World Wide Technology Championship Los Cabos first round, Digi Mart USA News (Los Cabos, Mexico): The first round of the 20th edition of the World Wide Technology Championship in Los Cabos saw Mexican golfers Alejandro Madariaga and Álvaro Ortiz each card a 69, three under par, to finish tied for 46th place. They sat nine strokes behind leader Chris Kirk, who finished the round at nine under par.
Madariaga, from Puebla, was the first member of the Mexican delegation to tee off. He made birdies on holes 3 and 4 and had a strong start to his opening round, but two bogeys on the back nine cost him momentum.
He recovered on the 18th hole with a spectacular eagle, which drew cheers from the gallery and from his family, who were watching. He finished at 69, three under par.
Madariaga said he felt comfortable, especially early in the round when there was some wind, which he handled well. “I gave myself too many chances that I didn’t convert, and that needs to improve, but I leave with a good taste from the eagle on the last hole,” he told Heraldo Deportes.
Ortiz, from Guadalajara, opened with a birdie on his first hole but then made a painful double bogey on the fourth, which dropped him considerably on the leaderboard. He responded with a strong second nine, making three birdies that brought him back into contention.
He finished with five birdies and the double bogey, also shooting 69, three under par, and tying Madariaga for 46th.
Chris Kirk of the United States led the field after a bogey-free round that included nine birdies. He finished at 63, nine under par, one stroke ahead of two competitors.
His compatriots Nick Dunlap and Zac Blair also played well at El Cardonal in Los Cabos, each making eight birdies against a single bogey to finish at 64, eight under par.
Defending champion Ben Griffin had a difficult round, shooting 70, two under par, and sits far behind the leaders in 70th place.
