The Japan Times - Aussie Percy leads by two at PGA Tour Mexico event

Percy pitched in for eagle at the 601-yard par-five sixth hole to reach five-under and added four more birdies the rest of the way, matching his career-low round on the PGA Tour.

He was two strokes clear of Michael Kim, Camilo Villegas, Nate Lashley and Tano Goya at Cardonal at Diamante, the first Tiger Woods-designed course to be used for a PGA Tour event.

"I hit the ball beautifully," Percy said. "Didn't hit it quite close enough coming in, but I had a few looks. I couldn't make them all."

The World Wide Technology Championship is the fifth event of the FedEx Cup Fall, a group of seven tournaments played after the TOUR Championship that finalizes eligibility for the 2024 PGA tour season.

Percy is nearly old enough for the over-50 PGA Tour Champions, and he said he would play the senior circuit's Q-School next month.

Thursday's round was a confidence builder, no matter how the rest of the week goes.

"I'm 152 I think (in the FedEx Cup standings), so finishing top-150 at my age would be fantastic," Percy said. "I want to at least do that, but if I can keep the ball rolling like I did today, I should be able to finish a lot higher than that, and then lead into Q-School with the Champions Tour."

Colombia's Villegas, who claimed the most recent of his four tour titles in 2014, hit all 14 fairways and had eight birdies in his eight-under 64.

"It's been a slow year from a performance point of view, but it's been a very hectic year from a working (one)," said the 41-year-old, who has combined playing with a new commentating career this season.

"It's always nice to see a low score.

Kim and Lashley had joined Villegas at eight-under before Argentina's Goya grabbed his share of second before darkness halted play with a handful of players left on the course.

Goya was nine-under through 15 holes but fell back with bogeys at 16 and 17 before a birdie at the par-five 18th.

S.Yamamoto--JT