Mitchell Meissner takes first-round lead at Tulum Championship at PGA Riviera Maya

Mitchell Meissner opened with a first-round 6-under 66 to lead by one at the Tulum Championship at PGA Riviera Maya.

Charting the leader (stats entering week)

Mitchell Meissner (first/6-under)

• Cards an opening round 6-under 66 with seven birdies (Nos. 1, 4, 5, 8, 14, 16, 17) against one bogey (No. 13)
• Holds first 18-hole lead/co-lead of his career in what is his 58th start on Tour (previous best 18-hole position: T2/2025 Club Car Championship at The Landings Golf & Athletic Club/finished T23)
• Owns three top-10 finishes in nine starts this season, including a T7 finish at last week’s Veritex Bank Championship; recorded two top-10s all of last season in 23 starts
• Finished No. 47 on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List to earn fully exempt status for the 2025 season
• Finished No. 95 on the 2023 Points List in his rookie season to retain conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour
• Earned Korn Ferry Tour membership for the first time by virtue of a top finish in the PGA TOUR Latinoamérica Order of Merit at the conclusion of the 2022 season; finished T26 at the Bupa Tour Championship at PGA Riviera Maya to secure his top position
• Made 30 total starts over three seasons on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica with 24 made cuts, including 11 top-10s and four runner-up finishes

Additional notes

• Zach Bauchou (second/5-under), who finished No. 34 on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List in his first season, matched his lowest opening round score of the season with a 5-under 67, highlighted by a stretch of six consecutive birdies (Nos. 3-8).
• Rookie Kensei Hirata (third/4-under), a six-time Japan Golf Tour winner, opens with a 4-under 68 with six birdies (Nos. 3, 4, 6, 11, 16, 17) against two bogeys (Nos. 9, 15).
• Runchanapong Youprayong (T4/3-under), a winner on the All Thailand Golf Tour, records a 3-under 69 and holds the best 18-hole position of his Korn Ferry Tour career in what is his fifth start (previous: T9/118th Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro/finished T44).
• PGA TOUR winner Tyler Duncan (T4/3-under), as well as Korn Ferry Tour winners Austin Smotherman (T4/3-under) and Johnny Keefer (T4/3-under), who captured his first career victory at last week’s Veritex Bank Championship, post rounds of 3-under 69.
• Mexico’s Emilio Gonzalez (T35/E), Roberto Díaz (T35/E), and Raul Pereda (T35/E) all posted scores of even-par 72 in Thursday’s opening round.