Jeremy Paul of Germany carded two eagles on his way to a 7-under-par 64, giving him a share of the lead with Englishman Harry Hall and Norway's Kris Ventura after one round of the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld on Thursday in Vallarta, Mexico.
Paul, the No 344 player in the world rankings entering the week, is making just his fourth start on the PGA Tour after earning his card last fall.
After ripping off three straight birdies at Nos. 4-6, he holed out for eagle from 27 feet away at the short par-4 seventh hole, which played just 297 yards Thursday. Paul gave one back at the next hole with his only bogey but reached the green in two at the par-5 12th and made a 13-foot eagle putt.
Hall, the only co-leader with a previous PGA Tour win to his name (2024 ISCO Championship), was also the only one to post a bogey-free round with five birdies and an eagle pitch-in at the par-5 sixth.
Ventura was 8 under par and bogey-free through 17 holes but missed the green at the par-3 ninth, his final hole, and closed with a bogey.
The trio have a one-shot lead over Isaiah Salinda, Brian Campbell, Patrick Fishburn, Argentina's Alejandro Tosti and South African Aldrich Potgieter. Among those tied at 5-under 66 are World No 30 Akshay Bhatia and Italy's Francesco Molinari, who last won in 2019.
Defending champion Jake Knapp birdied three of his last five holes to post a 4-under 67.