The second round of the 2026 Charles Schwab Challenge gets underway on Friday at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
There is a six-way tie at 6-under par after the first round. But, of course, the tournament remains wide open with three days remaining.
Here are my picks and Charles Schwab Challenge Round 2 best bets.
Charles Schwab Challenge Round 2 Best Bets
Alex Smalley Top-20 (-148 at DraftKings)
Alex Smalley thrived in Thursday’s opening round, finishing T7 at 5-under par. At -148, he is worth backing to maintain that momentum and record his sixth consecutive top-20 finish.
Mid-iron play is essential this week. The course is not particularly demanding in terms of distance, with nearly 50% of approach shots coming from the 125-175-yard range.
That distribution is well above the PGA Tour average.
This makes Smalley a strong option to build upon Thursday's strong round, as he is one of the best mid-iron players on the PGA Tour. Entering this week, he ranks in the 88th percentile on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach from 100-150 yards and in the 86th percentile from 150-200 yards.
Andrew Putnam Top-20 (-144 at DraftKings)
Another golfer worth targeting in this market is Andrew Putnam. He got off to an even stronger start on Thursday, finishing T1 at 6-under par.
Like Smalley, Putnam fits this course well.
Entering this week, he ranks in the 73rd percentile on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach from 100-150 yards and in the 76th percentile from 150-200 yards.
Greens are difficult to hit at Colonial, making scrambling a key factor this week. That is the strongest part of Putnam's game, as he ranks in the 99th percentile on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: around the green.
He used that elite short game to finish inside the top 20 here three times, and it would not be surprising if he adds another high finish following Thursday's tremendous opening round.
