Cooper Dossey Seizes Knoxville Lead With Late Fire

Cooper Dossey didn’t just move into position Saturday at the Visit Knoxville Open. He kicked the door open.

The 28-year-old Baylor product fired a bogey-free 8-under 63 in the third round, closing with three straight birdies on Nos. 16, 17 and 18 to reach 21-under. That late burst gave Dossey a two-shot lead over Doc Redman heading into Sunday’s final round at one of the Korn Ferry Tour’s most important stops.

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Now comes the hard part ... finishing.

Dossey is chasing his first Korn Ferry Tour victory in his 64th career start. He’s been knocking hard this season with three top-10 finishes in 10 starts and a runner-up showing at the Astara Chile Classic.

Entering the week No. 13 on the 2026 points list, he already looked like a player trending toward the PGA TOUR. A win in Knoxville would make that push a lot louder.

He’s earned this shot with aggressive, clean golf. Dossey leads the field with 22 total birdies and eagles, including 21 birdies and one eagle. His 63 was the kind of Saturday round that changes a tournament.

But Redman isn’t going away. The 36-hole leader answered with a bogey-free 5-under 66 and sits at 19-under, still close enough to make Sunday uncomfortable. He’s trying to become the second two-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour this season.

Local pressure is also lurking. Knoxville resident Bryce Lewis, a former Tennessee standout, is third at 18-under after setting a new career-best 54-hole score of 195. Theo Humphrey, a Vanderbilt product, is fourth at 17-under.

Dylan Menante made the biggest Saturday noise with a bogey-free 9-under 62, jumping to 16-under alongside Joe Weiler, who hasn’t made a bogey since the third hole of his opening round.

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The trend favors Dossey. Seven of 10 Korn Ferry Tour events this season have been won by the 54-hole leader or co-leader.

But Sunday doesn’t care about trends.

Dossey has the lead. Now he has to prove he can own it.

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