Rahm shares Mexico Open lead; Rai one off early pace

Jon Rahm holds a share of the lead after a low-scoring opening round at the Mexico Open, where England’s Aaron Rai also impressed.

Rahm made an eagle and five birdies on his way to an opening-round 64 at Vidanta Vallarta, leaving the world No 2 as one of six players sharing top spot.

Jonathan Byrd, Brendon Todd, Trey Mullinax, Kurt Kitayama and Monday qualifier Bryson Nimmer also all reached seven under, with Rai in the group a shot back after a blemish-free 65.

Beginning on the back nine, Rahm followed a 15-foot birdie at the 12th by chipping in from off the next green and picking up shots on both par-fives to reach the turn in 32.

Rahm fired a brilliant approach to set up a close-range birdie at the fourth and drained a 40-footer at the seventh after driving the green on the par-four, before closing a bogey-free to join a logjam at the top of the leaderboard.

Byrd posted a front-nine 29 and Todd made five birdies in a six-hole stretch on their way to both reaching seven under, while a hole-out eagle from a bunker by Nimmer helped him to play his last five holes in five under and also share the lead.

Kitayama was the only one of the afternoon starters to get to seven under, with the American birdieing four of his opening six holes before responding to back-to-back bogeys around the turn to birdie five of his last eight.

Rai almost holed his approach for albatross at the par-five seventh - setting up a close-range-eagle - and added four further birdies to get to six under, with Scott Brown, Aaron Wise and Sahith Theegala also one off the pace after the opening day.

A further 10 players are two back on five under, while Scott Gutschewski carded a brilliant hole-in-one at the par-three fifth on his way to an opening-round