pga tour puerto rico field

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Full field for the pga tour’s opposite-event puerto rico open.

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While the top-ranked players in the world compete in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a signature event, the PGA Tour will also contest the Puerto Rico Open.

The opposite-field event will take place March 7-10 at Grand Reserve GC in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Here’s a look at the initial full field (with updates):

Zach Johnson and Kramer Hickok WD from the Puerto Rico Open; Scott Brown and D.J. Trahan in. Brown was previously in the field on a sponsor exemption; new recipient TBD. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 2, 2024

Dylan Frittelli WD from the Puerto Rico Open; Ted Potter, Jr. in. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 2, 2024

Field for the Puerto Rico Open (contested the same week as the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard): pic.twitter.com/jZwXeDkxQj — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 1, 2024

2024 Puerto Rico Open Full Field: 132 Players in Opposite Event to Arnold Palmer Invitational

W hile all eyes will be on Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club this week at a star-studded signature event, there's still plenty to play for at the PGA Tour's other stop.

An opposite-field event will be contested at the Puerto Rico Open, with a number of young players plus older veterans trying to bank some cash and put themselves in better position for the rest of the season. A win still means a two-year exemption, but no automatic Masters invitation.

Major champions Jason Dufner and Jimmy Walker are scheduled to compete, along with past FedEx Cup champions Bill Haas and Brandt Snedeker, at the 7,506-yard par-72 Grand Reserve Golf Club.

Younger players in the field include brothers and University of Texas standouts Parker and Pierceson Coody and 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year Adrien Dumont de Chassart. Defending champion Nico Echavarria and 2022 winner Ryan Brehm are also playing. 

Below is the field list from the PGA Tour; keep an eye on this X thread for field updates.

Brice Garnett wins Puerto Rico Open to regain PGA Tour status

• Associated Press

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico -- Brice Garnett holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole Sunday to win the Puerto Rico Open in his first tournament of the year, sending him to The Players Championship next week and giving him PGA Tour status for the next three years.

Garnett closed with a 3-under 69 at Grand Reserve Golf Club, getting back in the game with consecutive birdies on the 13th and 14th and then saving par on the 18th in regulation.

Erik Barnes closed with a 68, also saving par on the 18th. They finished at 19-under 269.

Both had their chances in the playoff, each time on the 630-yard closing hole. Garnett missed a 12-foot birdie putt for the win on the first extra hole. Barnes holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole, with Garnett matching him from 6 feet.

Barnes narrowly missed from 12 feet after Garnett's birdie on the fourth playoff hole.

Garnett was emotional when it was over, and it's easy to understand why. He won in the Dominican Republic in 2018 for his only PGA Tour victory, but he fell outside the top 150 last year and was reduced to having low status as a past champion.

Given this year of signature events and high stakes on the PGA Tour, this was the first tournament that had room for him. The Puerto Rico Open was held opposite the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Garnett referred to it as his "Augusta," so important because it would give him a chance to pick up FedEx Cup points. It worked out better than he can imagine.

The victory comes with a two-year exemption -- the rest of 2024 on the PGA Tour, plus the next two years. Along with The Players Championship next week and its $25 million purse, Garnett is in the PGA Championship, and he starts next year in Kapalua for The Sentry.

"It's huge," he said. "I was so excited for the opportunity to compete out here again. I get three more years on this tour, some events I get in. There was really a lot of unknowns this year."

Jimmy Stanger had a good chance to join the playoff. He was left of the green in two on the 18th and needed to get up-and-down for birdie. But he bladed his chip across the green and had to settle for par and a 70.

Stanger tied for third with Victor Perez (65) and Hayden Springer (68).

Ben Kohles , the 54-hole leader, didn't make a birdie until the 15th hole. He still had a chance going to the par-5 18th to join the playoff, but he three-putted from 35 feet for bogey and closed with a 73 to tie for sixth.

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2023 Puerto Rico Open odds, picks, field: Surprising PGA predictions from golf model that nailed 8 majors

Sportsline's proven model simulated the puerto rico open 2023 10,000 times and revealed its surprising golf picks.

The 2023 Puerto Rico Open will take a backseat to the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week, but there is still plenty of value on the PGA odds board. Some of the top golfers on the PGA Tour have kick-started their careers with wins in Puerto Rico, including Tony Finau in 2016 and Viktor Hovland in 2019. Many lower-ranked golfers will participate in the 2023 Puerto Rico Open field this week at Grand Reserve Country Club. Nate Lashley and Ben Martin are 16-1 co-favorites in the latest 2023 Puerto Rico Open odds on the PGA odds board.

Some of the other 2023 Puerto Rico Open contenders include Akshay Bhatia (22-1), Scott Piercy (25-1) and Andrew Novak (25-1). With so many longshots near the top of the board, SportsLine's model can help you find a big winner with your 2023 Puerto Rico bets. Before locking in any 2023 Puerto Rico Open picks, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine .

SportsLine's proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, has been red-hot since the PGA Tour resumed in June of 2020. In fact, the model is up over $8,300 on its best bets since the restart, nailing tournament after tournament.

McClure's model predicted Jon Rahm to finish on top of the leaderboard at the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions, The American Express and the Genesis Invitational. The model also included J.T. Poston in its best bets to win the 2022 John Deere Classic. That bet hit at +5500, and for the entire tournament, McClure's best bets returned almost $1,100. At the 2022 Masters, McClure's model was all over Scottie Scheffler's first career major championship victory heading into the weekend.

In addition, McClure's best bets included Collin Morikawa winning outright at the 2021 Open Championship, even though he was listed as a massive 40-1 long shot. The model was also all over Jon Rahm's (10-1) first career major championship victory at the 2021 U.S. Open. Rahm was two strokes off the lead heading into the weekend, but the model still projected him as the winner.

This same model has also nailed a whopping eight majors entering the weekend. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.

Now that the 2023 Puerto Rico Open field is locked, SportsLine simulated the tournament 10,000 times, and the results were surprising. Head to SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard .

Top 2023 Puerto Rico Open predictions 

One major surprise the model is calling for at the Puerto Rico Open 2023: Scott Piercy, a four-time PGA Tour winner and one of the top favorites, stumbles this week and barely cracks the top 10. He has been struggling throughout the 2022-23 season, making the cut just six times in 13 events. Piercy finished T-50 at the Genesis Invitational in his most recent start and has not finished inside the top 30 in seven straight tournaments. 

He also withdrew from the WM Phoenix Open earlier in February, making him a golfer to stay away from right now. The 44-year-old has been playing in most of the big events on the PGA Tour, so the Puerto Rico Open is unlikely to grab his full attention this week. He is priced as one of the favorites to win the tournament, but SportsLine's model barely has him finishing inside the top 10. 

Another surprise: Dylan Wu, a 35-1 longshot, makes a strong run at the title. He has a much better chance to win it all than his odds imply, so he's a target for anyone looking for a huge payday. Wu played college golf for Northwestern, winning three individual tournaments in four years. He turned professional following his collegiate career, and he has been primarily playing on the Korn Ferry Tour since then.

Wu recorded his first Korn Ferry Tour win in 2021 at the Price Cutter Charity Championship, and he also carded a T-31 in the 2021 U.S. Open. The 26-year-old finds himself in a similar situation to some of the previous winners of this tournament, needing a breakthrough moment on the PGA Tour to kickstart his career. SportsLine's model thinks this is the perfect chance for him to record his first PGA Tour win against a mediocre field.  See who else to pick here . 

How to make 2023 Puerto Rico Open picks

The model is also targeting three other golfers with odds of 25-1 or longer who will make surprising runs. Anyone who backs these longshots could hit it big.  You can only see the model's PGA picks here .

So who will win the Puerto Rico Open 2023? And which longshots stun the golfing world? Check out the 2023 Puerto Rico Open odds below and then visit SportsLine to see the projected 2023 Puerto Rico Open leaderboard , all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors, including last year's Masters.

2023 Puerto Rico Open odds, field

See the full Puerto Rico Open 2023 picks, best bets, and predictions here .

Nate Lashley 16-1 Ben Martin 20-1 Brandon Harkins 22-1 Scott Piercy 25-1 Erik van Rooyen 25-1 Akshay Bhatia 28-1 Cameron Percy 30-1 Andrew Novak 30-1 Sam Stevens 35-1 Ryan Gerard 35-1 MJ Daffue 35-1 Michael Kim 35-1 Harry Hall 35-1 Dylan Wu 35-1 Harry Higgs 40-1 Erik Barnes 40-1 Matti Schmid 45-1 Carl Yuan 45-1 Vincent Norrman 50-1 Ryan Armour 50-1 Roberto Diaz 50-1 Rafael Campos 50-1 Josh Teater 50-1 Henrik Norlander 50-1 Harrison Endycott 50-1 Hank Lebioda 50-1 Brice Garnett 50-1 Augusto Nunez 50-1 Tano Goya 55-1 Paul Haley II 55-1 Noah Goodwin 55-1 Kevin Roy 55-1 Chris Stroud 55-1 Vaughn Taylor 60-1 Fabian Gomez 60-1 Brian Stuard 60-1 Austin Eckroat 60-1 Austin Cook 60-1 Zecheng Dou 65-1

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Puerto Rico Open 2024: Field, tee times, and betting odds for the PGA Tour event

Published: 08 March 2024

The Puerto Rico Open 2024 Preview

The PGA Tour’s only Caribbean event welcomes a chasing pack of pros, hungry to impress in the absence of the game’s big guns.

The Puerto Rico Open plays a supporting act this week to the PGA Tour’s Signature Event over in Orlando – The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

The tournament, now in its 16th year, has historically run alongside a higher-status event, therefore providing one of the season’s best opportunities for lower-ranked PGA Tour members to bag some precious FedExCup points.

Last time out, it was Columbian Nico Echavarria who capitalized , stepping up from 406 th  in the OGWRs to win on 21-under par, rising over 100 places in the space of a week to 287 th .

Where is The Puerto Rico Open being played?

The wind-exposed par 72, 7,506-yard Grand Reserve Country Club in Rio Grande is the host venue for the Puerto Rico Open and is one of only two championship courses in the Caribbean.

Who is in the field for The Puerto Rico Open?

Defending champion Echavarria defends his title at the Grand Reserve Golf Club, and while the field lacks the star power of Florida’s Signature Event, there is still a smattering of winners teeing it up and plenty of high-caliber players ready for a break-through win.

Rasmus Hojgaard will have a point to prove having missed out on a PGA Tour card by just 30 points at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship. Ryder Cup rookie Robert MacIntyre also takes his place in the field, alongside fellow DP World Tour winners Aaron Rai, Ryo Hisatsune, and Victor Perez .

How much will the winner of The Puerto Rico Open receive?

The winner in Rio Grande is set to receive a $720,000 share of the $4 million purse, up from the $684,000 won by Nico Echavarria in 2023.

While the winner does not qualify for the Masters, they do guarantee themselves entry into the PGA Championship as a Tour winner, a two-year PGA Tour exemption, and a highly valuable 300 FedExCup points.

How to watch The Puerto Rico Open

US viewers can catch all the action on Golf Channel.

All times EDT

Saturday, March 0 9:  The Golf Channel, 14.30

Sunday, March 10:  The Golf Channel, 14.30

The tournament is not being broadcast on SkySports.

Puerto Rico Open: Tee Times

Tee times and groupings can be found here .

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Ross Tugwood

Golf Equipment Writer

Ross Tugwood is a golf equipment writer for todays-golfer.com, specializing in data, analytics, science, and innovation.

Ross is passionate about optimizing sports performance and has a decade of experience working with professional athletes and coaches for British Athletics, the UK Sports Institute, and Team GB.

He has post-graduate degrees in Performance Analysis and Sports Journalism, enabling him to critically analyze and review the latest golf equipment and technology to help you make better-informed buying decisions.

2024 Puerto Rico Open purse, winner’s share, prize money payout

The 2024 Puerto Rico Open purse is set for $4 million, with the winner's share coming in at $720,000 -- the standard 18 percent payout according to the PGA Tour's prize money distribution chart .

The 2024 Puerto Rico Open field is headed by Rasmus Hojgaard, Robert MacIntyre, Fred Biondi and more of the world's best players.

For 2024 Puerto Rico Open results and payout , see our final leaderboard

The 144-player field competes in the 1th event of the 2024 PGA Tour season, with the tournament representing the opposite-field event of the Florida Swing.

A cut is made after 36 holes to the top 65 players and ties. All players who finish four rounds of the tournament will earn money.

The prize-money payout is typically based on exactly 65 players making the cut and finishing the tournament. However, in PGA Tour events with a standard cut to the top 65 players and ties, the payout formula is adjusted to account for the exact number of players making the cut and will often include adding money to the stated purse to account for additional players.

The event is played this year at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.

This is the 11th PGA Tour event of the 2024 PGA Tour schedule .

What else is on the line: FedEx Cup points, OWGR points, exemptions

Beyond money, there are important points, perks and benefits on the line for the field -- in particular, the tournament winner.

The winner of this event earns 300 FedEx Cup points, as will be the case for standard events. The winner gets 22 Official World Golf Ranking points, with the points available based on field strength.

The champion will enjoy the benefits of winning PGA Tour event, including a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour and an exemption into the PGA Championship, The Players and The Sentry in 2025.

2024 Puerto Rico Open purse, winner's share, prize money payout

2024 puerto rico open: frequently asked questions(faq), how much is the 2024 puerto rico open purse, how much is the 2024 puerto rico open winner's share, what is the 2024 puerto rico open field size, is there a cut at the 2024 puerto rico open, about the author.

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Puerto Rico Is A Top Golf Travel Destination—For You And PGA Tour

The Puerto Rico Open finished with a dramatic playoff Sunday, but it was hardly the end for the event. In fact, while I was attending the tournament—one of the most spectator friendly in all of golf—the PGA Tour and Puerto Rico Tourism Company announced a two-year extension of the longest running PGA Tour event in the Caribbean, since 2008. “The Puerto Rico Open beautifully showcases what visitors can expect when playing golf here,” said Brad Dean, chief executive officer of Discover Puerto Rico. “Watching top-echelon players compete on one of...

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Geoff ogilvy odds to win the 2024 puerto rico open, share this article.

The Puerto Rico Open is scheduled for March 7-10 at Grand Reserve Country Club, and Geoff Ogilvy is one of the golfers who will participate.

There are a multitude of betting markets at your disposal, if you’re looking to put money on Ogilvy in this week’s event.

Puerto Rico Open details and info

• Date: March 7-10, 2024
• Course: Grand Reserve Country Club
• Location: Río Grande, Puerto Rico
• Previous Winner: Nicolas Echavarria

How to watch the Puerto Rico Open

• Thursday: Golf Channel
• Friday: Golf Channel
• Saturday: Golf Channel

Catch all the action with Fubo! Get live sports and shows without cable. Click here for a free trial and start streaming today.

Ogilvy odds to win the Puerto Rico Open

Odds for the Puerto Rico Open are available, and Ogilvy is listed at +60000. That means betting $10 on Ogilvy would give you $6010.00.

PGA odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook . Odds updated Wednesday at 8:59 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub .

Ogilvy odds to finish in the top 5 at the Puerto Rico Open

Odds for the Puerto Rico Open are available, and Ogilvy listed at +9000 to at least finish in the top five. That means wagering $10 on Ogilvy would give you $910.00.

Ogilvy odds to finish in the top 10 at the Puerto Rico Open

Ogilvy is +3300 to finish in the top 10 at the Puerto Rico Open. If you bet $10 on Ogilvy, you’d get $340.00 back.

Other betting markets for Ogilvy at the Puerto Rico Open

Other common golf wagers include choosing who will lead at the end of Round 1, or whether a player makes the cut. Bookmakers also offer odds on 3-ball matchups (three players grouped together, teeing off at the same time) and one-on-one matchups for every golf tournament. Just pick who you think will play the best on the day; that’s all that matters.

Ogilvy recent performances

Ogilvy played eight tournaments over the last year, and he did not secure a top-10 finish. In his past four appearances, Ogilvy finished outside the top 20.

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Inside the Field: Puerto Rico Open

Inside the Field

Full-field list at Grand Reserve Country Club for the Puerto Rico Open

Change Text Size

The PGA TOUR uses a standardized system for determining event fields, based off the current season’s Priority Ranking while also including additional exemption and qualifying categories.

Field sizes can vary by event, as can the number of event-specific exemptions. Fully exempt PGA TOUR members are guaranteed entry into all full-field events, with various conditional categories subject to periodic reshuffles based upon FedExCup Points accrued throughout the season. Categories with 'reshuffle' notation indicate that a reshuffle period has occurred.

Note: An additional year of eligibility was granted to some categories because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scroll below for the Puerto Rico Open field list as of Friday, February 24th at 5 p.m. ET.

* = If all prior year Korn Ferry Tour graduates are eligible for event, exemptions become unrestricted

# = Latest medical extension information can be found here .

$ = Category breakdown can be found here .

Jordan Spieth aces from 199 yards on No. 16 at Valero Texas Open

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Jordan Spieth started slow at the Valero Texas Open, but his day shifted with one shot – with a brand-new 7-iron.

Spieth made a hole-in-one at the 199-yard, par-3 16th hole at TPC San Antonio, his fourth career ace on TOUR. His tee shot landed on the left side on the hole’s donut-shaped green – playing to a back-left hole location – the ball landing some 30 feet short and bouncing a few times before rolling into the center of the cup. The Texan shared high-fives with playing partners Hideki Matsuyama and Lucas Glover and their caddies before acknowledging the raucous fans. He followed the ace with a birdie-par finish for a 1-over 73; he’ll enter Friday one off the projected cut line.

Had he not changed 7-irons on Wednesday, Spieth believes, he wouldn’t have made the ace.

Jordan Spieth makes a hole-in-one at Valero

“I had to take some off of a 7-iron and so I lined up to hit like a 185 shot and hit a little fade with the wind that kind of was able to ride the slope then. I hit it and I picked up the tee because I did what I wanted to do,” Spieth said afterward.

“It's actually a brand new 7-iron this week, only the 7-iron. I like hitting my 7-iron and so I've got it to where, when I'm testing my gaps, it like goes 5 yards too far in the gap. I didn't know why. On Wednesday after the pro-am I was hitting on the back of the range; I had them just bring a brand new 7-iron for new grooves and it was up in the right spin window, so knocked 4, 5 yards off of it. If I didn't change 7-irons yesterday, then I wouldn't have made it. It's funny.”

Spieth stood 4-over through 15 holes Thursday, a less-than-promising start in his home state. He carded four bogeys against two birdies on the front nine, turning in 2-over 38. He rebounded from a bogey at No. 11 with a birdie at No. 12, but he fell back with a double bogey at the par-5 14th when he went OB off the tee.

Then he made magic on TPC San Antonio’s famed 16th, his first TOUR ace since the third round of the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (No. 2 at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge), en route to a T4 finish.

Spieth had previously recorded holes-in-one at the 2013 Puerto Rico Open (finishing tied for second) and 2015 BMW Championship (T13). It’s a strong correlation of aces and high finishes – that he’ll look to continue this week.

“Seems like kind of like a bad blackjack run; you can't get up from the table, and maybe the hole-in-one turns it around a bit,” said Spieth, who missed the cut in his previous two starts, THE PLAYERS Championship and Valspar Championship.

“Like my game feels fine and I'm just not getting much out of it. So it's extremely frustrating because I drove the living piss out of the ball today and I picked the wrong line on 14 and it's the one drive I missed honestly like 5, 6 yards right of where I was looking and then I don't find it. I was like, ‘See, now my driving stats don't look the way they actually feel and I'm 4-over.’ I'm like, ‘This is not a hard track this afternoon, what in the world is going on?’

“I got a couple nice breaks late that maybe make me feel like the game's not as hard as it's been feeling.”

Puerto Rico’s southern coast is the island’s best-kept secret

Take it from a guayama native: the caribbean coast is worth exploring from end to end.

The scenery starts to change when you leave the tall hotels and tapón (traffic jam) of San Juan behind.

Head south on Route 52, and you will start seeing the lush green mountains of Cordillera Central. As you approach the southern coast, the dense vegetation transforms into clusters of cactuses and shrubs, painting an arid landscape against the distant view of the Caribbean Sea.

Ranging east to west from the town of Yabucoa to Cabo Rojo, the southern coast of Puerto Rico is rich in culture, food, beaches and nature. But beyond all the tangible attractions, locals say the spirit of hospitality makes the place unique. “Our greatest asset is the people, who make people feel at home,” says Milexys Rosado Romero, the owner of Hacienda Tres Casitas , a farm stay in Cabo Rojo.

I learned this growing up in Guayama, where neighbors traded mangoes for papayas. My parents were always inviting people for coffee, or my dad might arrive home with a bagful of fresh seafood he got from a friend he ran into at the beach.

Unfortunately, no reliable public transport options exist, so renting a car is the best bet to reach the smaller towns and unspoiled beaches. Highway 52 traverses the island from north to south, taking you from San Juan to Guayama in around 90 minutes, depending on traffic, and to Ponce in two hours or less. Highway 2 takes you west to Cabo Rojo and up the western coast, and Route 3 takes you along the eastern coast with scenic ocean views of Patillas and Maunabo.

If traveling during the fall, you may catch surfers in Guardarraya Beach in Patillas. It’s hard to get lost as you can easily find lesser-known beaches via Google Maps, with good cell coverage throughout the region.

Many of the lodgings offered on the southern coast, from the luxury Copamarina Beach Resort to the kid-friendly Combate Beach Resort , have been owned by local families for generations. Farm stays, small inns known as paradors and vacation rentals dominate the accommodations, making for a relaxed scene.

I recommend visiting from Wednesdays to Sundays for a livelier scene and more dining options; earlier in the week is perfect for having the beaches all to yourself.

Low-key beaches in Cabo Rojo

Even the Caribbean Sea beaches on the southern coast of Puerto Rico are in chill mode, more relaxed than their choppy Atlantic Ocean counterparts in the north.

With small waves and shallow waters, Combate Beach, on the southwest corner, is ideal for families. Make it a day-long affair with a passion fruit mojito at Annie’s Place with picturesque sunset views.

For a more rustic beach experience, go to Playa Sucia, one of Puerto Rico’s southernmost beaches. While there, hike the trails leading to El Faro de Cabo Rojo and Puente de Piedra for 360-degree views of a colorful mix of Caribbean blues, sandy-colored rocky enclaves and green mangroves along the coast. Walk a mile and a half north of Playa Sucia, and you will encounter the Salinas de Cabo Rojo, with colorful yellow-shouldered blackbirds flying over the pink salt flats.

Boquerón is a neighborhood known for its stands of local fish, oysters and clams. You can also take a dip at its small sandy strip. The neighborhood is vibrant, with music blaring throughout the many kiosks and beachside restaurants, most specializing in seafood. You don’t have to go far inland to find roasted pork at Camino Los Charros. Rosado also recommends La Catumba Lechonera among the many restaurants that specialize in pork.

Restaurants on the rise in Guayama

“Guayama esta pegao” — in style, according to what I’ve heard from many friends across the island.

A coastal city on the southeastern side, it is known for having a charming plaza (town square) with homes and buildings dating from the 1800s. One of these historical homes houses Gallo Pinto , a restaurant by chef Ángel David Moreno Zayas that has become a destination with dishes like grilled oysters, bone marrow with beef tartare, and fried red snapper.

“I’ve worked in many kitchens in San Juan and the mainland United States, but I wanted to open my restaurant in Guayama,” says Moreno Zayas of his hometown. “It started as a casual place because we were recovering from the pandemic, but now we’ve incorporated more fine-dining elements, and the reception has been spectacular.”

After a feast at Gallo Pinto, one must save room for ice cream at one of Guayama’s classic spots, Rex Cream. Owned by Chinese-Cuban immigrants, the Louke Chang family, it’s a mandatory stop. A scoop of salty-sweet corn ice cream with a generous sprinkle of cinnamon is perfect for a walk along the plaza.

At Pozuelo, a fishermen’s neighborhood beyond the city center, go to El Arcoiris for one of my childhood favorites, the octopus salad with a side of tostones. Or bite into a crispy alcapurria — a fritter made of banana and root vegetables — at El Fogón de Susa as you stroll along the beach.

You can find one of the most impressive wine lists in the south at Prime Market , where local couple Laury Cordero Sabater and Antonio Palau transformed an old home along Route 3 into an ample outdoor patio with a menu specializing in steaks.

Art and culture in Ponce

It’s hard to find Puerto Ricans prouder of their hometown than Ponceños. I’m not disputing their pride, because the city has so much to offer, especially in terms of arts and culture.

“Start with a walking tour of the city center of Ponce to learn about the history of Ponce and gain an orientation of the city,” says Melina Aguilar Colón, the founder of Isla Caribe tours. “One of the sights not to be missed is the Parque de Bombas de Ponce,” she said. Initially built in 1882 for the Exhibition Trade Fair, the Ponce firehouse is a symbol of the city; the distinct red-and-black-striped facade was an inspiration for the Ponce flag.

After walking through the city center, go for cocktails along Paseo de la Salsa Cheo Feliciano, named after the pioneering salsa singer José Feliciano. At El Marlin 107, William Collazo, a big name in Puerto Rico’s cocktail community, mixes drinks with tropical infusions like coconut water, guava and mangoes. On the weekends, expect live music along the street where you can test your salsa skills. For dinner, head to Chef’s Creations, where you catch chef Jorge Rivera cooking over a wood-fired grill in his restaurant’s patio.

Although the city has suffered structural damage during Hurricane Maria in 2017, followed by an earthquake in 2020, Ponce has focused on reconstruction and updates to many of its cultural institutions. The Teatro La Perla, a cultural hub for performance art, is set to reopen in 2025 with plays and musical performances. The Art Museum of Ponce , home of the iconic “Flaming June” by Sir Frederic Leighton (which is currently on loan to the Royal Academy of Arts in London), recently reopened its doors after extensive repairs.

Ponce is also considered the birthplace of plena music, one of the traditional sounds of Puerto Rico. Deeply infused with African beats, plena tells the story of the Puerto Rican people from the early 1900s. You can learn more about plena and other Puerto Rican music like bomba and danza at the Museo de la Música Puertorriqueña, a small museum in the city center.

El Bosque dry forest and bioluminescent bays

According to Aguilar Colón, “everybody knows about El Yunque rainforest, but nobody talks about El Bosque Seco de Guánica, the dry forest on the island’s southwest coast.” I agree.

One of the things that makes Puerto Rico unique is the contrast of ecosystems in a relatively small island. Walking along the trails, you will notice the different varieties of cactuses, Guayacán trees and mangroves as you get closer to the shoreline. Birdwatchers will rejoice with the sights of sparrow hawks, hummingbirds and brown pelicans. The dry forest is one of the island’s hottest places, so ensure you bring plenty of water and sun protection.

Next to Guánica, in the neighboring town of Lajas, there’s another natural phenomenon. La Parguera is home to one of the three bioluminescent bays of Puerto Rico. Because of overpopulation, it’s not as bright as in Vieques, but it’s still worth a trip if you’re in the area.

The local dock offers boat rides, and you can also find kayak tours taking you deeper into the bay for better views. Beyond the bay, the Parguera is known for its bustling scene on the weekends with plenty of bars, restaurants and bands.

Jessica van Dop DeJesus is a travel and food writer, digital content creator and the author of “ The Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico .” She divides her time between Brussels, D.C. and western New York. Follow her on Instagram @diningtraveler .

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