Trio of Kiwis struggling in Mexican event

Danny Lee is the best placed of three Kiwis after the first round at the OHL Classic in Mexico, but is eight shots behind the leader.

Lee fired a Lee fired an even round of 71 to be tied for 70th at the Mayakoba Golf Course on the PGA Tour.

But fellow Kiwis Hamilton’s Steven Alker and Palmerston North’s Tim Wilkinson were even further off the pace. Alker was tied for 88th at one-over, while Wilkinson was tied for 107th at two-over.

American Chris Kirk leads after his eight-under round of 63.

Kirk went bogey-free in an impressive round which left him one shot clear of Camilo Villegas, Gary Woodland and Ben Crane.

Fellow American Aaron Wise finished the day tied for-fifth after leading when he returned to the clubhouse. Wise had an especially good start to his round with a hole-in-one and eagle on consecutive holes on the front nine.

The early signs for Lee had looked positive when he recorded back-to-back birdies on the fourth and fifth holes.

Despite a bogey on the ninth, his round looked to be getting even better when he repeated with consecutive birdies on the 10th and 11th holes.

But the positive start was undone with a double-bogey on the par-four 12th hole.

He recovered with a birdie on the 14th, but closed out his round with bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes to slip down the leaderboard.

Alker got off to a rocky start and was three-over after seven holes after starting on the back-nine.

But he recovered with birdies on the 18th and eighth holes.

Wilkinson’s round got off to an even worst start.

He was three-over after three holes thanks to three consecutive bogeys.

Birdies on the eighth, 11th and 13th holes had him back to even, but he went on to hit bogeys on the 15th and 18th.