Making his tournament debut, PGA TOUR rookie and World No. 479 Chris Baker bogeyed two of his final three holes to take some luster off a 7-under-par 31-33=64 in the weather-delayed first round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic on Friday, leaving him two swings short of leader Danny Lee, who matched a career low and the course record with 62.
The 33-year-old, making his sixth career start, fifth as a member, arrived off a career-best T31 at the Bermuda Championship two weeks ago (66-68-71-70), which was his first made cut. Today’s 64 is a career low in 15 rounds, previously 66 in R1 in Bermuda, and is good for a four-way T4 at day’s end. On 11 (of 14) fairways and 13 greens in regulation, the Iowa State alum was bogey-free 9-under (T1) thru 15 holes, before bogey-5s at 16 and 18 (3-putt). He rang up seven birdies at 1-3, 5, 7, 14 (hole-out) and 15, adding a hole-out eagle-3 at 13. The Indiana native recorded 1.538 putts per GIR with 25 total putts.