Chandler Blanchet leads at Puerto Rico Open as John Daly II stays in mix

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Chandler Blanchet did greater than make his first lower of the 12 months on the PGA TOUR. His 5-under 67 on Friday gave him a four-shot lead in the Puerto Rico Open with a pair of youngsters and John Daly’s son round for the weekend.

Blanchet made birdies on all of the par 5s at Grand Reserve and matched the match document for largest lead by 36 holes.

Gordon Sargent, one shot off the lead when the day started, shot 70 to fall 4 again.

Blanchet was at 13-under 131.

“The first part of the season, it’s been difficult, for sure,” Blanchet stated. “It’s no fun practicing on Saturday and Sunday and not playing and waiting five days. So will be very happy to play some golf on a Saturday and Sunday this weekend.”

Blades Brown, the 18-year-old who turned professional earlier than graduating highschool in January, will get one other crack at changing into the youngest PGA TOUR winner in 95 years. Brown shot 67 and was tied for third, hoping to construct off the expertise of enjoying in the ultimate group with Scottie Scheffler at The American Express final month.

Brown was at 8-under 136 together with Ricky Castillo (68), Jesper Svensson of Sweden (69) and Jeremy Paul of Germany (67).

“Yeah, we’re halfway there,” Brown stated. “A lot can happen in two days, so I’m excited for the weekend.”

Daly II performed bogey-free and was six pictures out of the lead in a tie for seventh. The Arkansas alum is making his PGA TOUR debut.

His father, the two-time main champion, performed the Puerto Rico Open six instances, making the lower 4 instances together with his greatest end a tie for tenth in 2015, when his son was 11.

“It’s awesome. This place has always been one of my favorites to come watch my dad play back in the day, so it’s pretty cool to make it to the weekend,” Daly II stated.

Brown wasn’t the one teenager to make the weekend. Miles Russell, the 17-year-old who already has dedicated to play at Florida State, make his first lower in his fifth PGA TOUR begin by making birdie from the bunker on his ultimate gap at the par-5 ninth.

The winner will get a spot in THE PLAYERS Championship subsequent week and the PGA Championship, however not the Masters, as a result of the Puerto Rico Open is held reverse the Arnold Palmer Invitational offered by Mastercard.

John Daly authored one of many extra wonderful wins when he was the ninth alternate for the 1991 PGA Championship, acquired in when Nick Price withdrew, after which overwhelmed Crooked Stick together with his energy to win.

Could one other shock be in the works together with his son?

“Honestly, go out there and try to go a low as I can,” Daly II stated. “I got nothing to lose, so just go out there and have fun and just keep doing what I’m doing.”