John Daly II arrived at the PGA Tour with familiar expectations attached to his name. At the Puerto Rico Open, however, the 22-year-old began shaping his own narrative with a second-round 67 that pushed him into contention heading into the weekend.

As the tournament moved into the third round at the Puerto Rico Open, Daly II remained in the mix during his first start on the PGA Tour. 

Across the first two rounds, Daly II stayed within striking distance of the leaders, carding rounds of 70 and 67 to move into a tie for seventh place, three shots off the lead.

After securing his place for the weekend, the 2021 PNC Championship winner reflected on the moment and the memories tied to the course.

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

After Saturday’s third round at the Puerto Rico Open, Daly II stood three shots behind the lead, placing him within reach heading into Sunday’s final round.

John Daly II Enters Final Round at the Puerto Rico Open Within Reach of the Lead

With the third round complete at the Puerto Rico Open, John Daly II remains within reach of the lead in his first start on the PGA Tour.

The Arkansas senior carded a two-under 70 on March 7 to reach nine-under for the tournament, placing him tied for eighth and three shots behind leader Ricky Castillo heading into Sunday at Grand Reserve Golf Club.

The round unfolded in windy conditions, with Daly II recording 15 pars and an eagle on the 11th hole. His run without mistakes ended on the 18th, where he made his first bogey since the 15th hole of the opening round.

Speaking about the challenge of the conditions, Daly II said, “It was solid. For sure, it was the windiest day of the week so far, it was really hard to get the numbers right. But stayed in it well, hit some good shots. Yeah, s**** to make my first bogey in a while on 18. Hit a good second shot, just the wind let it rise in the air. Oh, well, it was a good day.”

A win would place Daly II among the few amateurs to capture a title on the PGA Tour, a list that most recently included Nick Dunlap at the 2024 The American Express.

Can John Daly II turn his PGA Tour debut into a breakthrough victory? Tell us in the comments and read more at Daily Club Golf!

Written by

Aditi Singh

Edited by

Oajaswini Prabhu