10/30/2026 07:54:00
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10/30 19:52 CDT Andrew Novak makes late run of birdies to build 3-shot lead in
the Mexico Open
Andrew Novak makes late run of birdies to build 3-shot lead in the Mexico Open
VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) --- Andrew Novak caught up to the lead with an eagle and
pulled away with three birdies on his last four holes Friday to match his low
score on the PGA Tour, a 10-under 61 that gave him a three-shot lead in the
Mexico Open.
Novak drove the reachable par-4 13th and holed a 12-foot eagle putt and it
looked to be a two-man race to the finish line of the second round between him
and Ben Griffin.
But on the par-4 15th, Griffin drove into the water and had to scramble for a
bogey, while Novak holed a birdie putt from just outside 15 feet for a two-shot
swing.
Novak closed with a 20-foot birdie putt to finish at 14-under 128, three shots
over a group of five players that included Griffin (67) and Kihei Akina, the
20-year-old sophomore at BYU who had a 64 to post his ninth round of 67 or
lower in his last four PGA Tour starts.
Also in the mix were Matthieu Pavon (66), Adrien Dumont du Chassart (67) and
Kensei Hirata of Japan (68).
"I separated a little bit, but we're halfway there. There's so much golf to
play," Novak said. "I'm going to have to go out and keep hitting a bunch of
fairways. If I'm hitting my irons like this, I'm going to be able to give
myself a lot of opportunities.
"I don't know if I'll make as many putts as I did today, but as long as I'm
maximizing my opportunities and make a few of those with the putter, I should
be in a good spot."
Conditions have been favorable for scoring at Vidanta Vallarta. The average
score for the opening two rounds was roughly two shots below par. The cut came
at 4-under 138.
Among those who failed to make it to the weekend were Tony Finau, who missed a
6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 71 to miss the cut by one, and U.S.
Open champion Wyndham Clark (73), the only player from the top 10 in the world
in the field.
Novak, who reached the Tour Championship last year, is at No. 89 in the FedEx
Cup Fall. He recently checked his statistics and found them similar to last
year, except for the putting.
"I was just truly one of the worst putters in the world for --- well, on the
PGA Tour --- for about eight months," Novak said. "I turned a bunch of 66s and
67s into 69s and 70s and that doesn't really get it done out here. I think the
putter I put in at Wyndham has actually shown up, and my game never left, it's
still there. Now when I actually am putting decent, it's turning into good
results."
Alvaro Ortiz, who grew up in Guadalajara, overcame a double bogey on the 18th
hole at the turn and shot 68. He was five shots behind, the low Mexican player
going into the final two rounds. Ortiz won the Mexico Open when it was a PGA
Tour Latinoamerica event. He will have a full card on the PGA Tour next year
from being top 20 on the Korn Ferry Tour.
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