Here’s a recap of the opening round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
LEADING: Matt Kuchar shot 7-under 64 and holds a share of the lead after Round 1. The 40-year-old finished T-57 in his season debut at last week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Kuchar is coming off a bit of a down season, during which he never cracked the top 3 in 24 starts and failed to qualify for the Tour Championship at East Lake. An eight-time PGA Tour winner, Kuchar is looking to end a four-year winless stretch dating back to his victory at the 2014 RBC Heritage.
Kuchar’s bogey-free round included seven birdies, and he had some good karma going after wife, Sybi, agreed to help Zach Johnson by caddying for him in the opening round.
Kramer Hickok and Dominic Bozzelli are also tied for the lead after bogey-free rounds of 64. Neither player has won on the PGA Tour.
CHASING: Massive logjam behind the leaders with 15(!) players currently T-4 at 6 under. Notables among the group include defending champion Patton Kizzire, who made back-to-back eagles on the front nine, Gary Woodland, Harold Varner III, Bud Cauley coming off a T-10 last week, Anirban Lahiri, Emiliano Grillo and others. Rickie Fowler and Pat Perez are in a group at T-19 and just two shots off the lead at 5 under.
SHOT OF THE DAY: Tough to beat Kizzire’s hole-out at the par-4 sixth for a second consecutive eagle. Well played.
SHORT SHOTS: Jordan Spieth didn’t get the start he wanted and is near the back of the pack after an even-par 71 … Zach Johnson also shot even-par 71 with Kuchar’s wife on the bag … Keith Mitchell began his round with four straight birdies and shot 5-under 66.
UP NEXT: The second round will be aired by Golf Channel from 1-4 p.m. Follow all the action live on Golfweek.com and our Facebook and Twitter feeds.
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