Puerto Rico Open Round 2: Chandler Blanchet Ties the Record With a Four-Shot Lead

Thursday could have been a one-off. Friday said otherwise.

Chandler Blanchet followed his career-low 64 with a 5-under 67 at Grand Reserve, reaching 13-under 131 and opening a four-shot lead at the halfway mark of the 2026 Puerto Rico Open. That margin matches the tournament record for the largest 36-hole lead. Gordon Sargent is alone in second at 9-under 135 after a 70, and four players are bunched at 8 under, including 18-year-old Blades Brown and Ricky Castillo.

The Par 5s Paid Rent

Blanchet's round was not flawless, and it did not need to be. The rookie made seven birdies against two bogeys, and the formula was simple: every par 5 on the card went down in four. On a course where the long holes hand out the scoring chances, cashing all of them is how a one-shot lead becomes a four-shot cushion.

Through 36 holes, Blanchet has 16 birdies, the most in the field. For a player who arrived with five straight missed cuts this season, that number is the loudest stat of the week so far.

The relief came through when Blanchet talked about the start of the year. "The first part of the season, it's been difficult, for sure," Blanchet said, per the AP. Blanchet added that sitting out weekends and waiting five days for the next start had been no fun at all. This weekend, at least, will be different.

Sargent Hangs Around

Sargent did not match Thursday's fireworks, but a 70 with two bogeys was enough to hold solo second. The 36-hole total of 135 is Sargent's best on TOUR, and with Blanchet four clear, second place is a fine spot to be in for a player who has spent time searching for this kind of form.

What Sargent needs on Saturday is the eagle-and-birdie version from the opening round, not the grind version from Friday.

Brown Keeps Climbing

The most interesting name in that pack at 8 under is Brown. The teenager shot 67 to tie for third with Castillo (68), Jesper Svensson (69) and Jeremy Paul, who went bogey-free for a 67.

The stakes for Brown are historic. A win would make Brown the youngest PGA TOUR winner in 95 years, and Brown sounded every bit like someone who understands the clock on this tournament has a long way to run.

"Yeah, we're halfway there," Brown said. "A lot can happen in two days, so I'm excited for the weekend."

Castillo, meanwhile, keeps stacking quiet 68s. Two rounds, two identical scores, nothing flashy and nothing wasted. In a weekend that could be defined by nerves, a player whose card barely moves might be worth watching.

Daly II Plays the Hits

John Daly II turned his PGA TOUR debut into a real weekend story. The Arkansas senior went bogey-free for a 67 and sits at 7 under, tied for seventh and six shots behind the leader. That group also includes Matti Schmid (66), John Parry (65), Jimmy Stanger and Beau Hossler.

Grand Reserve carries family history for Daly II. The elder John Daly played the Puerto Rico Open six times, made four cuts, and tied for 10th in 2015.

"It's awesome. This place has always been one of my favorites to come watch my dad play back in the day," Daly II said.

As for the plan for the weekend, there was no overthinking it. "I got nothing to lose, so just go out there and have fun and just keep doing what I'm doing," Daly II said.

Kihei Akina, the BYU amateur, shot 70 and is tied for 12th, giving the amateurs two names inside the top 15.

The Cut and the Casualties

The cut fell at 2 under, and it took out some recognizable names. Charley Hoffman, Seamus Power and Matt Wallace were among those headed home early.

On the other side of the line, Miles Russell made the first PGA TOUR cut of a very young career in a fifth start, and did it with style, birdieing the par-5 ninth out of a bunker on the final hole of the day. Rafael Campos is the only Puerto Rico-based player still standing, per Golf Today, in a 16th career start at this event.

Saturday's Question

A four-shot lead on Friday night is a great place to sleep and a tricky thing to protect. Blanchet has led after both rounds and has done it with birdies, not survival. The pack behind has youth, form and a famous last name. The question for Saturday is whether the rookie keeps pressing or starts playing the scoreboard, and whether anyone in that group at 8 under can post the kind of number that makes this a race again.

Catch up on Thursday in our Round 1 recap. Full scoring is on the official PGA TOUR leaderboard (opens in a new tab), and the TOUR's Round 2 recap (opens in a new tab) has more.

Sources: PGA TOUR (Round 2 recap and leaderboard), AP, Golf Today. More golf coverage on Undrafted.

Photo: PGA TOUR.