American young gun Ben James has extended a hot start to his pro career with an eight-under 64 to build a one-shot lead going into the weekend at the PGA Tour’s World Wide Technology Championship.
James, already assured his tour card for next year as the No.1 player in the PGA Tour University ranking, had his 14th round of 65 or lower in 13 tournaments since turning pro out of Virginia this summer.
The 23-year-old reached 15-under 129 at the Tiger Woods-designed El Cardonal at Diamante in Los Cabos, Mexico.
James already has four finishes in the top five, picking up plenty of experience along the way. A victory would put him on the Championship Series under the PGA Tour’s 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 is one shot ahead of Peter Malnati, who was tied for the lead until coming up short of the green on the par-3 ninth and missing a 12-foot par putt to end his round of 64 and sit two shots clear of third-placed Zac Blair (68).
Australia’s Cam Davis produced six birdies as he shot a second straight round of 68 to be seven shots behind James in a tie for 23rd spot.
But his younger countryman Karl Vilips will be counting the cost of a rough day as he followed his promising openind round of 66 with an ugly 74, including two double bogeys and two bogeys to finish four over.
This is the second time James has had the lead going into the weekend. The other was the RBC Canadian Open, and he shot a 78 to quickly spiral out of contention.
He also had a good chance to win the Biltmore Championship Asheville until Jacob Bridgeman put on a putting clinic down the stretch in the final round.
“I’m doing everything right,” James 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.”
He won the par-5 18th when he least expected it. James has been relying on his short wedges and hit a pedestrian pitch to about 18 feet, but he holed the putt, and then started the front nine with three straight birdies to set the target.
The Championship is among the last three tournaments of the FedEx Cup Fall, after which the top 100 players keep full status for next year.
