Kris Ventura, who briefly reached 8-under, expressed satisfaction with his game despite missing a par putt on the ninth hole, finishing at 7-under.

The Mexico Open golf tournament, held at Vidanta Vallarta in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, showcased an international leaderboard after the first round on February 20, 2025.

Aaron Baddeley, the top-ranked Australian in the tournament, tied for 18th place after scoring a four-under 67, finishing strong with birdies on three of his final four holes.

Three players, Jeremy Paul from Germany, Kris Ventura from Norway, and Harry Hall from England, share the lead with impressive scores of 7-under 64.

Jeremy Paul recorded two eagles during his round, including a remarkable 309-yard eagle on the par-5 12th hole, aided by favorable wind conditions.

However, Paul faced challenges on the par-5 18th hole, where he found water but managed to save par with a pitch to 6 feet.

Defending champion Jake Knapp shot a 67, improving his round with three birdies in the final five holes, while Aaron Rai, the highest-ranked player in the field, also scored 67.

New Zealand's Ryan Fox recorded a birdie with a putt of over 91 feet, finishing with a score of 68, one shot behind England's Aaron Rai.

Harry Hall made an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole and nearly drove the green on the 297-yard seventh hole, finishing his round with two pars.

Francesco Molinari, a former Open champion, is among a large group at five under, recovering from an opening double bogey with four birdies and an eagle later in the round.

The tournament continues a trend of international winners, with six of the seven PGA Tour events in 2025 featuring international players.

Five players are trailing just one shot behind the leaders, including Stephan Jaeger, who had a strong start but struggled on the back nine, finishing at 6-under.