Nelson

Ledesma

The Argentine has been filling it up through two days at Grand Reserve Country Club. He’s circled 11 birdies (T5 in the field) and also added an eagle today at the par-5- fifth hole. On the flip side, he’s scribbled three bogeys and a double, through 36 holes. Currently T5 on the live leaderboard, this will be the first time in his career that he’s positioned himself inside of the top 15 after any round on the PGA TOUR. Gamers should watch closely over the weekend to see how he responds to sleeping on a leaderboard position so close to the lead.

The Argentinian finished 217th in the FedExCup standings during last season’s rookie campaign but remains fully exempt as a result of the TOUR’s extended eligibility adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Subject to the reshuffle, however, he’s gotten into just three events (out of a possible 12) so far this season, cashing a career-best T23 at the Safeway Open (69-68-67-70), followed by missed cuts at the stand-alone Corales (by nine), and by three at the stand-alone Bermuda (68-78). The Argentinian, who turned pro back in 2007 but didn’t ascend to the main stage until 2019-20, has yet to be in the top 10 after any round in 50 career laps, and the aforementioned T23 in Napa is his lone top-25 finish among just four made cuts in 21 career events. He’s a veteran of the junior circuits, winning once (in 2017) on the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica in 93 starts, and twice on the Korn Ferry Tour (in 54 events), most recently in 2019, with both of the latter victories came during his birthday month in July.

The Korn Ferry Tour grad is 3-for-13 to start the season with a T28 at the Bermuda Championship and T44 at the Puerto Rico Open being the highlights. The bright spot in his statistical portfolio is that he ranks 64th on TOUR in strokes gained putting. That ability to catch fire with the flat stick makes him live to post a top-heavy finish any time he pegs it. That falls in line with his history on the Korn Ferry Tour where his cuts-made ratio is just 50 percent (24-for-48) but he’s managed two victories and two other podiums. He also won on the Latinoamerica circuit in 2017 so he boasts a win in three straight years. Gamers should continue to treat him as a risky option with winning upside in all weekly formats.

The Argentine is making the seventh start of his PGA TOUR career and now has his second cut made, and also second in a row. He was T17 after 36 holes at the Houston Open recently, perhaps finding his footing on the big stage. Ledesma has split eight (of 14) fairways in both rounds and landed a total of 25 greens. The scoring club has been active as he’s circled 11 birdies to offset five bogeys. His lack of reps on the PGA TOUR makes him a bit of a wildcard over the weekend but gamers should certainly keep a close eye on him to see if he can maintain this momentum he’s started to build over his last two starts.