Andrew Novak surged to a commanding three-shot lead in the Mexico Open after carding a tournament-record 10-under 61 on Friday at Club de Golf Chapala. The American matched his career-low score on the PGA Tour, powered by a dramatic late surge that included three birdies on his final four holes. Novak’s performance effectively ended any early contention, as he pulled away from a group of five players who finished at 11-under 131, including co-leader Ben Griffin.
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The turning point came on the back nine, where Novak capitalized on a critical mistake by Griffin. After Novak holed a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-4 13th to tie the lead, Griffin drove into the water on the par-4 15th, scrambling for bogey. Novak seized the momentum, sinking a birdie putt from just outside 15 feet to create a two-shot gap. He extended the advantage further by draining a 20-foot birdie putt on the final hole, securing his 14-under 128 total for the weekend.
The chase pack includes Griffin (67), Kihei Akina (64), Matthieu Pavon (66), Adrien Dumont du Chassart (67), and Kensei Hirata (68). Akina, a 20-year-old BYU sophomore, posted his ninth round of 67 or lower in his last four PGA Tour starts, signaling a breakout season. Novak remains cautious despite his lead, noting that he must continue to hit fairways to maintain his irons’ precision. “We’re halfway there. There’s so much golf to play,” Novak said, acknowledging the challenge of sustaining his form over the final two rounds.
Source: Yahoo Sports
