Saturday 3 March 2018 00:51, UK
Louis Oosthuizen fired a bogey-free 64 to grab the early advantage at the WGC-Mexico Championship, where Chris Paisley made an impressive start.
Oosthuizen carded five birdies and an eagle at Chapultepec Golf Club to set the clubhouse target at seven under, with Paisley one of three players a stroke off the pace on his World Golf Championship debut.
World No 1 Dustin Johnson began his title defence with a two-under 69, on a day where play was suspended for 30 minutes late in the afternoon due to the threat of lightning.
"I'm just playing really solid," Oosthuizen told Sky Sports. "I drove it pretty well and I've got a lot of confidence in my driver. I've been hitting it really good over the past three or four weeks."
Paisley birdied his opening hole at the par-71 layout, which is more than 7,500 feet above sea level at its highest point, before draining a 30-footer at the second and posting back-to-back gains from the fifth.
The Englishman birdied the 10th and briefly topped the leaderboard after holing from 40 feet at the 14th and picking up another shot at the par-five next, only to miss a seven-footer to save par at the 16th.
Oosthuizen took advantage and moved ahead by holing a five-foot eagle at the 15th, with Xander Schauffele birdieing two of his last four holes to close a blemish-free card and join Paisley on six under.
Race to Dubai leader Shubhankar Sharma, playing in the final group, made it a three-way tie for second by nudging home a final-hole birdie after the weather delay, with Rafa Cabrera Bello and Kiradech Aphibarnrat in the group two off the pace.
Jon Rahm birdied the last to complete a four-under 67, while one-time leader Bubba Watson slipped into the group on two under after three bogeys and a double-bogey over his final seven holes.
Watch the WGC-Mexico Championship throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues on Friday from 5.15pm on Sky Sports Golf.
