Friday’s golf: Echavarria shares lead in Mexico in bid for 2nd straight win
Los Cabos, Mexico – Nico Echavarria moved into position to win consecutive PGA Tour events, shooting a 9-under 63 in calmer wind conditions Friday for a share of the lead in the World Wide Technology Championship.
The Zozo Championship winner two weeks ago in Japan for his first tour title, Echavarria matched Max Greyserman at 12-under 132 at El Cardonal at Diamante, a day after strong wind hit the Tiger Woods-designed layout.
“It was a very, very good round,” Echavarria said. “Obviously everyone knew that the scores were going to be lower. Different wind.”
The 30-year-old Colombian played a five-hole stretch on the front nine in 6 under with an eagle and four birdies and added three birdies on the back nine.
“It’s such a momentum game that if I don’t make par on 3, I had like a 10-footer for par on 3 that I made,” Echavarria said. “I kind of got things rolling, made birdie on 4, made birdie on 5, eagled 6. I think the par on 3 was even more important. Then I hit some close, I made some long putts. I made one out of the bunker. Luck’s in your favor, but you’ve got to use that momentum.”
Greyserman eagled the par-5 18th for a 64.
“Way less wind. At times, it’s pretty minimal,” Greyserman said. “It was gettable out there. A lot of birdies to be had and, if you played well and executed, you could go pretty low.”
The American tied for second behind Echavarria in Japan.
“I thought that, ‘Here we go again. Let’s go!’” Greyserman said.
Carson Young was third at 11 under after a career-best 61. He had 12 birdies and a bogey.
PGA Tour Champions
Stewart Cink shot a 5-under 66 on Friday to maintain a three-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship.
Bernhard Langer, the 67-year-old German star who has a Champions-record 46 career victories, was second after a 64. He shot his age or better for the 21st time on the tour.
“Every once in a while I look back at my career and have to almost pinch myself and say, ‘Man, that’s pretty amazing what you’ve done the last whatever so many years,′” Langer said. “Like a day today, to shoot 64 – 3 under my age – not a whole lot of people can do that.”
The 51-year-old Cink had a 12-under 130 total at Phoenix Country Club, shooting a 64 of his own in the first round. The Ally Challenge winner in August in Michigan for his first senior title, Cink entered the week 12th in the season standings.
“It was actually probably a cleaner round than yesterday as far as just my processes and the quality of the shots was probably a little bit better overall.” Cink said. “I just didn’t have the hot long putts going in today quite as much, but it was a really solid round. I would love to play golf like that every day.”
Langer birdied five of the first seven holes and closed strong with birdies on 17 and 18. He’s trying to win at least one event for the 18th consecutive year.
“It’s fun to make some putts, that’s what the game is all about,” Langer said. “If you want to score low, you’ve got to make some putts.”
Alex Cejka was third at 7 under after a 66.
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