Andrew Novak wins Mexico Open by five shots for first solo PGA Tour title

Andrew Novak secured his first individual PGA Tour title on Sunday, winning the VidantaWorld Mexico Open by five shots after a closing two-under-par 69 in Vallarta, Mexico.

Novak finished at 25-under 259, comfortably ahead of Steven Fisk and Norway’s Kristoffer Ventura, who both shot final-round 63s to share second place at 20 under.

The victory adds an individual title to the PGA Tour trophy Novak won alongside Ben Griffin at the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a team event.

“It feels really good,” Novak said. “I played well all week. Had to grind it out on Sunday. But I’ve been wanting a solo victory for a while now and it was really nice to get it here.”

Late birdie run settles the contest

Novak had built his commanding position with rounds of 61 on Friday and 62 on Saturday, reaching 23 under through 54 holes and taking a six-shot lead over Matthieu Pavon into the final round.

His Saturday performance included an eagle at the par-five 12th and birdies at the next two holes. Through three rounds, he had also holed all 36 of his putts from inside 10 feet.

Sunday required more patience. Novak opened with seven consecutive pars and remained level par for the round through 11 holes, leaving his challengers some opportunity to reduce the deficit.

He then made three straight birdies from the par-five 12th. With playing partner Doug Ghim bogeying the 14th, Novak’s advantage doubled from three shots to six during that stretch, putting him firmly back in control.

Victory brings longer-term security

Beyond the trophy, the win extends Novak’s exempt status through 2028, according to the final-round report carried by AOL. He also rose from 89th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings entering the week to a projected 53rd.

Finishing the fall between 51st and 60th qualifies players for the first two signature events of 2027, while the top 100 retain full-time PGA Tour status. Novak’s projected position therefore puts those additional starts within reach, although the fall standings are not yet final.

“Obviously confidence coming from it is a part, but I think opportunity is now the biggest benefit,” Novak said.

Ventura gains ground in card race

Ventura’s share of second place brought a substantial improvement in his position, moving him from 108th to 76th in the FedEx Cup Fall race.

Griffin closed with a 67 to tie for fourth at 19 under alongside Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes, who shot 66. Ghim double-bogeyed the final hole and finished in a five-way tie for sixth at 18 under.

Hughes climbed to 101st in the points standings, immediately outside the threshold for retaining full-time status. Three tournaments remained: the World Wide Technology Championship, the Austin Championship and the RSM Classic.

For Novak, the week ended with a different kind of certainty: a first solo PGA Tour victory, secured by a decisive margin after his low scoring on Friday and Saturday laid the foundations.