Erik Van Rooyen grasps Mexico Open lead, with Padraig Harrington nine shots adrift

Erik van Rooyen shot an eight-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead at the Mexico Open at Vidanta on Thursday in Vallarta, Mexico.

Scorching the front nine at Vidanta Vallarta with an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and birdies on numbers three, four, seven and nine, van Rooyen went out in 29. The South African mixed in an eagle, a birdie and a bogey with his six pars on the back nine.

He established a one-stroke lead over Finland's Sami Valimaki, who secured second place by himself with a seven-under 64.

Padraig Harrington is the only Irish entrant this week at Vidanta Vallarta, the Dubliner having to settle for a one-over 72, following a messy finish to his opening round.

Coming to the final two holes of his round - the eighth and ninth - on two-under par, Harrington missed the green with his approach at the eighth and was unable to save par, before proceeding to dunk his approach at the par-3 ninth into the water to the left of the island green.

The resulting double-bogey pushed him back to +1 after a round in which he had recorded four birdies, three bogeys and that late double.

FULL LEADERBOARD

Meanwhile, the last time van Rooyen played an event in Mexico, he picked up his second career PGA Tour win at the World Wide Technology Championship last November in Los Cabos.

"I don't know what it is about Mexico," van Rooyen said. "The food is amazing.This resort especially, it's pretty laid back. We've got great facilities here, beautiful hotel, so it's just quite a relaxing place and we have a good golf course to boot, so it's always just sort of good vibes."

Playing one day after his 34th birthday, van Rooyen stuck his second shot at No. 6 less than seven feet from the pin and made the ensuing eagle putt. When he got to the