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First-Round Notes - December 3, 2020

Weather: Due to inclement weather, there was a 10-minute delay to all tee times. Overcast, with a high of 82. Wind E 8-16 mph, with gusts to 20 mph. Preferred lies in closely mown areas were in effect.

First-Round Leaderboard

Russell Knox	65	(-6)
Joaquin Niemann	66	(-5)
Emiliano Grillo	66	(-5)
Tom Hoge	66	(-5)

Things to Know

With a 6-under 65, Scotland’s Russell Knox looks to become the third 18-hole leader/co-leader of the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN in the last four years to convert for the win
Seeking a fourth top-20 finish in his five most recent PGA TOUR starts, Joaquin Niemann posts his lowest opening-round score since January
Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo reels off four consecutive birdies to extend his streak of par-or-better rounds at this event to a perfect 17-for-17
In his bid to become the first player to successfully defend a Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN title, Brendon Todd opens with a 4-under 67
Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN became the first PGA TOUR co-sanctioned event to ever be contested outside of the United States and Canada in February of 2007

First-Round Lead Notes

3: First-round leaders/co-leaders at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN to win; Fred Funk/2007, Patton Kizzire/2017, Matt Kuchar/2018
2: First-round leaders/co-leaders to win this season: Hudson Swafford (Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship), Dustin Johnson (Masters Tournament)

Russell Knox (entering the week)

Category	Russell Knox
Age	35 (June 21, 1985)
Country	Scotland
FedExCup	69
OWGR	221
PGA TOUR starts	215
PGA TOUR wins	2
PGA TOUR top-10s	22
Mayakoba starts	7

Beginning on No. 10, made five birdies in a six-hole stretch to open with a 6-under 65
Most recent of two 18-hole leads/co-leads on TOUR before this week came at this season’s Safeway Open (T9)
In seven previous starts at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN, claimed top-10 finishes in 2015 (T2), 2016 (3rd) and 2017 (T9); comes off a T33 finish last season
In 29 rounds at this event, has claimed just two over-par scores
Both PGA TOUR wins came in the 2015-16 PGA TOUR Season; 2015 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and 2016 Travelers Championship
In six starts this season, has three top-16 finishes and three missed cuts

Additional Notes

In his first start since claiming his maiden PGA TOUR title at the Vivint Houston Open, Guadalajara native Carlos Ortiz (67/T5) posted his 16th consecutive round of par-or-better on TOUR this season; comes off a T2 finish at last year’s Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN
Highlighted by four birdies and an eagle-3 (No. 7), Joaquin Niemann (66/T2) posted his lowest opening-round score on the PGA TOUR since carding the same number at the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions (T5); seeks his fifth top-25 in his sixth start of the season
Chile native Emiliano Grillo (67/T5) offset two early bogeys at Nos. 2 and 4 with four consecutive birdies on Nos. 5-8; is making his fifth consecutive start in the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN, highlighted by top-10 finishes in 2016 (T10) and 2017 (T9)
Monday Qualifier Akshay Bhatia (67/T5) is making his third start of the season; T9/Safeway Open, MC/Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship; this week marks the California native’s 10th TOUR start
Tom Hoge (67/T5) offset a lone bogey with six birdies to post his lowest score in 17 rounds at El Camelon Golf Club; in five previous starts at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN, has not finished higher than T44 (2014)
Norway’s Viktor Hovland offset a lone bogey with three birdies and an eagle-3 at No. 5 to open his third Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN with a 4-under 67 (T5); missed the cut in 2018 and 2019
Following a bogey at No. 12, Brendan Steele holed his second shot on the par-5 13th with a fairway wood from 235 yards en route to an even-par 71 (T56)
FedExCup champions Justin Thomas (72/T70) and Brooks Koepka (71/T56) are both making their second start in the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN
Mexico’s first Presidents Cup participant (2019) Abraham Ancer (72/T70) comes off top-10 finishes at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN in two of his last three starts (T9/2017, T8/2019)
There are six Mexico natives in this week’s field: Abraham Ancer (72/T70), Roberto Diaz (74/T104), Armando Favela (73/T93), Carlos Ortiz (67/T5), Aaron Terrazas (75/T112) and Monday qualifier Isidro Benitez (80/132nd); the record for most appearances by a Mexico native at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN belongs to Jose de Jesus Rodriguez (9), who is not in this week’s field
In his bid to become the event’s first player to successfully defend his title, Brendon Todd sits T5 at 4-under 67
Rickie Fowler, who finished second in his first start at the Mayakoba Golf Classic presented by UNIFIN in 2017, offset a quadruple-bogey eight and double-bogey six with eight birdies to open with a 1-under 70 (T36); in his most recent start, he finished T16 in 2018; Since 2009, has the third-most total rounds par or better after making a double bogey or worse of any player on TOUR (115)
Making his first PGA TOUR start as a professional, 2019 U.S. Amateur champion Andy Ogletree is T20 after a 2-under 69

Course Statistics

	Toughest Hole	Easiest Hole
R1:	Par-4 1st (4.394)	Par-5 5th (4.364)

Scoring Averages

	Front Nine	Back Nine	Total
R1:	35.947	35.485	71.432

Bogey-Free Rounds

R1 (2):	Michael Gligic (67), Chase Seiffert (69)