Hoey falters late, barely makes cut at Texas Open

MANILA, Philippines -- Rico Hoey squandered a promising charge and had to settle for an even-par 72 on Friday (Saturday Manila time), barely making the cut at the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio’ Oaks Course.

Coming off an opening 70, Hoey looked poised to climb the leaderboard after a superb backside run. He fired three birdies over his first nine holes, including a routine two-putt birdie on the par-5 14th, to reach five-under overall and gain early momentum.

But just as he appeared in control, the round unraveled.

Missed fairways led to missed greens – and, ultimately, missed chances. Hoey failed to convert a key 12-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th that could have carried his surge further. After making the turn, his struggles compounded. He overshot the par-3 third and missed an 11-footer for par, triggering a costly stretch.

A wayward drive into a penalty area on the next hole forced him to scramble, needing a clutch 22-foot putt just to limit the damage to bogey. Another missed green and a failed six-foot par save led to yet another dropped shot. In a span of three holes, the ICTSI-backed Filipino-American gave away the gains he had worked hard to build.

From five-under and in position to contend, Hoey slid back to even-par for the day, carding a 33-39 for a 36-hole total of 142 – exactly the cut line. Instead of pushing up the standings, he found himself tied for 60th, narrowly securing one of the final spots into the weekend.

Up front, Robert MacIntyre surged to command with a sizzling 64, highlighted by an eagle on No. 14, reaching 14-under 130. Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg stayed within striking distance at 134 after a 67, while Tony Finau shot a 69 led a group at 135.

Now 12 shots off the lead, Hoey heads into Moving Day needing more than just another fast start – he’ll need to sustain it.

If Friday proved anything, it’s that momentum alone won’t be enough; converting opportunities and avoiding costly mistakes will be key to mounting a meaningful climb.