Andrew Novak sails to a 5-shot win in the Mexico Open for first individual PGA Tour title

VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Andrew Novak saw his six-shot lead cut in half until he ran off three straight birdies on the back nine Sunday that sent him to a 2-under 69 and a five-shot victory in the Mexico Open, his first individual title on the PGA Tour.Novak staked himself to a big lead with rounds of 61-62 the previous two days, and it was going to take something special to track him down. But with a soft bogey on the 10th hole, his lead was down to three over Steven Fisk and Mexico-born Norwegian Kristoffer Ventura.And then it was effectively over. Novak hit a greenside bunker shot to 4 feet on the par-5 12th at Vidanta Vallarta, drove the 13th green to 15 feet for a two-putt birdie, and he ended his decisive run with a 45-foot birdie putt on the 14th.“That kind of really settled everything,” Novak said. “Just happy with how I played today. I thought I grinded it out pretty well.”Fisk and Ventura each closed with a 63, and it was particularly meaningful for Ventura. He was at No. 108 in the FedEx Cup Fall, knowing only the top 100 keep full cards for 2027. The runner-up finish, his best as an individual, moved him to No. 76 and locked up his card.Mackenzie Hughes of Canada shot 66 and wound up in a tie for fourth when Doug Ghim, playing in the final group, made double bogey on the 18th hole. Hughes moved up to No. 101, a manageable spot with three tournaments remaining.“Gives me a bit of momentum for the last three,” Hughes said. “Obviously, I still know I need more points and I need to keep climbing, but today was a big step in the right direction.”Hughes tied for fourth with Ben Griffin, who was Novak's partner when they won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last year. Griffin (67) was waiting on the 18th green when Novak finished.“I loved Zurich and everything about that tournament. That's so fun,” Novak said. “But it is nice to have one by myself, too. This is one I’ve been working for for a while. Obviously not a great season for how I wanted it to go, but this is a nice way to kind of finish.”The outcome was never really in doubt, though Novak must have wondered if anything was going to go his way. On the third hole, the easiest of the par 5s, Novak's second shot plugged into the lip and he could only nudge back into the bunker, leading to par. He missed two other birdie chances from just inside 10 feet on the front nine.“I played really well on the front and didn't get much out of it,” he said.Novak waited his turn, and three straight birdies was more than enough to send him on his way. He moved from No. 89 to No. 53 in the FedEx Cup, making him practically a lock to at least be in a pair of $20 million signature events next year at Pebble Beach and Riviera.The victory also assures Novak will start the 2028 on the upper Championship Series.Kihei Akina, the 20-year-old sophomore at BYU, closed with a 59 and finished 15th. It was his third top-20 finish on the PGA Tour this year.___See AP’s full golf coverage here