Karl Vilips shoots 62 to take the 1st-round lead in the Mexico Open

VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Karl Vilips used two long bridie streaks to take the first-round lead Thursday in the Mexico Open, the first of two straight PGA Tour events in the country.

Vilips shot a 9-under 62 in the afternoon round on the Vidanta Vallarta layout, making five straight birdies on Nos. 11-15 on his opening nine and finishing with four in a row. In between, he had another birdie and a bogey.

The 25-year-old Australian pointed to his driver.

“Had it on a string for the first nine,” Vilips said. “Got a little loose in the middle and got it back on course toward the end of the round. It was lift, clean and place today so being in the fairway was a must for me and I took advantage of those drives that I hit.”

Kensai Hirata of Japan was a stroke back, and Ben Griffin was at 64 with Marco Penge, Garrick Higgo and Jeffrey Kang.

Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico opened with a 65. He earned his PGA Tour card for next year through the Korn Ferry Tour.

“It was lovely,” Ortiz said. “Bogey-free, played really solid. I felt like I was just flowing the whole day. Gave myself a lot of chances. I think I did very well from tee to green, which makes it very nice on this golf course.”

Ortiz won the event in 2021 when it was part of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica schedule.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., also had a 65, while Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., and Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., each had a 66.

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., had a 68, A.J. Ewart of Coquitlam, B.C., had a 70, Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., each had a 71 and Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., had a 75.

The World Wide Technology Championship is next week at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos.

Vilips won the 2025 Puerto Rico Open for his lone PGA Tour title, making him exempt on the tour though next season. The former Stanford player is 141st in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, with many players fighting to get into the final top 100 to remain on the tour.

Hirata is trying to move up from 170th. He made a 20-foot eagle putt on No. 3 and holed two birdie putts outside 20 feet.

“It was a perfect 7-wood distance and hit a perfect 7-wood shot, which left me a really easy left to righter,” Hirata said about the eagle. “Then that went in and kept the momentum going the rest of the back nine.”

Penge is 112th in the standings. He had an 18-foot eagle putt on No. 3.

“I feel like I haven’t actually played that much this year,” Penge said “I’ve only played 18 tournaments due to, obviously, health issues. I’m just trying to get back fit really.”

Defending champion Brian Campbell shot a 67.

Tom Kim also was at 67. He’s playing for the first time since he won the gold medal in the Asian Games, which excuses him from mandatory military serve in South Korea.

U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark had a 69. He’s the only player from the top 10 in the world in the field.

John Daly II, the son of the two-time major champion, opened with a 70. He’s playing on a sponsor exemption.

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The Associated Press