Featured Groups: OHL Classic at Mayakoba

Johnson Wagner … It’s not easy to navigate a PGA TOUR season on conditional status and still qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs, but this isn’t his first rodeo. It was in 2011 when he was in the same position upon arrival at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba and captured victory. In 12 starts this season, he’s connected three times for a top 20, twice in his last three starts, including at Quail Hollow (T13) where he’s a member and also at windy TPC San Antonio for a T20. Lurking at 136th in the FedExCup standings and eighth in both strokes gained: putting and scrambling. Russell Knox … Save a T7 (with Martin Laird) at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the 32-year-old has cooled on his own ball. However, he’s dangerous on unfamiliar layouts because ball-striking sets the table before the field attempts to solves the mysteries of the greens. At 25th on TOUR in greens in regulation and 13th in proximity, there’s no confidence lost on approach despite his mini-slump. And because he laid the foundation for his fifth consecutive appearance in the FedExCup Playoffs by scattering four top 20s in his first 11 starts to sit 77th in points today, he can continue to focus on his strengths. Keith Mitchell … As the last man in the field at THE PLAYERS (when Paul Casey withdrew), the rookie capitalized with an eight-birdie 67 at TPC Sawgrass in the opening round. The course fought back and he missed the secondary cut, but it served as further evidence at his fearlessness out of the gate. Ranks 17th on TOUR in first-round scoring average, but he’s also 13th in final-round scoring with nine red numbers in 11 chances. As a virtual lock to retain his card at 79th in the FedExCup standings entering the AT&T Byron Nelson, he’ll have the green light to land on a confident tee ball and his aggressive mentality to score, especially if Trinity Forest is gettable as it should be in its debut. The last time a course greeted a PGA TOUR field for the first time, he posted 14-under 274 and finished second at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship. Richy Werenski … Quietly but effectively passed the test as a rookie in 2016-17 in reaching the FedExCup Playoffs, but it’s only recently that he’s flashed some of that moxie that aided in retaining his playing privileges. En route to a season-best T11 at the Valero Texas Open, the 26-year-old led the field in one-putt percentage and ranked second in strokes gained: putting. And in his debut at THE PLAYERS last week, he hung on for a T23 with four red numbers while slotting second in greens hit and T5 in par-5 scoring. Joel Dahmen … After an uneventful foray on the PGA TOUR in 2016-17, the 30-year-old has found another gear as a sophomore this season. He’s almost matched his FedExCup points total as a rookie and cruises into Trinity Forest having gone 6-for-6 with three top 25s since the beginning of the Florida Swing. While his above-average accuracy off the tee doesn’t singularly translate into higher expectations this week, that value is within the component of control given the premium on course management. That gets multiplied by his underrated proficiency in the wind.

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RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Local favorite Rafael Campos took a share of the lead Saturday in the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open, waiting out a series of rain delays to shoot a 5-under 67 at windy Grand Reserve. The 32-year-old from San Juan followed a birdie on the par-4 17th with a bogey on the par-5 18th to drop into a tie for the lead with Grayson Murray at 14-under 202. “I know there’s a lot of things that can basically change my life tomorrow,” Campos said. “But truth is, I’m just really happy. I have been playing good golf the last two weeks, and I really want to keep that mindset of the work I have been putting in the last four months, I’m starting to see good results. “I think I will just focus on that, focus on playing the golf course the way I know how to play it, be aggressive when I have to be aggressive, and be conservative when I obviously don’t feel comfortable. So, yeah, I really don’t want to think about tomorrow. I just want to go out and hopefully play some good golf.” Murray bogeyed 17 and birdied 18 in a 65. Cameron Percy (67) and Branden Grace (68) were a stroke back. Play was delayed three times for about an hour total in the afternoon because of the short, heavy downpours. With expected heavy rain overnight and into the morning, the final round will feature threesomes off split tees. Campos has two top-10 finishes in the event, tying for eighth in 2016 and tying for 10th in 2017. After missing the cuts in seven of eight events to start the PGA TOUR season, he tied for seventh last week in Florida in a Korn Ferry Tour event. In 2019, he won the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic to become the first Puerto Rican winner in Korn Ferry Tour history. The former Virginia Commonwealth player played the front nine in 3 under, with birdies on the par-5 second, par-4 third and par-5 fifth. He also birdied the par-4 10th and 12th. “I felt today I hit the ball very well, with the exception of the last couple of holes,” Compos said. “But I’m really happy with where I’m standing right now, and I really think I can’t be in a better position basically for tomorrow. Hopefully, just kind of keep doing the same thing we’re doing. I really feel comfortable with my swing.” He won’t get to play in front of many of his fans Sunday because of coronavirus restrictions. “It feels very weird only seeing them for like three holes out of 18 holes,” Campos said. “So I got my mom, I got my wife, I got family supporting me. So that’s all I really need right now. And, obviously, I feel the great positive energy the fans actually give me, either text messages or out here on the course.” The tournament is being played opposite the World Golf Championships event in Florida. The winner will get into the PGA Championship in May. Murray won the 2017 Barbasol Championship, also played opposite a WGC event, for the 27-year-old former Arizona State player’s lone TOUR title. “It’s been a long time since I have been in a situation like this, but I’m not afraid of the moment,” Murray said. “And at the end of the day, you still got to play good golf, no matter — no matter who’s chasing you or who I’m chasing.” He birdied five of the first nine holes. “I had the putter rolling and just kind of kept it rolling throughout the round,” Murray said. “We had to stop and start. We were a little unfortunate, but they were quick. And the PGA TOUR did a good job of kind of keeping us out there and not bringing us in each time.” Second-round leader Brandon Wu (71) was 12 under with Andrew Putnam (67) and Nelson Ledesma (68). “Had to scramble a little bit harder today,” Wu said. “I think it was playing tougher, the start and the stop, the rain, crazy conditions.”

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