Andrew Novak (-14) surged into the lead at Vidanta Vallarta after a sensational 10-under-par 61, opening up a three-shot advantage at the halfway stage of the Mexico Championship. Novak’s flawless display was one of the standout rounds of the tournament and firmly established him as the player to beat heading into the weekend.

A large group sits tied for second at -11, including Ben Griffin, Keita Hirata, Matthieu Pavon, Kanoa Akina, and Adrien Dumont de Chassart. Griffin and Dumont de Chassart carded matching -4 rounds, while Pavon’s -5 and Akina’s -7 kept them firmly in the hunt.

At -10, Gordon Sargent, Marco Penge, Mackenzie Hughes, and Max Greyserman share seventh place, remaining within striking distance of the lead. Sargent’s -6 round was among the day’s better efforts, helping him climb the leaderboard.

A crowded group at -9 rounds out the top contenders, featuring Steven Fisk, Doug Ghim, Jackson Suber, Álvaro Ortiz, Garrick Higgo, Hayden Springer, Jason Kang, Luke Clanton, and Brian Brown. Brown’s impressive -6 round was one of the highlights among the chasing pack.