Andrew Novak makes late run of birdies to build 3-shot lead in the Mexico Open

VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Andrew Novak caught up to the lead with an eagle and pulled away with three birdies on his last four holes Friday to match his low score on the PGA Tour, a 10-under 61 that gave him a three-shot lead in the Mexico Open.

Novak drove the reachable par-4 13th and holed a 12-foot eagle putt and it looked to be a two-man race to the finish line of the second round between him and Ben Griffin. 

But on the par-4 15th, Griffin drove into the water and had to scramble for a bogey, while Novak holed a birdie putt from just outside 15 feet for a two-shot swing.

Novak closed with a 20-foot birdie putt to finish at 14-under 128, three shots over a group of five players that included Griffin (67) and Kihei Akina, the 20-year-old sophomore at BYU who had a 64 to post his ninth round of 67 or lower in his last four PGA Tour starts.

Also in the mix were Matthieu Pavon (66), Adrien Dumont du Chassart (67) and Kensei Hirata of Japan (68). Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., was four shots off the lead after a 67.

“I separated a little bit, but we’re halfway there. There’s so much golf to play,” Novak said. “I’m going to have to go out and keep hitting a bunch of fairways. If I’m hitting my irons like this, I’m going to be able to give myself a lot of opportunities. 

“I don’t know if I’ll make as many putts as I did today, but as long as I’m maximizing my opportunities and make a few of those with the putter, I should be in a good spot.”

Conditions have been favorable for scoring at Vidanta Vallarta. The average score for the opening two rounds was roughly two shots below par. The cut came at 4-under 138.

Among those who failed to make it to the weekend were Tony Finau, who missed a 6-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a 71 to miss the cut by one, and U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark (73), the only player from the top 10 in the world in the field.

Novak, who reached the Tour Championship last year, is at No. 89 in the FedEx Cup Fall. He recently checked his statistics and found them similar to last year, except for the putting.

“I was just truly one of the worst putters in the world for — well, on the PGA Tour — for about eight months,” Novak said. “I turned a bunch of 66s and 67s into 69s and 70s and that doesn’t really get it done out here. I think the putter I put in at Wyndham has actually shown up, and my game never left, it’s still there. Now when I actually am putting decent, it’s turning into good results.”

Alvaro Ortiz, who grew up in Guadalajara, overcame a double bogey on the 18th hole at the turn and shot 68. He was five shots behind, the low Mexican player going into the final two rounds. Ortiz won the Mexico Open when it was a PGA Tour Latinoamerica event. He will have a full card on the PGA Tour next year from being top 20 on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Ben Silverman (69) of Thornhill, Ont., and Corey Conners (67) of Listowel, Ont., were at 7-under-par 135. Adam Hadwin (65)  of Abbotsford, B.C., and A.J. Ewart (66) of Coquitlam, B.C., were at 6 under and Sudarshan Yellamaraju (72) of Mississauga, Ont., was at 4 under.

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