SA golfer Erik van Rooyen rides two eagles to PGA Tour Mexico Open lead

South Africa's Erik van Rooyen grabbed two eagles in an eight-under-par 63 on Thursday to take a one-stroke first-round lead in the PGA Tour's Mexico Open.

Van Rooyen, who added five birdies with just one bogey, gave himself a seven-footer for eagle at the par-five sixth in Puerto Vallarta. His eagle at the 12th was more spectacular - a chip-in from 70 feet.

"Twelve's a funky one because we played it into the wind in the practice round and you obviously can't get there for two. So today was downwind, smash three-wood and just a beautiful little pitch," he said.

"It's something I've been working really hard on and to see that go in, it feels good."

360 and in!@FredVr_ leads by two with this eagle @MexicoOpenGolf. pic.twitter.com/r9c8hIYtr8

After his only bogey at 15, van Rooyen birdied the par-five 18th to finish one stroke in front of Finland's Sami Valimaki.

South African MJ Dafue, Sweden's Henrik Norlander, American David Lipsky and Chile's Cristobal Del Solar were tied for third on 65.

63 - Erik van Rooyen (RSA)

64 - Sami Valimaki (FIN)

65 - David Lipsky, Henrik Norlander (SWE), Cristobal Del Solar (CHI), MJ Daffue (RSA)

66 - Andrew Novak, Cameron Champ, Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN), Patrick Rodgers, Lanto Griffin, Matt Wallace (ENG), Joseph Bramlett, Chan Kim

67 - Robby Shelton, Doug Ghim, Jake Knapp, Jorge Campillo (ESP), Nico Echavarria (COL), Alvaro Ortiz (MEX), a-Santiago De la Fuente (MEX)

Van Rooyen is gunning for a second PGA Tour title in Mexico, having won the World Wide Technology Championship at Los Cabos last November for a second title to go with his 2021 Barracuda Championship victory.

One day after his 34th birthday, the South African said he believes he is "stepping into my best golf."

"Had a few injuries the last few