Windy conditions at El Cardonal at Diamante, a spectacular course designed by Tiger Woods in Los Cabos, Mexico, hosting the World Wide Technology Championship for the second consecutive season this week, did not prevent up to 54 cards from being under par and three rounds of 67 strokes. These were signed by Kevin Streelman (-5), Tom Whitney (-5), and Rico Hoey (-5), who share the lead after the first round of the tournament.
Without victories on the PGA Tour for a decade, 46-year-old Streelman started his round in the afternoon session with an eagle and a birdie. A good omen, indeed: “It’s an exhausting golf course, especially when the wind blows so hard. There are holes where you have to be careful, like the 1st, a kind of par five with the wind in favour, or like the 18th, but it gets complicated when the wind turns.”
Back-to-back birdies to start off the back-nine 👀@Streels54 is one back @WWTChampionship. pic.twitter.com/ZMzJHP1i9x
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 7, 2024
Whitney, who began Thursday with three consecutive birdies, said: “When you start playing this course, you always think: ‘I have to get to 6, 7, and 8 under par.’ But then the wind starts blowing, and expectations are moderated, so I’m very happy with the five under.” Filipino Hoey, on the other hand, built his round on the back nine, where he managed to sign up to five birdies, one on the par five 18th.
The defending champion, Erik van Rooyen (-4), was one of the players who positioned himself just one stroke behind the leaders alongside Taylor Montgomery (-4), Max Greyserman (-4), Nate Lashley (-4), Austin Eckroat (-4), Kelly Kraft (-4), and Ryan McCormick (-4). “This week is a completely different test from what we experienced last year, where we had at most one club of wind,” he said.
Turning up the heat on the back-nine 🔥@RicoHoey with a chip-in birdie from off the green @WWTChampionship. pic.twitter.com/fYogxFUAj6
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 7, 2024
Another notable result was that of Colombian Nico Echavarría (-3), who comes from winning the ZOZO Championship, although he also complained about the strength of the wind in the morning session. In addition to Whitney and Streelman, who would make a definitive leap towards the cards, and Montgomery, in the same situation, the one who benefited the most from this first round was Joe Highsmith (-3), who was one hole short of completing his round due to lack of light and would provisionally move from 126th place in the FedEx Fall to 123rd, within the cards. Although there is still a lot of tournament ahead in Mexico…
