While much of the golf world’s attention this week is focused on the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA Tour is also hosting an opposite-field event with the Puerto Rico Open taking place at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
One of the most notable storylines from Thursday’s opening round came from John Daly II, who made his PGA Tour debut and delivered an impressive start to the tournament. The 22-year-old carded a 2-under-par 70, putting himself in early contention and showcasing the talent that has already drawn attention to the son of two-time major champion John Daly.
At the time he finished his round, Daly II’s score placed him in a tie for 13th on the leaderboard – a strong position for a player competing in his first PGA Tour event. He would then drop to T21 once round one concluded.
“It was good,” Daly II said. “Got off to a good start, made a nice birdie on 1. Solid up-and-down on 2, made about a 20-footer for par, which is nice, settled me in.”
A Steady Round With a Late Highlight
Daly II’s debut round featured steady play throughout the day along with a memorable moment late in the round. After settling into the tournament early, he said he continued hitting quality shots but felt there were still opportunities he could have taken advantage of.
“And then just hit some good shots,” he explained. “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.”
The chip-in helped keep momentum on his side during the closing stretch and ensured he remained under par heading into Friday’s second round.
According to Golf Digest, “we can see that Daly II hit just eight of 14 fairways, only 10 of 18 greens and got up and down six out of eight times.”
Despite the solid scorecard, he approached the day with the mindset of learning and gaining experience during his first PGA Tour appearance.
Blanchet Leads After Round One
While Daly II’s debut drew plenty of attention, Chandler Blanchet emerged as the early leader after firing an impressive 8-under-par round to take the top spot on the leaderboard. Gordon Sargent remains in second with -7, and Jesper Svensson is third with -5.
“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 said. “Then made some good birdies over the next few holes. Yeah, really solid day.”
The Puerto Rico Open often serves as a platform for rising players and those looking to secure valuable FedEx Cup points while many of the PGA Tour’s top stars compete elsewhere. With a field of 120 players this week, the event regularly produces breakthrough performances and first-time winners.
A Relaxing End to Daly’s First PGA Tour Day
Because he played in the early wave Thursday, Daly II finished his round with plenty of time left in the day, and he didn’t plan to spend much of it grinding on the range.
“I would say I’d go hit balls, but I’m a little tired so I’m just probably going to go to the beach and probably do absolutely nothing for the rest of the day,” he said.
For Daly II, the relaxed approach may be fitting for a tournament held just steps from the Caribbean coastline, and after a successful PGA Tour round, a little time at the beach probably felt well deserved.
John Daly II Impresses in PGA Tour Debut; Blanchet Leads Puerto Rico Open