2026 World Wide Technology Championship Leaderboard: Ben James Leads After Round 2
Rabbit Hole
2 hours ago
Ben James leads the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship after Round 2 at 15 under par, following a Friday 64 that included five straight birdies around the turn at El Cardonal at Diamante. Peter Malnati is one back at 14 under, Zac Blair sits third at 12 under, and the market now has James close to a coin flip, which is too short for a one-shot lead with 36 holes to go.
Round 2 is not quite done. Darkness stopped play Friday evening with a few players still on the course, so they finish Saturday morning before the cut becomes official. None of the leaders are affected. The projected cut is 5 under.
World Wide Technology Championship Round 2 standings
Ben James is alone in front at the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship at 15 under, 129 through 36 holes, and 14 players are within five shots of him. Malnati is the only man within two. Behind Blair, Stephan Jaeger and Denny McCarthy are tied for fourth at 11 under after matching 65s, and then it gets crowded.
The table below shows the top of the leaderboard after Round 2, per the PGA Tour and ESPN leaderboards on Saturday morning, November 7.
| Position | Player | Rounds | Score to par |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ben James | 65-64 | -15 |
| 2 | Peter Malnati | 66-64 | -14 |
| 3 | Zac Blair | 64-68 | -12 |
| T4 | Stephan Jaeger | 68-65 | -11 |
| T4 | Denny McCarthy | 68-65 | -11 |
| T6 | Sudarshan Yellamaraju | 71-63 | -10 |
| T6 | Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | 70-64 | -10 |
| T6 | Lucas Glover | 70-64 | -10 |
| T6 | Ben Kohles | 68-66 | -10 |
| T6 | Austin Eckroat | 68-66 | -10 |
| T6 | Keith Mitchell | 68-66 | -10 |
| T6 | Zach Bauchou | 67-67 | -10 |
| T6 | Ryan Gerard | 66-68 | -10 |
| T6 | Blades Brown | 66-68 | -10 |
| T6 | Kensei Hirata | 65-69 | -10 |
Seven more players sit at 9 under, including Round 1 leader Chris Kirk, Matthieu Pavon, and Beau Hossler.
Key storylines from Round 2 in Los Cabos
Ben James keeps going low
The PGA Tour University No. 1 already has his card for next season, and he is playing like a guy with nothing to lose. The run of five straight birdies around the turn did the damage Friday, and he closed with a birdie at the par-3 ninth, his last hole, after an aggressive tee shot. The funny part is how he described his college self. “In college I was kind of someone that would shoot 2, 3 under every time out and would have trouble going low,” James said. Not anymore.
Peter Malnati nearly caught him
Malnati was tied for the lead and bogey-free until his final hole, the par-3 ninth, where he missed a 12-foot par putt. Still a 64. He was candid afterward about how the last stretch has gone. “I work really hard on my game and I haven’t had tons to show for that lately,” Malnati said. One shot back with 36 holes left is a real chance, and the market has not fully caught up to that (more below).
Chris Kirk and Nick Dunlap went backward
Friday was rough for the two men who led the way on Thursday. Kirk followed his opening 63 with a 72 and dropped to a tie for 16th at 9 under, six back. Dunlap was worse. He shot 64 in Round 1 and 75 in Round 2, which leaves him at 5 under, right on the projected cut line. Kirk is still in this, but he needs Saturday to look a lot more like Thursday.
Ben Griffin is stuck in the pack, and some big names are going home
Defending champion Ben Griffin shot 67 and sits at 7 under, eight behind James. We covered his odds to repeat before the week, and he now needs something like the 29-under pace he set here last year over the weekend just to sniff the top. On the wrong side of the projected cut: Billy Horschel at 2 under, Taylor Pendrith at even, and Matt Kuchar at 1 over after a 77. Karl Vilips and Joe Highsmith both opened with 66 and then shot 74 and 75, which knocked them out too.
World Wide Technology Championship odds and the Round 3 betting angle
The verdict: pass on Ben James at +115. He is the best player in this position and deserves to be favored, but a price that implies roughly a 46 percent chance is a lot to pay for a one-shot lead on a course where everyone makes birdies. Peter Malnati at +1200 is the more interesting number for the same one-shot gap.
Here is how FanDuel’s outright prices moved on the leaders, comparing the board we pulled at 4:39 AM CT on Friday, November 6, with the board at 4:39 AM CT on Saturday, November 7.
| Player | After Round 2 | FanDuel Fri 11/6 | FanDuel Sat 11/7 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben James | -15 | +480 | +115 |
| Peter Malnati | -14 | +12500 | +1200 |
| Zac Blair | -12 | +1200 | +1500 |
| Denny McCarthy | -11 | +7000 | +2200 |
| Stephan Jaeger | -11 | +6500 | +2200 |
| Ryan Gerard | -10 | +1000 | +1500 |
| Blades Brown | -10 | +1600 | +2200 |
| Chris Kirk | -9 | +700 | +5500 |
| Ben Griffin | -7 | +5500 | +10000 |
Two things jump out. Malnati went from +12500 to +1200 in a day, yet he is still priced like a long shot next to a man he trails by a single stroke. Meanwhile Ryan Gerard, a pre-tournament co-favorite, drifted from +1000 to +1500 after a 68 left him five back. Gerard at +1500 or +1600 at Fanatics is fair. Malnati is the better number.
Shop the James price if you insist. Fanatics had him at +125 at 3 AM CT Saturday, and BetRivers showed +130 in a quote that was last updated Friday evening, so that one may not survive the morning. If you would rather play Malnati without needing him to win, his top-5 price was +195 at FanDuel at the same check. Prices on the leaders swing hard once Round 3 starts, and our guide on how in-play golf odds move explains why waiting until after the first few holes can pay.
The course story has not changed. El Cardonal rewards approach play and a hot putter far more than length, and the par 5s are where the separation happens. James and Malnati both shot 64 Friday, which tells you the scoring is there for anyone who gets the wedges dialed in. If you would rather weight those stats yourself for the weekend, here is how the Rabbit Hole model builder works.
Handicap the weekend the way we do, on us. First-time depositors at ReBet using code BSG get a free Betsperts Golf subscription plus a 100 percent match up to 100 dollars on a 10 dollar deposit.
World Wide Technology Championship FAQ
What is the cut line at the 2026 World Wide Technology Championship?
The projected cut is 5 under par, with 75 players set to make it. It is not official yet because a handful of players have to finish Round 2 on Saturday morning. Nick Dunlap is one of the names sitting right on the number.
Why did Round 2 finish on Saturday?
Round 1 ran long on Thursday and spilled into Friday morning, which pushed the whole schedule back. Friday’s play was then stopped for darkness with a few players still out, so they return Saturday morning to complete their rounds before the field is cut and Round 3 gets going.
How much does the winner get?
The 2026 World Wide Technology Championship carries a 6 million dollar purse, and the winner also takes 500 FedExCup Fall points. For players outside the top 100 in the Fall standings, that is the difference between keeping full status for 2027 and scrambling for it.
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