PGA's lesser lights seek win at tournament

pulse

March 23, 2017 12:26 AM

The event is staged on the former Trump International Golf Club property at Rio Grande.

Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open winner, is a contender at the Puerto Rico Open

While top-ranked players compete this week at the World Golf Championships Match-Play event, the US PGA Tours lesser lights and past stars seek a victory at the Puerto Rico Open.

The event is staged on the former Trump International Golf Club property at Rio Grande, to which US President Donald Trump had licensed his name before it was sold from bankruptcy in 2015.

It is now the Coco Beach Golf Club, but by any name it's the same 7,506-yard, par-72 layout designed by Tom Kite that hosted the prior nine editions of the tournament in typically windy conditions.

American Tony Finau, who won last year, opted not to defend the crown to serve as first alternate at the WGC event, ensuring the event will still not have a back-to-back winner.

Six players in all have won their first PGA title at the event, including the past four winners.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell, the 2010 US Open winner, and fellow major winners Angel Cabrera of Argentina, Retief Goosen and Trevor Immelman of South Africa, Ben Curtis of the United States and Yang Yong-Eun of South Korea are in the field.

Australia's Matt Jones, trying to regain full playing status for 2018, makes only his third start of the season as he faces a limited number of US tour events in his quest. But he led for the first two rounds in the event in 2012 on his way to a share of fifth.

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