New Zealand’s Danny Lee, seeking his first US PGA Tour title in more than four years, on Friday fired a nine-under-par 62 to grab the first-round lead at the Mayakoba Classic.
The 29-year-old South Korean-born player made eight birdies and an eagle against a lone bogey in jumping to the top of the leaderboard at Playa del Carmen, Mexico, after play was entirely rained out on Thursday.
Brendon Todd and Adam Long of the US shared second on 63 with a US pack of Vaughn Taylor, Mark Hubbard, Zach Johnson and Chris Baker on 64 and compatriots Billy Horschel and Harris English on 65.
Photo: AFP
Lee opened with a birdie, made another at the par-three fourth hole and then eagled the par-five fifth hole, before running off a streak of three birdies on the sixth through eighth holes.
Lee ran off another three in a row from the 11th hole to the par-five 13th hole, before hitting a three-putt bogey at the 14th hole and pars on the closing holes.
“For some reason, starting from three, my game felt really, really good,” Lee said. “The new swing is working into my body now. It has been showing me a lot of good results.”
The only PGA victory for Lee came at the 2015 Greenbrier Classic in a four-man playoff with a par on the second extra hole. He also captured the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic on the European Tour as a 19-year-old amateur.
Lee finished second last month at the CJ Cup in South Korea and was second in last year’s Mayakoba Classic to Matt Kuchar of the US.
England’s Luke Donald and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell opened on 66 to share 10th place.
Taiwan’s C.T. Pan finished round one in a 13-way tie for 31st place with a three-under-par 68.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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