U.S. tabs Creamer asst. captain for Solheim Cup

Charles Howell III was at 14-under 128, 3 shots ahead of Cameron Champ and Jason Gore after Round 2 of the RSM Classic.

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RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Brandon Wu birdied the final two holes for a 5-under 67 and the second-round lead Friday in the PGA TOUR’s Puerto Rico Open. Wu played the back nine in 4 under at windy Grand Reserve. He birdied the par-4 12th, par-5 15th, par-4 17th and par-5 18th to reach 11-under 133. “It was kind of a grind,” Wu said. “I missed a short putt kind of early on in the round, made a bogey I think on my fourth hole. I kind of just had to keep my head down and play well on the back.” The 24-year-old former Stanford player got into the field through the Korn Ferry Tour points list. He won the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in August, and tied for 14th last week in Florida in the first Korn Ferry event since early October. “I think my game is in a good place,” Wu said. “It was good to see kind of the things I worked on during the offseason paying off. I did well last week, so that definitely gave me some confidence coming into this week.” Greg Chalmers was a stroke back after a 68. The 47-year-old Australian also birdied his final two holes, the par-3 eighth and par-4 ninth. He had a hole-in-one on No. 8 in the opening round. “The wind was really blowing,” Chalmers said. “I didn’t have the greatest control, and my short game really held me in good stead. I made some nice saves from sort of 6, 8 feet for par. It’s a little tricky to putt when the wind is blowing like this. And then I hung in there and started to see some better swings and better shots going into the back nine.” Home star Rafael Campos and South Africa’s Branden Grace were 9 under. Campos rebounded from a bogey on 17 with a birdie on 18 for a 69. “I think I was just getting a little ahead of myself and I was missing a little bit to the right,” Campos said. “But I was missing in the correct spots. I really was. Which I’m happy with that today. I really never gave myself that many looks to score better, but I managed to deal with the situations as good as I could.” Grace shot 68. Jhonattan Vegas (68) and Cameron Percy (69) were 8 under. First-round leader Tommy Gainey followed his opening 65 with a 76 to enter the weekend at 3 under. Ian Poulter also was 3 under after a 70. The tournament is being played opposite the World Golf Championship event in Florida. The winner will get into the PGA Championship in May.

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This year’s qualifier for The Honda Classic was all but finished as darkness set in Monday evening at Banyan Cay Resort and Golf in West Palm Beach, Florida. In true Monday qualifier fashion, 16 players will return to the course Tuesday morning to compete for the fourth and final qualifying spot in this week’s field. Sam Stevens, who competed alongside Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff at Oklahoma State, pitched in a high spinner for eagle on the par-5 18th to earn medalist honors at 7-under 65. “I didn’t know exactly what I needed, but I thought 6-under would be good enough,” Stevens said after the round. “(The shot) came off great and looked like it was going to stop close, so it was just icing on the cake when it dropped.” Two-time PGA TOUR winner Fabian Gomez carded a 6-under 66 to qualify. Fellow Argentinian Martin Contini also posted a 66 to capture the third qualifying spot. Inside Tuesday’s 16-for-1 playoff: Chase Seiffert – Finished T3 at the 2021 Honda Classic … has played four PGA TOUR events this year. Jesse Smith – Qualified for 2013 U.S. Open. Maxwell Sear – Qualified for 2022 Farmers Insurance Open. Mickey DeMorat – Qualified for The RSM Classic last fall, finishing T47 … played in 2018 U.S. Open. Ruaidhri Mcgee – Has played majority of professional career on the Challenge Tour … best finish was T2 at the 2015 Challenge de Madrid. J.T. Griffin – Last PGA TOUR start came at the 2018 Wells Fargo Championship … recorded four top-10s on the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour. Rick Lamb – Won the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2016 LECOM Health Challenge in a playoff over C.T. Pan, Dominic Bozzelli and Rhein Gibson. David Lingmerth – 2015 Memorial Tournament champion … has made over $9 million on the PGA TOUR … qualified for 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship and finished T57. M.J. Maguire – Finished No. 5 on 2020-21 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica money list … 2022 Korn Ferry Tour member. Justin Doeden – Solo PGA TOUR start came at the 2020 Puerto Rico Open … won 2020 Classic at The Club at Weston Hills (LOCALiQ series). D.J. Trahan – Two-time PGA TOUR winner. Turk Pettit – Won 2021 Birck Boilermaker Classic on PGA TOUR Canada … finished T39 at The Panama Championship earlier this month … won 2021 NCAA Division I men’s golf individual title at Grayhawk GC. Brian Richey – Recorded two top-10 finishes on the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour … Florida resident. Anders Albertson – Won Korn Ferry Tour’s Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS in 2018 … played 2018-19 PGA TOUR season … best finish was T5 at Sanderson Farms Championship. Andy Svoboda – Three-time Korn Ferry Tour winner. Ben Griffin – Has three top-10 finishes on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour … recorded back-to-back second-place finishes at the 2022 Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard and LECOM Suncoast Classic. THE HONDA CLASSIC QUALIFIERS Sam Stevens (7-under 65) • Age: 25 • Turned pro: 2018 • PGA TOUR starts: 0 • Notes: Will make his first PGA TOUR start at The Honda Classic … earned 2022 Korn Ferry Tour membership via Q-School … has made two of three cuts to begin the Korn Ferry Tour season … finished T35 at last week’s LECOM Suncoast Classic … competed on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica in 2019 and 2020-21, recording five top-10 finishes … won the 2021 Holcim Colombia Classic presented by Volvo … finished No. 2 on the 2020-21 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Order of Merit … finished T23 at the 2018 Mackenzie Investments Open presented by Jaguar Laval, his first career PGA TOUR-sanctioned event … played collegiately at Oklahoma State University for four seasons (2014-18), where he was a teammate of Matthew Wolff and Viktor Hovland … was a member of the Cowboys’ 2018 NCAA Championship-winning team (did not see action in stroke play or match play) … competed at the 2016 NCAA Championships as a sophomore … won the 2015 Kansas Amateur Championship and finished runner-up in 2013, 2014 and 2018 … became a third-generation winner of the Kansas Amateur, as his father Charlie won in 2010 and his grandfather Johnny won in 1960 and 1961 … stands No. 649 on the Official World Golf Ranking. Fabián Gómez (6-under 66) • Age: 43 • Turned pro: 2002 • PGA TOUR starts: 162 • Cuts made: 80 Notes: Gómez will make his second TOUR start of the season at The Honda Classic … first start resulted in missed cut at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship … failed to retain his PGA TOUR card following 15 missed cuts in 24 starts during the 2020-21 season … currently holds Past Champion status on the PGA TOUR … has made five starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this year … two-time PGA TOUR winner (2015 FedEx St. Jude Classic; 2016 Sony Open in Hawaii) … has earned nearly $7 million on the PGA TOUR … represented Argentina at the 2013 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics … grew up playing same course, Chaco Golf Club, as Jose Coceres and Emiliano Grillo … hosts the Fabian Gomez Classic at Chaco GC in September to benefit charity in Argentina … stands No. 674 on the Official World Golf Ranking. Martin Contini (6-under 66) Age: 27 Turned pro: 2019 PGA TOUR starts: 0 Notes: Will make his PGA TOUR debut at The Honda Classic … has played five events on the Korn Ferry Tour this year … recorded ninth-place finish at The Panama Championship on Korn Ferry Tour … has made 11 career PGA TOUR Latinoamerica starts, highlighted by a T34 at the 115 VISA Argentine Open presented by Macro in 2021 … won the 2017 Argentine Amateur Championship, defeating Andres Gallegos, 3 and 2. 2021-22 Monday qualifier statistics Top-25s: Grant Hirschman (T17, Sanderson Farms Championship); Patrick Flavin (T17, Butterfield Bermuda Championship) Best finish: Grant Hirschman (T17, Sanderson Farms Championship); Patrick Flavin (T17, Butterfield Bermuda Championship) Most times qualified: Kyle Wilshire (2), Ben Silverman (2) Last event’s qualifier results (WM Phoenix Open): Ben Silverman (MC), Etienne Papineau (MC), Jeffrey Kang (MC)

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