Kirk Fires Bogey-Free 63 to Lead World Wide Technology Championship

Chris Kirk was practically flawless on Thursday, hitting each of the wide fairways and missing only one green on his way to a nine-under 63 and a one-shot lead after the opening round of the World Wide Technology Championship. Kirk birdied five of his final seven holes at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico. The biggest highlight was a 70-foot birdie putt he hammered home at the par-three 16th. He putted for birdie on every hole except the par-three second at the start of his round, when he left his tee shot out to the right. Kirk is at No. 110 in the FedExCup Fall standings with only three tournaments remaining for him to finish in the top 100 and keep a full card for 2027. He was one shot ahead of Nick Dunlap and Zac Blair, who both shot 64, on a gorgeous day on the southern tip of Baja California at the course designed by Tiger Woods. Scoring conditions were so pure that more than half of the 120-man field broke 70. Tied for third at seven-under 65 were Taylor Montgomery, Ben James, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, Englishman Harry Hall and Japan's Kensei Hirata. It is Kirk's first opening-round lead since the 2025 FedEx St. Jude Championship, where he shot a six-under 64, and with his tour status on the line, the timing could hardly be better.