KNOX ENJOYING WET AND WINDY CONDITIONS
Russell Knox shot a 6-under 65 on Thursday at breezy and wet El Camaleon Golf Club to take the first-round lead in the PGA Tour’s Mayakoba Golf Classic at Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
The 35-year-old Scot birdied five of the last six holes on his opening nine, then played the final nine in 1 under with a bogey on the par-4 second and birdies on the par-5 fifth and par-4 sixth.
“Took me a few holes to kind of settle into my round, but when I did, I had six or seven very good holes,” Knox said. “I hit the ball well, drove it in the fairway, and with lift, clean and place, I could be fairly aggressive. Par was good today.”
Chile’s Joaquin Niemann was a stroke back with Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo and American Tom Hoge. Niemann is donating his entire prize money and $5,000 for every birdie and $10,000 for an eagle to help pay for a drug for his 2-month-old relative in Chile.
“I’m playing for Rafita, that is one of my cousins that was diagnosed a couple days ago with a really rare disease,” the 22-yearold Niemann said. “All the guys here on tour are being really nice, using the little ribbons we’re having to support Rafita. He’s fighting now in Chile, so we’ve got to work our way to help him.”
Niemann also finished on the front nine, making birdies on Nos. 3, 5, 6 and 7.
“It was tough,” Niemann said. “It was hard to adjust myself into the wind early, but I’m really happy the way I played. Took me a couple holes to like figure it out a little bit with the wind. I’m really happy the way I played and the way I finished.”
Knox has two victories on the PGA Tour and one on the European Tour. He lost in a playoff at Mayakoba in 2016.
“I guess it’s the tequila and tacos,” Knox said. “Obviously, I love the course. It sets up well for me. I mean, historically, my driving accuracy and iron play’s been my strength, so that’s kind of the key things that this course brings out in you.”
Carlos Ortiz, the Mexican star playing for the first time as a PGA Tour winner, was two strokes back at 67.
Elsewhere
Charley Hull fought through cold and windy conditions to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Volunteers of America Classic at The Colony, Texas. The 24-year-old Englishwoman shot a 3-under 69, making six birdies and three bogeys at Old American Golf Club with the afternoon temperature only climbing into the high 40s.
• Andy Sullivan came within a stroke of tying the European Tour record for the lowest 36-hole score by shooting 6-under 66 in the second round of the Golf in Dubai Championship. The Englishman followed up his round of 61 on Wednesday by making five birdies and an eagle at the Jumeirah Golf Estates, lifting him to 17 under par overall and a three-shot lead. Ernie Els holds the 36-hole record after being 18 under par in 2004 at the midway point of the Heineken Classic.
• Christiaan Bezuidenhout started his chase for back-to-back wins on the European Tour with a 5-under 67 to sit in a six-way tie for the lead after the first round of the South African Open at Sun City, South Africa. The South African made five birdies in his opening nine holes and had just one dropped shot at the Gary Player Country Club at Sun City resort. He shares the lead with Mattias Schwab, Aron Zemmer and fellow South Africans Dean Burmester,
and Ruan Corb.