Ben James shoots 8-under 64 to take one-shot lead at the World Wide Technology Championship in Mexico

The Story

Ben James closed Friday with an 8-under 64 to take a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.

James made the turn strong, running off five consecutive birdies, then followed with an aggressive tee shot that set him up for one last birdie. He finished at 15-under 129 over 36 holes.

Peter Malnati was one shot behind James after shooting 64. Malnati had been tied for the lead before coming up short of the green on the par-3 ninth, then missing a 12-foot par putt to end his round.

Sudarshan Yellamaraju of Mississauga, Ont., was the top Canadian at 10-under 134. Zac Blair shot 68 and was three shots behind the lead.

Other Canadians in the field included Ben Silverman of Thornhill, Ont., at 6 shots off the lead, Adam Svensson of Surrey, B.C., at 7-under 137, and Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., at 5-under 139.

James enters the weekend already assured his PGA Tour card for next year as the No. 1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking. He has had 14 rounds of 65 or lower in 13 tournaments since turning pro this summer out of Virginia, with four finishes in the top 5.

A victory would place James on the Championship Series under the new model in 2028 and move him into the top 50 in the world. “It's weird, in college I was kind of someone that would shoot 2, 3 under every time out and would have trouble going low,” James said. “But you adapt to your surroundings as humans, so I guess out here that’s what you have to do. I’ve been rolling it well and playing well, so nice to be shooting some low numbers.”

James said he was focused on playing each shot as it comes. “I'm doing everything right,” he said. “But for me, I'm just trying to win each shot, just do the best I can for each golf shot and not thinking ahead and just do the best I can. And as I say, winning the shot at hand.”