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Mar 25, 2016

Campos keeps lead in Puerto Rico

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RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 24:  Rafael Campos of Puerto Rico plays his third shot from the bunker on the 15th hole during the first round of the Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach on March 24, 2016 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Campos was able to get up and down for birdieto to take the first round lead.  (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

RIO GRANDE, PUERTO RICO - MARCH 24: Rafael Campos of Puerto Rico plays his third shot from the bunker on the 15th hole during the first round of the Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach on March 24, 2016 in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Campos was able to get up and down for birdieto to take the first round lead. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

    Written by The Associated Press

    RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- Rafael Campos held onto the lead in front of his hometown fans at the Puerto Rico Open at Coco Beach, shooting a 1-under 71 in windy conditions Friday.

    The 27-year-old Campos had a 9-under to maintain a one-stroke lead. One of two players to play in all nine editions of the event, he opened with a 64 on Thursday.

    "It's great just having so much support, so many people coming out here and following us," Campos said. "I love seeing the little kids, I love seeing the parents and all that. They're the future of golf."

    He's the first Puerto Rican to lead a PGA TOUR event since the 1979 Tallahassee Open, when Chi Chi Rodriguez was tied for the 54-hole lead and went on to win his eighth and final title.

    PUERTO RICO OPEN: Leaderboard | Tee times | Highlights | Field

    "It really does feel great to be in this position," Campos said. "I'm really relaxed. Ironically enough, I really feel very relaxed out there. Not really thinking of my swing, I'm not really thinking of the problems out there, I'm actually enjoying it. I like being in this position, I really do."

    George McNeill, the 2012 winner, was second after a 71.

    "The wind's blowing, it's tricky," McNeill said. "The greens aren't very fast and this afternoon they didn't putt as good as they did yesterday morning, obviously, with a lot of traffic on them."

    Ian Poulter, playing the event after failing to qualify for the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play in Texas, was tied for third at 7 under after a 66 -- the best round of the day.

    "The yardage books nowadays are good enough, you don't need to be here for days and days and days trying to figure out the golf course," Poulter said. "It's right in front of you. It's windy, you can see the bunkers, you can see the hazards."

    The Englishman birdied the first three holes and the last three in his bogey-free round.

    "I had to stay patient," Poulter said. "Opening up with three birdies first thing this morning was nice. It was easy to get a little bit frustrated yesterday not making putts I would have expected to hole. ... To close with three birdies there was good, and it kind of moves me up the board quite nicely."

    Defending champion Alex Cejka (71) also was 7 under along with Steve Marino (67), Bronson Burgoon (68), Kyle Reifers (70), Mark Hubbard (70) and Will MacKenzie (71).

    "It was a little bit trickier today," Cejka said. "It was a little bit more wind, it was tough to play. I really hit some good shots. ... I'm hanging in there, just want to play the next couple days like I did the first two days."

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