Kizzire opens with 62, Fowler 3 behind

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico — Patton Kizzire carried some momentum from last week in Las Vegas by running off six straight birdies in the middle of his round Thursday for a careerlow 9-under 62 and a two-shot lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Rickie Fowler, playing for the first time since the Presidents Cup on Oct. 1, showed little rust in opening with a 65.

Kizzire closed with a 64 last Sunday in Las Vegas to tie for fourth, his best finish in more than a year in his bid to finally win on the PGA Tour. Playing in the first group out at El Camaleon Golf Club, he finished the front nine with two birdies and started with back nine with four in a row.

His only bogey came on the 18th hole when he drove into a bunker.

“I’ve been playing well recently, and really all year. Just getting everything to click in the same day is the key,” Kizzire said. “Hit the ball well and then seem to not putt well, and then I’ll put well and seem to not hit it well. But today, I put it all together.”

His previous low score was a 63 in the final round in Las Vegas a year ago.

Vaughn Taylor played bogey-free for a 64.

Brandon Harkins, a 31-year-old PGA Tour rookie, joined Fowler at 65, while two-time Retief Goosen was in the group at 66.

Kizzire had a two-shot lead with seven holes to play in the Safeway Open a year ago until finishing one shot behind Brendan Steele. He never had a serious chance at winning in Las Vegas, even though he wound up one shot out of a playoff. Still, he brought his game south of the border. AP