the par-3 16th when A.J. Ewart made an ace, one day after Brandt Snedeker holed out at the same hole. Ewart’s hole-in-one helped fuel a 63, the low visible move of the day, and pushed him into the group at 7-under. That kind of jump shows how much movement is still available when players control their irons and make something happen on Colonial’s scoring holes.

Round 2 scoreboard note: The CaddyBytes live scoring screenshot showed Jordan Smith alone at 10-under after rounds of 65-65. One shot back at 9-under were Ryan Gerard, Brian Harman, Hideki Matsuyama, and Michael Thorbjornsen. That sets up a Saturday board where Smith has the lead, but no real cushion.

Just behind them, the screenshot showed the 8-under group packed with Akshay Bhatia, Brice Garnett, Russell Henley, Alex Smalley, and J.J. Spaun. That is a dangerous chase line because several of those players have already shown they can post a controlled 65 or 66 on this course. At Colonial, two shots can disappear fast if the leader misses fairways or loses pace on the greens.

The main weekend story is simple: Smith has the lead, but Colonial is still crowded. Matsuyama brings veteran major-winning pressure, Harman is built for position golf, Thorbjornsen has fresh momentum, and Spaun remains close enough to keep pushing. With heat, firmer fairways, and weekend pressure coming, the Charles Schwab Challenge should start to feel less like a birdie race and more like a Colonial control test.

Video courtesy of the PGA TOUR / Golf Channel / NBC Sports / YouTube.