But the first one at Greg Norman’s Vidanta Vallarta Signature Course.
All the details, as usual, are here for your one stop shopping experience.
62nd Mexico Open at Vidanta
Vidanta Vallarta
Vallarta, Mexico
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| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,456 |
| Par: | 71 (35-36) |
| Greens: | Paspalum |
| Stimpmeter: | Wind dependent but hovering around 11.5 to 12 feet. |
| Rough: | Paspalum at 1.5 inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards | 106/6 (in play on 11 holes). |
| Architects: | Greg Norman (2015). |
| Course Record (last): | First TOUR event here. |
| Tournament Scoring Record: | First TOUR event here. |
| 2021 Purse: | $7.3 million; $1.314 million; 500 FedExCup points. |
Notes:
- Field of 144
- Top 65 and ties play the weekend.
- Paspalum grass covers the entire property
- Greg Norman’s Mayakoba has been used on TOUR since 2008.
Previous Winners
section returns next week as this is the first edition at Vidanta Vallarta
Facts and Figures:
section returns next week as this is the first edition at Vidanta Vallarta
| Back-to-Back Champions: | |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | |
| Oldest winner: | |
| Youngest winner: | |
| Odd Fact: |
OAD
Spotter’s Game 2022
| 2022 Events | Golfer | Place | Total $$ |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Marc Leishman | T10 | 188,000 |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Keith Mitchell | T7 | 227,812 |
| The American Express | Seamus Power | T14 | 119,700 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Jon Rahm | T3 | 445,200 |
| AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Maverick McNealy | T33 | 43,548 |
| WM Phoenix Open | Hideki Matsuyama | T8 | 248,050 |
| The Genesis Invitational | Patrick Cantlay | T33 | 64,000 |
| The Honda Classic | Sungjae Im | MC | 0 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Rory McIlroy | T13 | 228,000 |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Daniel Berger | T13 | 327,222 |
| Valspar Championship | Keegan Bradley | MC | 0 |
| WGC – Dell Match Play | Paul Casey | T60 | 41,000 |
| Corales Puntacana | Emiliano Grillo | MC | 0 |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners | T35 | 41,925 |
| Masters Tournament | Jordan Spieth | MC | 0 |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick | MC | 0 |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Ian Poulter | 13th | 69,803 |
| Total Events: 17 | Top 10: 4 | MC: 5 | $2,044,260 |
This Week – Mexico Open at Vidanta
South of the border, Mexico way!
Greg Norman has courses all over the world and all over Mexico so the pros aren’t jumping in blind this week. This will be the fourth event of the 2021-2022 season on Paspalum as well.
The field isn’t much to write home about but the 144 who have made the trip could not care less. The prize money, exemptions and FedExCup points are very real and will go a long way for most.
Only six of the OWGR top 50 are teeing it up this week so that gives us two angles to address. Jon Rahm should walk this or the “others” should be frothing at the mouth to get a piece of a $7.3 million prize pool without having to have the rounds of their lives.
It’s interesting and that’s what we all prefer. And if Rahm doesn’t pull a Rory/DJ Canadian Open show up and kill everyone deal, this week should be wider than wide open.
Although they have added length and bunkers, I’ll point out, like Mayakoba, is a resort course. 20-under (weather permitting) should be the target this week as tough greens and bunkering for vacationers doesn’t translate to difficulty for TOUR pros. And usually with a first event the set up should favor PLEASE COME BACK AND PLAY US AGAIN as opposed to what the hell was THAT??? They won’t put the pins on every edge or slope but the greens appear to be where the challenge will take place this week.
Enjoy!
THE CHOICE: Davis Riley (+6000):
I’ve already burned Jon Rahm so I don’t have to even consider sending him to the plate this week so I’ve already won. Taking a flyer here with a youngster that has no problem running up the score. His 62 at Valspar grabbed our attention as did his 75-80 MC at Harbour Town where he needed 16 SHOTS to play the 18th hole over two days. All of that was washed away last week as he partnered with Will Zalatoris in the quest to birdie every hole every day at TPC Louisiana.
They squared one bogey on the week.
I’ll have my thoughts on who the bookmakers like below.
Warm Blankets: The guys who should. Safe selections that will help maintain leads. Opinions on why or why not for this event or save for later.
Jon Rahm (+450): Is it easier to win this week in this field than a major championship of FedExCup Playoff event? Fantastic question, eh? This level of talent is good enough to run into one without the prep, mental and build-up as he would need for major week. The cynic in me also says he’s checking off one of the “I need to play a few new events annually so let’s do this one” box.
Abraham Ancer (+1600): It’s his open but he hasn’t been the best Mexican finisher at Mayakoba the last few years. That title belongs to Carlos Ortiz (read HFC). Ancer mysteriously skipped (gave no reason that I have seen) his “home” event at Valero and then fizzled at the Masters. If anything, he is rested and rearing to go to win national open.
Gary Woodland (+2000): Interesting ride for the big hitter this spring as he’s MC the big events and contended everywhere else. This week categorizes as everywhere else so I’d expect him to be in the conversation just like he was at Valero, Honda and API.
Tony Finau (+2000): Quick! Name his last top 10 since his win in September. You can break him out! I’ll point out he’s won in Puerto Rico on Paspalum and has been decent at Mayakoba (a pair of top 10s).
Kevin Na (+2500): Known for walking in putts gamers should remember he’s 11th Fairways and 61st GIR. That travels. And if he starts walking them in…
Spicy: This might be a week for sending out an “unknown” and saving a start. You just might get lucky. Or MC.
Cameron Tringale (+3000): The first one is always the toughest but he’s been flashing throughout 2022 that it’s coming.
Aaron Wise (+3000): One of just four to sit 30th or better in SG: Tee to Green this week.
Patrick Reed (+3000): If there’s plenty of room to swing it off the tee and big targets to hit from the fairway, not many putt better. Interesting.
Chris Kirk (+3500): Only Rahm is better tee to green this week.
Aaron Rai (+5000): New greens for everyone highlights his abilities tee to green.
Mark Hubbard (+6000): Fantastic form across both TOURS highlighted by a very solid short game. Big fairways and greens this week should keep him rollin’.
JT Poston (+8000): Closed 68-64 at Harbour Town for his best since forever.
Brian Stuard (+10000): Wrote about him plenty already.
3 AM at the Blackjack Table: Caution is thrown to the wind. Maybe not the best for this format but what the hell, right? Might throw these in if you’re in need of a miracle.
Scott Piercy, Brice Garnett, Tyler Duncan, David Lipsky, Nate Lashley
Funny Money :
Ben Griffin, Bill Haas, Camilo Villegas, Roberto Diaz, Carlos Ortiz (injury concerns)
Last Time – Zurich Classic
When the 8-1 favorites cash, all you can do is throw your hands up and don your cap to the winners.
In fact, that’s true of any event we chase in this format. We shouldn’t be surprised when the best players win.
TPC Louisiana played as easy as it ever has with a whopping 17 teams tying last year’s winning total. I know these guys are good but that’s ridiculous. They have to annually battle the fine line between competitive and easy-going so the premium players don’t walk away pissed off, got it.
But setting and tying the course record in fourballs in consecutive rounds BY THE SAME TEAM is a bit much.
Since I did not play said team, it’s even worse.
The partner game is/was fun but I’m happy to be back to normal service this week.
THE CHOICE: Ian Poulter (Shane Lowry)
If you would have told me before the event started that they would put all four rounds 70 or better and posted 21-under I would have cut my arm off for that deal.
Not my good arm but you get the point.
21-under would have hit the podium in the last three editions and won last year. This time around it wasn’t good enough to crack the top 12.
And neither are my OAD picks.
Looks like I took the wrong “hottest golfer” around.
I had Schauffele available but decided to save him for down the road.
This is turning out to be like Boyz II Men’s End of the Road instead.
Whatever.
Warm Blankets: The guys who should. Safe selections that will help maintain leads. Opinions on why or why not for this event or save for later.
Ryan Palmer (Scottie Scheffler): Anytime you can get Scheffler twice in a season is a really good idea! For those of you who haven’t pulled the trigger yet he’s said that Southern Hills is his favorite course. OK THEN! Oh, and Palmer seems to play awfully well here so there’s that too hahahahaha. Thoughts and prayers to Palmer for not converting with the No. 1 player in OWGR. I hope he finds strength in T18. It was still the right play in this format, no questions asked!
Marc Leishman (Cameron Smith): I’m guessing most have burned the one in ( ) while Leesh hasn’t caught fire yet. The defending champs were a tough lay down for me this week.No fire in the belly this time around for the former champions as they couldn’t crack off any low ones in fourball and that’s required here as they both know. T21.
Sam Burns (Billy Horschel): Nothing wrong with loading up on the home game for Burns especially after he defended at Valspar. Horschel is salty as ever as he’s been knocking all spring but hasn’t been able to pick the lock on Sunday. T4 last year should have them thirsting for more. Spotted the winners SIX SHOTS in fourball but just came up two short in the end for solo second. They’ve already announced they’ll be back next year as T4 turned into solo second in their previous two trips.
Tommy Fleetwood (Sergio Garcia): I can’t help but notice that Fleetwood has finally found some form again in the States. His past results in this event with Garcia (2nd) and Chris Paisley! (T4) also stand out. I don’t love their odds but I see why they are so short. Garcia’s record speaks for itself. No Ryder Cup magic or voodoo this time around as 75 in alternate shot sunk the ship. MC.
Talor Gooch (Max Homa): Too many arrows pointing in too many correct directions for this pair of mashers as I have written already. One of many to collect T21 money.
Spicy: This might be a week for sending out an “unknown” and saving a start. You just might get lucky. Or MC.
Chile Boys: Pereira has been banging top 30s for fun all season long because he destroys fairways and greens. Everything you need to know about Niemann was realized as he smoked Riviera in February. Pereira had to WD with a back injury before Round 2.
AnIm: Nice extra shot at Sungjae and his ability to make a million birdies. Ben An was second on his own ball here in 2016 and nearly won on the KFT recently. Tremendous OAD value as An doesn’t even have status. T14 as the Koreans barbecued TPC Louisiana to the tune of 20-under. I wish I was AnIm this week. Did you see what I did there?
Zalatoris/Riley: Check Pick ‘Em. T4, as expected.
McDowell/Power: Same. MC as unexpected.
Patton Kizzire/JT Poston: Nice ham and eggs here and both putt lights out on Bermuda. Poston season’s best T3 at RBC shouldn’t hurt and Kizzire has cashed six of his last seven plus owns a pair of top 10s here. MC.
3 AM at the Blackjack Table: Caution is thrown to the wind. Maybe not the best for this format but what the hell, right? Might throw these in if you’re in need of a miracle.
Straka/Sigg – MC, Laird/MacIntyre MC, Garnett/Stallings – MC, Brehm/Hubbard -T14, Duncan/Schenk -T14
Glass Houses 