Andrew Novak holds on for first solo PGA Tour win at Mexico Open

Andrew Novak won the Mexico Open on Sunday by five shots, claiming his first individual title on the PGA Tour. The 2-under 69 final round gave him a decisive edge at Vidanta Vallarta in Vallaarta, Mexico. This victory caps a season where Novak had been looking for a win.

Novak entered the final day with a six-stroke advantage after posting scores of 61 and 62 over the previous two days. That lead began to shrink early in the round. A soft bogey on the 10th hole reduced his margin over Steven Fisk and Kristoffer Ventura to three strokes. Both challengers were in close pursuit at that point.

The race effectively ended on the back nine. Novak hit a greenside bunker shot to four feet on the par-5 12th hole. He then drove the 13th green to 15 feet for a two-putt birdie. To finish the stretch, he sunk a 45-foot putt for birdie on the 14th. Novak described this sequence as the moment that settled the competition.

“That kind of really settled everything,” Novak said. “Just happy with how I played today. I thought I grinded it out pretty well.”

The runner-up spot carried weight for Kristoffer Ventura, a Mexico-born Norwegian. Before the final round, he sat at 108th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings. Only the top 100 players retain full tour cards for 2027. His final round of 63 lifted him to 76th place, securing his status for next season.

Mackenzie Hughes of Canada shot 66 to tie for fourth. His position improved after Doug Ghim, playing in the final group, made a double bogey on the 18th hole. Hughes moved up to 101st in the points race with three events left on the schedule.

“Gives me a bit of momentum for the last three,” Hughes said. “Obviously, I still know I need more points and I need to keep climbing, but today was a big step in the right direction.”

Hughes tied for fourth with Ben Griffin, who shot 67. Griffin had partnered with Novak when they won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last year. Novak noted that while he enjoyed the team event, an individual win was a target he had been chasing.

“But it is nice to have one by myself, too,” Novak said. “This is one I’ve been working for for a while. Obviously not a great season for how I wanted it to go, but this is a nice way to kind of finish.”

The win also solidified Novak's future on tour. He moved from 89th to 53rd in the FedEx Cup standings. This position makes him a near certainty to play in the $20 million signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera next year. It also ensures he will start the 2028 season on the upper Championship Series.

Kihei Akina, a 20-year-old sophomore at BYU, finished 15th after shooting 59 in the final round. This marked his third top-20 finish on the PGA Tour this year.