PGA Tour south of border for first time in ’24

The Mexico Open at Vidanta may not have the high-profile leaderboard as some other PGA Tour events, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t great storylines coming out of Vidanta Vallarta.

Defending champ Tony Finau is looking to go back-to-back south of the border. Raving about a place where he can play a par-3 course with his kids, Finau, the highest-ranked player in the field, is looking to win on the PGA Tour for the fourth season in a row.

He had four birdies in his first-round 69 but did post a double-bogey on the par-4 eighth hole, his second-to-last of the day. Four golfers successfully defended their title last season. Finau is seeking to be the first to do it in 2024. He was solo second two years ago, losing by a shot to Jon Rahm.

Finau was four shots off the pace of 6 under during the morning wave.

Cristobal Del Solar went crazy low on the Korn Ferry Tour two weeks ago with the first 57 in a PGA Tour-sanctioned tournament. His feat got knocked down by some because he did it on a course that was playing at 6,254 yards and at 9,000-foot elevation.

This week, he’s playing a course that’s rated 33rd in difficulty (out 58) on the PGA Tour a year ago but also the lone non-major course that featured two holes on the PGA Tour’s list of most difficult holes from the 2022-23 season, the par-4 10th hole and the par-3 17th.

Del Solar shot a 65 in his first time around the course this week, starting with a birdie on that 10th hole, as he played the back nine first. He birdied the 11th as well and went on to post seven birdies in all with just one bogey.

David Lipsky has professional wins on the Asian Tour, the Sunshine Tour, the DP World Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour but not yet on the PGA Tour. Like Del Solar, Lipsky posted an opening 65, his scorecard featuring nine birdies. He did have three bogeys along the way but he did have five birdies over his closing six holes.

Lipsky says his hot putter was the key Thursday.

“I can’t remember the last time I made that many, that footage in putts in a given round,” Lipsky said. “Felt like I was due. I feel like I’ve been putting pretty nicely and sometimes they just drop for you.”

Lipsky made made 181 feet worth of putts and ranked first in strokes gained: putting over the first 18 holes.

Henrik Nolander is also tied for the lead among those in the early wave.

He opened with a bogey but starting on No. 7 had five birdies over his next 11 holes before closing with an eagle on the ninth.