A year ago, the Clearwater, Fla., native and Florida State junior lost this event in a playoff to Hayden Buckley. But Porter, who recently switched instructors, has found consistency in his game. He followed an opening bogey-free 70 at St. Petersburg Country Club with a little more colorful round of 3-under 69 on Friday.
Another familiar face from the Florida winter amateur circuit is Nick Cummings. The Boston College signee (Cummings, a Massachusetts native, is taking a gap year between high school and college to hone his game) had rounds of 69-71 to find the solo third spot on the leaderboard at 4 under. Cummings was fifth at the Dixie Amateur at the end of 2018.
Graysen Huff, Kyler Tate and first-round co-leader Jordan Batchelor are T-4 at 3 under.
