Andrew Novak Ties Course Record, Leads Mexico Open by Three

By Staff Writer

November 1, 2026

2 min read

LoopGolf

Key takeaways

Andrew Novak shot a 10-under 61 on Friday to tie the course record and lead the Mexico Open at 14-under.
Novak leads by three strokes over five players tied for second at 11-under, including Ben Griffin and Kihei Akina.
Tony Finau, Wyndham Clark, Rasmus Hojgaard and Aldrich Potgieter all missed the four-under cutline.
Billy Horschel withdrew during the first round due to illness after playing four-over through six holes.

Andrew Novak tied the course record at the VidantaWorld Mexico Open on Friday, firing a 10-under 61 to take a three-stroke lead into the weekend at Vidanta Vallarta.

Where does the leaderboard stand after 36 holes?

Novak sits at 14-under, three strokes clear of a five-way tie for second at 11-under that includes Ryder Cup player Ben Griffin and BYU amateur Kihei Akina. Twenty players are within five strokes of the lead heading into the third round.

Which notable players missed the cut?

The four-under cutline caught several recognizable names. Tony Finau finished at 3-under, missing his third cut in four starts this season; he sits 107th in the FedExCup Fall standings despite holding a PGA Tour card through 2027. U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark shot rounds of 69 and 73 to finish even par, missing the cut by four for his first missed weekend since the Rocket Classic in July. Clark played the week with his brother, Brendan, caddying in place of his regular caddie, David Pelekoudas.

Rasmus Hojgaard also finished even par, missing his third straight weekend and dropping to 115th in the FedExCup Fall standings. Aldrich Potgieter, last year's runner-up, shot 75-73 to finish at 6-over, his eighth missed cut in 11 starts this season. Billy Horschel withdrew during Thursday's opening round while four-over through six holes, citing illness, after recent top-25 finishes at the Bank of Utah Championship and Baycurrent Classic.