Erik van Rooyen didn’t let an incident with a swarm of bees put him off on his way to a seven-under-par 64 in the first round of the PGA Tour’s Mexico Open at Vidanta in Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco.
Van Rooyen, who sits just one shot back of the lead held by Austin Smotherman, was attacked by a swarm of bees on the 10th hole. The swarm caused van Rooyen and playing partners Chez Reavie and Francesco Molinari (plus the television crew) to get down on their knees or stomachs to avoid getting stung.
“I just saw them here and I just told my caddie, I’m like, ‘Bees, bees, bees,’ and he looks at me like I’m crazy,” said Van Rooyen. “So, I dropped down, then he sees them, he dropped down. (Molinari) and (Reavie) look at me like I’m nuts and then they realised, like, 30 seconds later… the bees just went right at them.”
“It’s funny, but certainly don’t want to get stung by those bad boys.”
Van Rooyen began his day with four birdies in his first seven holes before making a bogey on the par-four eighth. He added another birdie on 14 before holing out from 137 yards for an eagle on the next hole. He said he hit pitching wedge and just “went straight at it.”
“You don’t really plan on holing out from 137, so when it happens it’s pretty sweet,” Van Rooyen said.
The 2021 Barracuda Championship winner added another birdie on his closing hole to put a bow on the 64 – his lowest PGA Tour round since a 62 at The American Express in January. Prior to teeing off, van Rooyen joked with his caddie that he saw Smotherman’s 63 – which tied the course record – and said he probably did everything well.
“I kind of did the same thing today, so everything clicked nicely,” Van Rooyen said. “I feel like I’ve been trending the last couple months and things came together nicely today. “It’s as good as it gets, I think.”
Garrick Higgo opened with a three-under-par 68 for a share of 31st, while MJ Daffue had a six-over 77 and Dylan Frittelli a seven-over 78.
With reporting from PGA Tour
