RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico (AP) — Chandler Blanchet did more than make his first cut of the year 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 teenager and John Daly’s son around for the weekend.
Blanchet made birdies on all the par 5s at Grand Reserve and matched the tournament record for largest lead through 36 holes.
Gordon Sargent, one shot off the lead when the day began, shot 70 to fall four back.
Blanchet was at 13-under 131.
“The first part of the season, it’s been difficult, for sure,” Blanchet said. “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 pro before graduating high school in January, gets another crack at becoming the youngest PGA Tour winner in 95 years. Brown shot 67 and was tied for third, hoping to build off the experience of playing in the final group with Scottie Scheffler at The American Express last month.
Brown was at 8-under 136 along with Ricky Castillo (68), Jesper Svensson of Sweden (69) and Jeremy Paul of Germany (67).
“Yeah, we’re halfway there,” Brown said. “A lot can happen in two days, so I’m excited for the weekend.”
Daly played bogey-free and was six shots out of the lead in a tie for seventh. The Arkansas alum is making his PGA Tour debut.
His father, the two-time major champion, played the Puerto Rico Open six times, making the cut four times with his best finish at tie for 10th 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 said.
Brown wasn’t the only teenager to make the weekend. Miles Russell, the 17-year-old who already has committed to play at Florida State, make his first cut in his fifth PGA Tour start by making birdie from the bunker on his final hole at the par-5 ninth.
The winner gets a spot in The Players Championship next week and the PGA Championship, but not the Masters because it is held opposite the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
John Daly authored one of the more amazing wins when he was the ninth alternate for the 1991 PGA Championship, got in when Nick Price withdrew, and then overwhelmed Crooked Stick with his power to win.
Could another surprise be in the works with his son?
“Honestly, go out there and try to go a low as I can,” Daly said. “I got nothing to lose, so just go out there and have fun and just keep doing what I’m doing.”
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