Rahm tied for lead at Mexico

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico — Jon Rahm is the biggest star in the Mexico Open and he lived up to his billing Thursday, chipping in for birdie and making a late eagle putt for a 7-under 64 and a six-way share of the lead in the first round.

Jonathan Byrd, Brendon Todd, Trey Mullinax and Monday qualifier Bryson Nimmer also were at 64 from the morning wave. Nimmer played his final five holes in 5 under, including a bunker shot he holed out for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole.

Kurt Kitayama faced the strength of the afternoon wind and made nine birdies, getting up-anddown from behind the green on the par-5 18th for his 64.

The Mexico Open is part of the PGA Tour schedule and inherits the history of a national open that dates to 1944. It takes the place of the World Golf ChampionshipsMexico Championship that was at Chapultepec in Mexico City for four years through 2020. Rahm opened with a 15-foot birdie putt on the par-5 12th hole, but it was the chip-in from 30 feet on the 13th that really got him going. He had to save par on the 10th and 11th holes at the start of his round.

“I hadn’t hit my best irons shots early on,” Rahm said. “Chipped that one in from an uncomfortable lie and a tough one. That was a huge bonus. I think a lot of people obviously would look at the eagle on 7, but that one early on was a huge booster.”

Aaron Rai, Aaron Wise, Sahith Theegala and Scott Brown were at 65. Rai and Theegala could use top finishes this week to move up in PGA Championship points and try to secure a spot at Southern Hills in three weeks.

Lee shoots 63 at Palos Verdes: Minjee Lee shot an 8-under 63 to take a one-stroke lead over top-ranked Jin Young Ko halfway through the first round of the Palos Verdes Championship.

Charley Hull, Moriya Jutanugarn and Jennifer Chang shot 65.