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Mayakoba: Chris Kirk’s 63 gives him lead
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Chris Kirk, who already has two top-10 finishes in three starts in the new season, shot an eight-under par 63 to take the first-round lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, on Thursday.
Kirk, a four-time PGA Tour winner, played a bogey-free round at El Camaleón Golf Club at Mayakoba Resort and is one stroke ahead of Camilo Villegas, Gary Woodland and Ben Crane. Kirk had only three top 10s in 28 starts last season.
Aaron Wise, meanwhile, shot a 66 in his second straight start as a non-PGA Tour member. Wise, who left Oregon after two years, already has earned a Web.com Tour exemption, but last week finished tied for 10th in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open to gain a start at Mayakoba and is attempting to play his way onto the PGA Tour.
Scott Piercy, Kevin Streelman, PGA Tour rookie Nicholas Lindheim and Abraham Ancer of Mexico also posted 66s. Ancer got into the field via Monday qualifying.