VALLARTA, Mexico — Andrew Novak grabbed the lead with an eagle and with three birdies in his final four holes Friday to match his lowest score on the PGA Tour, a 10-under 61 that gave him the lead at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open.
Novak bogeyed the par-4 13th and hit a 12-foot putt for eagle and looked to be a two-man lead at the finish of the second round between him and Ben Griffin.
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But Griffin drove into the water on the par-4 15th and had to rush for bogey while Novak holed a birdie putt from 15 feet out for two shots.
Novak with a 20-foot birdie putt to finish at 14-under 128, three shots above the five players that included Griffin (67) and Kihei Akina, a 20-year-old sophomore at BYU, who had a 64 for a 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 Japan’s Kensei Hirata (68).
“I’m a little bit separated, but we’re in the middle. There’s only golf to play,” Novak said. “I’ve got to go out and hit a bunch of fairways. If I hit the blocks like that, I’ll be able to give myself a lot of opportunity.
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“I don’t know if I’m going to make as many putts as I did today, but as long as I’m making the most of my chances and making a few of those putts, I’ll be in a good spot.”
Conditions were very soft at Vidanta Vallarta. The average score for the opening two rounds was almost two shots below par. They reached the cut at 4-under 138.
Among those who failed to make it this weekend were Tony Finau, who made a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 71 to miss one cut, and US Open champion Wyndham Clark (73), the only player from the top 10 in the world in the field.
Novak, who reached the Touran Championship last year, is at No. 89 in the FedExCup Fall. He recently checked his statistics and found them to be similar to last year, except for the position.
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“I was really 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 happen here. I think putting the putter at Wyndham actually showed, and my game never left, it’s still there. Now when I put it honestly, it’s turned into a good event.”
Alvaro Ortiz, who grew up in Guadalajara, made a double bogey on the 18th hole in the stretch and finished with a 68. Five shots later, the lowly Mexican player was going into the last two rounds. Ortiz won the Mexican Open when it was a PGA Tour Latinoamerica event. He will have a full card on the PGA Tour next year from the top 20 on the Korn Ferry Tour.
VidantaWorld Mexico Open 2026 – Round Two
VidantaWorld Mexico Open 2026: Round 3 tee times, groups and how to watch
The event took place at Vidanta Vallarta on Saturday. Here are the times and details on the third round of the Mexican Open.
Still feeling the rust from the Presidents Cup, Jacob Bridgeman shot a bogey-free 63 in Japan
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Golf Channel Staff
Still feeling the rust from the Presidents Cup, Jacob Bridgeman shot a bogey-free 63 in Japan
(golf_channel_versant_464)
Golf Channel Staff