Novak secures five-shot victory at Mexico Open to lock in 2027 tour card
A late surge on the back nine sealed his first individual PGA Tour title, while runner-up Kristoffer Ventura also secured his spot on the 2027 roster.
By Benjamin Mahmoud ·
The 2027 PGA Tour field is currently determined by FedEx Cup rankings, a system where position directly dictates eligibility for full-time cards and high-profile events. On Sunday at the Vidanta Vallarta course in Mexico, Andrew Novak navigated this hierarchy with a five-shot victory in the Mexico Open, claiming his first individual title on the tour.
Novak entered the final round with a six-shot lead built on rounds of 61 and 62. That cushion eroded early when he bogeyed the 10th hole, narrowing his margin to three shots over Steven Fisk and Kristoffer Ventura. The race effectively ended on the back nine. Novak hit a greenside bunker shot to four feet on the par-5 12th, followed by a 15-foot birdie putt on the 13th. He finished the run with a 45-foot birdie putt on the 14th, lowering his total to 2-under 69.
"That kind of really settled everything," Novak said. "Just happy with how I played today. I thought I grinded it out pretty well."
The runner-up finish proved critical for Ventura, a Mexico-born Norwegian. Entering the week at No. 108 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, Ventura needed top-100 status to retain his full card for 2027. His second-place finish moved him to No. 76, securing his place on the tour. Mackenzie Hughes of Canada tied for fourth with a 66. This result shifted Hughes to No. 101, a manageable position with three tournaments remaining to earn additional points. "Gives me a bit of momentum for the last three," Hughes said. "Obviously, I still know I need more points and I need to keep climbing, but today was a big step in the right direction."
Novak’s win also elevated his own standing in the order of merit. He moved from No. 89 to No. 53 in the FedEx Cup. This position makes him a strong candidate to enter two $20 million signature events next year at Pebble Beach and Riviera. The victory also guarantees Novak a start on the upper Championship Series in 2028.
The final round saw a 20-year-old BYU sophomore, Kihei Akina, post a 59 to finish 15th. It was his third top-20 result on the PGA Tour this year. Ben Griffin, who partnered with Novak in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last year, tied for fourth with Hughes. Griffin recorded a 67 and waited on the 18th green as Novak finished his round.
Source: The Hour
