Jon Rahm part of six-way tie for the lead in Mexico Open
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Jon Rahm is the most important star within the Mexico Open and he lived as much as his billing Thursday, chipping in for birdie and making a late eagle putt for a 7-under 64 and a six-way share of the lead within the first spherical.
Jonathan Byrd, Brendon Todd, Trey Mullinax and Monday qualifier Bryson Nimmer additionally have been at 64 from the morning wave. Nimmer performed his remaining 5 holes in 5 beneath, together with a bunker shot he holed out for eagle on the par-5 sixth gap.
Kurt Kitayama confronted the energy of the afternoon wind and made 9 birdies, getting up-and-down from behind the inexperienced on the par-5 18th for his 64.
The Mexico Open is a part of the PGA Tour schedule and inherits the historical past of a nationwide open that dates to 1944. It takes the place of the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship that was at Chapultepec in Mexico Metropolis for 4 years by means of 2020.
Rahm knew little or no concerning the Vidanta Vallarta course besides that he felt comfy off the tee, and it confirmed. The Spaniard missed just one fairway, and three greens.
He opened with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 twelfth gap, however it was the chip-in from 30 toes on the thirteenth that actually received him going. He needed to save par on the tenth and eleventh holes initially of his spherical.
“I hadn’t hit my finest irons pictures early on,” Rahm mentioned. “Chipped that one in from an uncomfortable lie and a tricky one. That was an enormous bonus. I believe lots of people clearly would take a look at the eagle on 7, however that one early on was an enormous booster.”
The eagle on the 311-yard seventh gap was arrange by a giant drive to the center of the inexperienced on the par 4 and a 40-foot putt that gave him a share of the lead.
Rahm additionally made birdie on every of the three par 5s on the again 9, and maybe his best shot was his method from 206 yards to simply inside 4 toes for birdie on the par-4 fourth.
Nimmer completed with a blaze of fine pictures. After a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 fifth, he holed out for eagle, pitched to 2 toes on the reachable seventh and made a 12-foot birdie putt on the par-3 ninth to shut out his spherical.
Aaron Rai, Aaron Clever, Sahith Theegala and Scott Brown have been at 65. Rai and Theegala might use prime finishes this week to maneuver up in PGA Championship factors and attempt to safe a spot at Southern Hills in three weeks.
Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., shot a 67 to maneuver right into a tie for twenty first at 4 beneath, Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., was the subsequent finest Canadian after he shot a 70, Adam Svensson from Surrey, B.C. shot a 71 and Roger Sloan and David Hearn are each above par for the championship at plus 3 and plus 4, respectively after they shot a 74 and 75.
Subsequent week is the ultimate occasion for gamers to qualify in factors, which is PGA Tour earnings.
Rahm and Abraham Ancer (71) are the one gamers from the highest 20 on the earth on the Mexico Open. That allowed for gamers like Byrd, who has standing as a previous champion, to get in.
He improved his standing with a pair of cuts made within the fall. He tied for ninth at Pebble Seashore, which received him into the Phoenix Open. Byrd has managed to get in 10 tournaments to this point, and feels he’s getting some momentum.
“I began the yr considering I’d get in 15, seems to be like I’d get in additional like 20. I’m simply blissful to have begins,” Byrd mentioned. “And my sport’s good, so making an attempt to remain aggressive and see what I could make of it.”
Byrd went out in 29 and reached 7 beneath for the spherical with a birdie on the par-5 twelfth. He added a bogey and a birdie the remainder of the best way.
Patrick Reed received the Mexico Championship at Chapultepec two years in the past. He had six birdies in his spherical of 68, leaving him three pictures behind.
The wind off the Pacific started to blow as Rahm and different starters had an hour or so to go of their rounds, so the Spaniard can have that to take care of on Friday.
“We had no wind for 13, 14 holes. It’s very, very scorable,” Rahm mentioned. “As soon as the wind begins going 20, 30 miles an hour, this golf course begins displaying some tooth.”
___
Extra AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
The Related Press
