Álvaro Ortiz Wild Wide Technology Championship Los Cabos second round, Digi Mart USA News (Los Cabos, Mexico): Mexican golfer Álvaro Ortiz was the best Latin American player after the second round of the Wild Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos, a PGA Tour event, finishing near the top 10 at No. 16 on the leaderboard.
The tournament is played on the El Cardonal course, designed by Tiger Woods. American Ben James took the lead after shooting a 64, 8 under par, for a 36-hole total of 129 strokes, 15 under par.
Ortiz, a 30-year-old from Guadalajara, climbed 30 places after a strong second round. He recorded four birdies and an eagle on the 14th hole in his opening round without a bogey, then played the next eight holes without errors but could not beat par.
He finished the second round at 66 strokes, 6 under par, for a 36-hole total of 135, 9 under par, which places him 13th alongside nine other golfers.
Ortiz said he feels he is in the best stage of his career. “I attribute it a lot to the investments and the work I have done, to all the things I have sown over the years, to all the people who have supported me.
I have been four seasons on the Korn Ferry Tour, and I think right now I am living the best stage of my career, but this is right now and I want it to keep improving and I must keep working to achieve it,” the Guadalajara native said.
Fellow Mexican Alejandro Madariaga, from Puebla, made the cut last year but did not this time. After a 3 under par first round, he shot 74, 2 over par, in the second round, finishing at 143 strokes, 1 under par, which left him tied for 89th and outside the cut line set at 5 under par.
Jorge Villar finished last on the leaderboard, 26 over par for the tournament.
Compatriot Peter Malnati is one stroke behind James at 130 strokes, 14 under par, and Zac Blair is in third at 12 under par. Last year’s champion, Ben Griffin, is in 36th place at 137 strokes, 7 under par.
Ortiz is the only Mexican remaining in the field, which has been reduced to half its size, and will play on Saturday. The winner of the WWT Championship receives six million dollars.
