Argentine rookie Abel Gallegos claims outright lead following bogey-free second round

Things to Know

21-year-old Argentine rookie Abel Gallegos claims the outright lead following a second-round 5-under 65

Jimmy Stanger is in line to sit T2 after 36 holes for the second consecutive year at The Panama Championship

18-hole solo leader Ryan Gerard cards a 4-over 74 in the second round and now sits T9

The 36-hole cut will be made upon the conclusion of the second round Saturday morning, with the projected cut line currently at 3-over par (11-way T64 at 3-over)

Abel Gallegos (Leader / -5)

Making his third career start on the Korn Ferry Tour and is in line to have his first lead of any kind

Carded a second-round bogey-free 5-under 65 with birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 12, 13 and 15

Opened the week with an even-par 70 in the first round consisting of four birdies and four bogeys

In his rookie season on the Korn Ferry Tour, Gallegos earned status by placing T17 at the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament

Prior to joining the Korn Ferry Tour this year, competed in seven PGA TOUR LatinoAmerica events in 2022; he made the cut in just three starts, with his best finish being a T43 at the Diners Club Peru Open presented by Volvo

Won the Latin America Amateur Championship in 2020 at the age of 17; became the first Argentine to claim victory in the event

Decorated amateur career including titles at the 2021 Azalea Invitational, the aforementioned 2020 Latin America Amateur and the 2019 Menores Argentina Championship

Competed in both the 2020 Masters Tournament and 2021 The Open Championship as an exemption

The youngest 2023 Korn Ferry Tour member, Gallegos’ turned 21 years old Thursday

Quotables

Abel Gallegos on the support of his family: “They are always supporting me, and I always say that this wouldn’t be possible without them. They are the ‘engine’ behind this and I’m really happy to have them here this week.”

Gallegos on having his family with him this week: “It’s something we had been planning. My girlfriend came as well and it’s going to be her birthday on Sunday. All my family came, and we spent my birthday together yesterday. We had a good time. It means a lot.”

Gallegos on his birdying three of his first six holes: “Getting under par early is always good, I went under quite quickly, and then I played on the right side and had a mistake-free round to finish at 5-under.”

Gallegos on playing bogey-free on a difficult course: “It’s very tough, but I struck the ball really well, that was the secret. If you strike the ball well and hit good lines you will keep the bogeys away and that was the case today.”

Notes

Ben Kohles (T2 / -4) is making his seventh appearance at The Panama Championship; his 4-under 66 Friday was a personal-best in his 20 total rounds played in this event

Kohles’ best finish at The Panama Championship came in 2020 when he placed T3

Kohles is in search of his second consecutive top-10 finish after placing T7 at last week’s The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club

Jimmy Stanger (T2 / -4), who is making his 109th Korn Ferry Tour start this week, is in line to sit inside the top five after 36 holes for his sixth time ever and second consecutive time in this event (T2 after two rounds in 2022)

Stanger eventually finished T2 in this event last year, his best finish of the 2022 season; Stanger ended the year No. 40 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List

Kevin Dougherty (T2 / -4), who is making his fifth career start at The Panama Championship this week, carded a bogey-free 3-under 67 Friday; Dougherty’s best finish in this event came in 2018 when he placed T17

Mac Meissner (T2 / -4) and Scott Gutschewski (T9 / -2) tied Gallegos for the low rounds of the day at 5-under 65

Meissner placed T15 in this event last season, his first of eight top-25 finishes during the 2022 season where he finished the year No. 46 on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List

Gutschewski carded seven birdies Friday, tied for the most by any player in the field, and has 11 total birdies this week, tied with Christopher Petefish (T15 / -1) for the most this week; he enters the week in search of his third straight top-25 finish (T25 at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay and T22 at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club)

18-hole leader Ryan Gerard (T9 / -2) carded a second-round 4-over 74, consisting of five bogeys and one birdie

A rookie on the Korn Ferry Tour, Gerard earned conditional status this season by finishing No. 5 in 2022 PGA TOUR Canada Fortinet Cup standings; played in eight PGA TOUR Canada events last year and logged five top-25 finishes, including his maiden professional victory at the 2022 Québec Open, winning in wire-to-wire fashion