Second-ranked Jon Rahm takes two-shot lead at Mexico Open

On Friday, world No. 2 Jon Rahm took a two-stroke lead in the Mexico Open, shooting a five-under-par 66 for a 36-hole total of 12-under 130 at Vidanta Vallarta.

After sharing the overnight lead with five other players, the Spanish star, who is the highest-ranked player in the field of the long-established event that is part of the US PGA Tour for the first time this year, steered a steady course in more difficult conditions to break free atop the leaderboard.

“Today was a bit more of a grind, but still a really good round of golf,” said Rahm, who had a two-shot lead over American Alex Smalley.

Smalley’s five-under-par 66 for 132 included an eagle and five birdies. Adam Long, Andrew Novak, Cameron Champ, Patrick Reed, Trey Mullinax, and Brandon Hagy were all one stroke ahead of him.

Reed, Long, and Champ, all former Masters champions, shot five-under-par 66s. Novak and Hagy both had 67s, while Mullinax shot a 69.

Rahm made a 28-foot birdie putt on the first hole, then followed it up with a bogey on the second. After birdies at the third and sixth holes, he hit a “beautiful” six-iron at the ninth, leaving him with a three-and-a-half-foot birdie putt to finish at 10-under.

“I think my iron game was really, really good today,” Rahm said. “It was really under control and in those windy conditions I was hitting it really, really solid so, I was never really too surprised where my ball was ending up and I was always in a good position.

“That’s probably why I had so many birdie looks out there today.”

Rahm had a 14-foot birdie at the 12th, a three-footer at the 14th, and an eight-foot birdie at the 15th after a bogey at the 10th. He bounced back from his third bogey of the day at the 16th hole with a par rescue from a greenside bunker at the par-three 17th and a six-foot birdie at the 18th.

“I can’t really complain about anything I’m doing right now, so hopefully I can keep that good ball-striking going and keep rolling it the way I have,” said Rahm, who is seeking his first title since he won his maiden major at the US Open at Torrey Pines last year.

Smalley, a 25-year-old looking for his first PGA Tour victory, eagled the par-four third and had three birdies on the front nine to go five-under at the turn.

On the back nine, he recorded two bogeys and two birdies in an increasingly difficult wind.

“It was hard, it certainly was,” Smalley said. “I was able to keep the ball in play and was able to get out of those holes that were playing really long, and happy I’m done with them.”

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