Sam Ryder always likes to birdie the first hole, and he did just that on Friday by sinking a 40-foot putt. As the saying goes, you can’t birdie them all if you don’t birdie the first. Ryder nearly did, pouring in seven birdies in his first nine holes to shoot 29 and race to a five-stroke lead at the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
“I didn’t really miss a shot on the opening nine,” Ryder said.
The 32-year-old, who played his college golf at Stetson University, signed for 6-under 65 at El Camaleón Golf Course and a 36-hole total of 13-under 129.
Ryder is still seeking his first PGA Tour title and tried his best not to think about his lead as he played the back nine.
“But it’s impossible to not know that, OK, I’ve got five shots on the field right now or, you know, it creeps in,” he said.
Ryder made his lone bogey of the day at 10, blaming it on “an uncommitted swing,” but made some clutch par saves including at No. 13, where he hit into a penalty area but managed to save par.
How did his birdie putt on 17, which rimmed out, not go in, he was asked after the round?
“I don’t know how that missed, but I made plenty,” he said. “The hole was looking pretty big. Anything I got within 20 feet I felt like I had a good chance.”