Karl Vilips ended a career-low, 9-under-par 62 with four straight birdies and claimed the first-round lead at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open on Thursday in Vallarta, Mexico.
The Australian began his round on the back nine at Vidanta Vallarta and ran off five birdies in a row at Nos. 11-15. One bogey and one birdie later, he made the turn at 5-under 30. From there, it was all pars until his closing run, which featured a 4-foot birdie tap-in at the par-3 seventh before a 20-footer at No. 9.
Vilips, 25, holds a one-shot edge over Japan’s Kensei Hirata.
Ben Griffin had a roller-coaster second nine, as he eagled the par-5 third hole and then followed that with a bogey, four straight birdies and one final bogey to finish at 7-under 64. He’s tied with Jeffrey Kang, Marco Penge of England, Garrick Higgo of South Africa and Adrien Dumont de Chassart of Belgium for third.
The tournament is part of the FedEx Cup Fall series, which helps determine eligibility for the 2027 PGA Tour season. The top 100 players in points at the end of the fall retain full status on tour.
Vilips is exempt through 2027 because he won the 2025 Puerto Rico Open, but he would rocket from No. 141 in the standings to a projected 67th with a victory this week. The players who finish the fall at Nos. 51-60 qualify for the first two signature events of 2027.
