Daly’s son shoots 70 in PGA Tour debut; Blanchet leads Puerto Rico
RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — John Daly Jr. had a better time, and a far simpler golf course, than his father in his PGA Tour debut. The 22-year-old son of John Daly opened with a 2-under 70 in the Puerto Rico Open on Thursday, the place the youngsters have been all the fad and Chandler Blanchet wound up with the lead.
Blanchet bogeyed his first gap and that was his solely mistake. He adopted with 9 birdies for an 8-under 64, his lowest spherical on the PGA Tour for a one-shot lead over Gordon Sargentthe previous high school golfer who has struggled the previous few years.
“It was good,” Daly stated. “Feel like I left a few out there, but I made it up with just a couple good saves and nice chip-in on 16.”
John Daly, the previous PGA and British Open champion, made his first PGA Tour-sanctioned begin practically 40 years in the past. But that was Shinnecock Hills, not Grand Reserve, and it was the 1986 US Open, not an opposite-field occasion in Puerto Rico. Daly shot 88 that first spherical.
His son was not the one participant getting consideration. Blades Brownthe 18-year-old who performed in the ultimate group with Scottie Scheffler when the world’s No. 1 participant gained The American Express, opened with a 69. It was his sixteenth rating in the 60s in his 34 profession rounds on the PGA Tour.
Miles Russellthe 17-year-old from Florida and among the many high amateurs in the world had a 71. The different younger prospect, Zhou Yanhan of China, shot 72. Zhou, 17, had seven wins on the China Tour final 12 months.
Blanchet earned his PGA Tour card by means of the Korn Ferry Tour final 12 months, successful twice, together with the circuit’s Tour Championship. But it has been a sluggish begin to his first season in the massive leagues, lacking the reduce in all 5 tournaments he has performed.
He hopes there’s loads of studying that comes with these weekends off, and Blanchet stated he regarded ahead to going through extra challenges, comparable to coping with quick putts he misses. He needs to get mentally stronger to take care of that.
“I missed a 5-footer right on the first hole and I looked at my caddie and he said, ‘This is our test.’ Handled it well,” Blanchet stated. “Then made some good birdies over the next few holes. Yeah, really solid day.”
Eugenio Chacarrawho started his professional profession on Saudi-backed LIV Golf in 2022 and have become the primary participant from the rival league to get a sponsor exemption on the PGA Tour, opened with a 73.
The winner of the Puerto Rico will get into The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, together with a two-year exemption on tour. But it doesn’t qualify for the Masters.
