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Chris Kirk leads by a stroke at PGA Tour’s OHL Classic

Chris Kirk follows through on his tee shot at No. 7 during the first round of the OHL Classic on Thursday.
(Tim Bradbury / Getty Images)
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Chris Kirk shot an eight-under-par 63 on Thursday to take a one-stroke lead in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Kirk had four birdies on each nine in his bogey-free round on Mayakoba’s Greg Norman-designed El Camaleon course in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

The former University of Georgia player has two top-10 finishes in three starts in the new PGA Tour season, opening with a tie for eighth at Silverado and tying for second in Mississippi. He won the last of his four PGA Tour titles in 2015.

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Ben Crane, Camilo Villegas and Gary Woodland were tied for second.

Mexico’s Abraham Ancer bogeyed the final hole for a 65. NCAA champion Aaron Wise also was 65 along with Webb Simpson, Scott Piercy, Kevin Streelman and Nicholas Lindheim.

Jim Furyk had a double bogey in a 74 in his first round of the season. Defending champion Graeme McDowell opened with a 75.

Ciganda shares lead at Ochoa Invitational

Carlota Ciganda birdied three of the last six holes for a five-under 67 and a share of the lead with Sarah Jane Smith in the Citibanamex Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico City.

Ciganda had a bogey-free opening round at Club de Golf Mexico. The Spaniard won last month in South Korea for her first LPGA Tour title.

Smith played the back nine in five-under 31 after bogeying Nos. 8 and 9 to make the turn at even par. The Australian is winless on the LPGA Tour.

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Mexican amateur Maria Fassi, a freshman at the University of Arkansas playing on a sponsor invite, was two strokes back at 69 along with South Korea’s Chella Choi and France’s Karine Icher.

Michelle Wie opened with a 70. The 2009 winner in Guadalajara, she’s also playing on a sponsor invite after failing to qualify for the 30-player event.

Canada’s Brooke Henderson, the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 7 in the world, had a double bogey in a 74. No. 14 Anna Nordqvist also struggled, making a double bogey in a 75.

Stenson a shot off lead in South Africa

Henrik Stenson shot a 3-under 69 in the Nedbank Golf Challenge, leaving the Swede a stroke back in his bid to wrap up the Race to Dubai title with a victory Sunday.

England’s Ross Fisher, Chile’s Felipe Aguilar and South Korea’s Jeunghun Wang shot 68 at Gary Player Country Club in Sun City, South Africa.

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Sweden’s Alex Noren, England’s Chris Wood, South Africa’s George Coetzee, France’s Victor Dubuisson and Scotland’s Richie Ramsay matched Stenson at 69.

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