After what felt like a bit of a weekend off with a lower tier event taking place, the PGA Tour returns this week as we head south for the annual Mexico Open. As always, we have you covered with a full preview and betting tips for the event below.
PGA Tour Mexico Open Betting Tips
Puerto Vallarta, Thursday 26th - 29th April
The Field
With a big couple of weeks coming up on the PGA Tour including an elevated event at the Wells Fargo followed by the AT&T Byron Nelson and the PGA Championship, the field is predictably a little lacklustre this week as the top level players prepare for the upcoming stretch.
In saying that, the No.1 player in the world, Jon Rahm, will be back in Mexico to defend his title and will start as the overwhelming favourite to go back to back. The other top names in the field include Tony Finau, Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland and Beau Hossler.
The Mexico Open was only transferred over to the PGA Tour last season after a lengthy spell on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, so even the list of former winners that will be back this week doesn’t include a lot of big names. Alvaro Ortiz, Austin Smotherman and Sebastian Vazquez are the three most recent former winners outside of Rahm who will be teeing it up this week.
The Course
Vidanta Vallarta
Par 71, 7,456 Yards
The signature course at Vidanta Vallarta was designed by Gren Norman and opened for play back in 2016. The course is lengthy off the tee but features generous landing areas in the fairways, making it playable for the modern PGA Tour player. Jon Rahm won the event with a score of 17 under par last season and Alvaro Ortiz won the event in the final year of the PGA Tour Latinoamerica residency with a score of 23 under par.
The course has 50+ bunkers scattered throughout, as well as water in play on a number of holes. There is also some risk-reward holes for long drivers, meaning the likes of Finau and Rahm will have inherent advantages this week.
Betting Tips
Hard to really envision anyone other than Jon Rahm winning this week, but his quote of just $3.75 is the lowest I’ve seen in a full field golf tournament and there is just no value there, so we’ll be looking elsewhere this week in Mexico.
Tony Finau ($9.80 at Betfair/$2.02 Top 10)
The No.16 ranked player in the world is the clear top dog outside of Rahm in this event. When you look past Finau, you have to search all the way down to the No.80 ranked player in the world for the next competitor this weekend in Gary Woodland. Finau has made the cut in his last 12 PGA Tour events dating back to a win at the Houston Open. Finished 2nd at this event behind Rahm last season.
Beau Hossler ($55 at Betfair/$2.94 Top 20)
Hossler is in some solid form at the moment, finishing 3rd at the Zurich Classic alongside Wyndham Clark following a T31 at the RBC Heritage in a strong field and a T46 at the Valero Texas Open. Should thrive against this weaker field.
Chez Reavie ($190 at Betfair/$5.10 Top 20)
Chez Reavie is the dark horse I like this week. The No/113 ranked player in the world has been playing beyond that number recently, finishing T11 at the RBC Heritage a few weeks ago, which followed an impressive T6 finish at the Texas Open. Is one of the few players in the field to have played this event last season, where he finished T13.
