Viktor Hovland looks to make it three in a row on the Riviera Maya.
Including me!
World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba
El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba
Riviera Maya, Mexico
Weekly Readers:
Horses for Courses – click here
Statistically Speaking – click here
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PGA TOUR Champions Power Ranking – click here
For those of you scoring at home, I finished T3 in the Expert’s League and I believe top 20 overall last week in Expert Picks. Yes, I’m bragging because it’s not easy to do.
Also, Seamus Power was the featured player in Statistically Speaking last week and we know how he did. Sometimes a plan comes together!
New week this week, as always!
El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,034 |
| Par: | 71 (36-35) |
| Greens: | 7,000 square feet; Sea Isle1 Paspalum. |
| Stimpmeter: | 11 feet tops. |
| Rough: | Sea Isle 1 Paspalum no more than two inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/Holes in Play | 36 bunkers; multiple canals running throughout the property. |
| Architects: | Greg Norman (2006). |
| Course Record (TOUR): | 61; Matthew Wolff (Round 1, 2021; not entered). |
| Course Tournament Scoring Record: | 261; Viktor Hovland (-23; 2021). |
| Facts of the Week: | Event moved to the fall for the 2013 edition. |
| Purse: | $8.2 million; $1.476 million winner. |
Notes:
- Field of 132
- 72 hole stroke play, top 65 and ties play the final two rounds.
- Two youngest winners were the first event played in November and the last two years.
Recent Winners
Italics – not entered this week
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2021 | Viktor Hovland (-23) | Tournament record; first winner in five to win by more than one shot. |
| 2020 | Viktor Hovland (-20) | Made birdie on the final hole to win by one. |
| 2019 | Brendon Todd (-20) | Monday finish capped back to back weeks as a winner on TOUR. |
| 2018 | Matt Kuchar (-22) | Posted 20-under thru 54 holes to lead by four. |
| 2017 | Patton Kizzire (-19) | Opened with 62 and won by a shot. |
Another week in paradise but albeit with a deeper field and that matters. Shootouts can open the door for plenty as everyone enjoys making birdies. The best players in the world also enjoy an opportunity like this as Hovland has proven the last two times.
Rounds in the 70s this week need not apply . Make your par and move on to the next birdie opportunity. Dial in the wedges and heat up the putter.
Only Houston and Sea Island after this week in Mexico! Time to rack up some more cash and FedExCup points.
This Week – Bermuda Butterfield Championship
Scottie Scheffler (+900): Hey, look who’s grinding to get back to No. 1 in the world! Nothing like proper motivation for a fall event. Third visit suggests he’s comfortable here (4th, T18). Don’t have to worry about rust remediation as he took care of that at Congaree. Should factor Statistically Speaking!
Viktor Hovland (+1100): NOT the favorite? Ok! Probably not likely that he wins for the third consecutive year but hardly impossible with his skill set. Played in Japan and at Congaree with nothing worse than 71 so he’s hardly limping in this week.
Collin Morikawa (+1600): More MC than top 10s in his last nine worldwide. Will need a hot putter to keep up this week. I don’t see this number as value in any way. First time at the event as well.
Tony Finau (+1800): Back from a well-deserved break from TOUR action, it’s a soft landing spot for the big hitter. Tough week to knock any rust off though as 20-under will be the target. If you believe in the “every-other-year” theory, he’ll contend.
Billy Horschel (+1800): Closed with 66 at Congaree for T7 so that should have eyes on him. Course Horse who is playing his fifth consecutive season here doesn’t hurt either.
Aaron Wise (+1800): Like Horschel, playing well, 6th at Congaree, and plays well here (32-under last two; T15-2nd). Plenty of GIR and birdies, makes sense.
Eyes On
Players NOT LISTED in previous articles this week
Keith Mitchell (+5500): Lotsa birdies, good recipe this week.
Patrick Rodgers (+6600): Guess his podium last week didn’t inspire.
Harris English (+7000): I know, I know, I wrote about him already but 70-1 seems a bit steep here.
Davis Riley (+9000): Solo fifth the last time he was in Mexico on a Norman design. Closed with 66 at Congaree LTO.
Mark Hubbard (+9000): He’ll be passed over because of MC last week. He was five under.
Longer Shots/Funny Money
Kevin Yu (+11000): Tee to green machine coming off T3.
Garrick Higgo (+12500): Closed 64 last Sunday for the low round of the day.
David Lipsky (+14000): Only two top 10s in 2022 are on Paspalum.
Chez Reavie (+16000): T33 or better in 5 of last 6.
Jason Dufner (+60000): Never MC here.
Last Week – Bermuda Butterfield Championship Reuslts
Denny McCarthy (+1600): Tells you what you need to know about this field as he’s never won on TOUR and doesn’t have a top 10 from four starts in the new season! But, he paints Fairways and is a SUPER putter. Somebody has to be the favorite! T6 after opening with 63 but that pace is tough to keep up over four rounds! Played his last six holes two over and is still looking for that first win.
Thomas Detry (+2000): Similar to McCarthy, Detry has won on the Challenge (KFT) Tour in Europe but not on the big stage. Globetrotter played in Las Vegas and then Andalucia Masters before arriving as second choice. Five straight paydays with T9 at SFC and T5 at Wentworth. Solo second as his form continues to fly along. Hot putter was the answer last week (3rd Putting) as he holed 23 birdies.
Seamus Power (+2200): Hoo Boy. Last top 25 was Travelers in June so the streak is a chilly seven worldwide events and counting. WINNER opened up with three consecutive rounds of 65 and posted 28 birdies for the week. Not even bogeys on four of his final six holes could stop him from win No. 2!
Mark Hubbard (+2200): One second and one third from 166 TOUR starts. Best recent paydays are from similar fields. MC as 5-under didn’t get it done in Bermuda!
Nick Hardy (+2500): Hits it great so that helps during inclement weather. Grew up in Illinois, not exactly the desert or SoCal! T23 as the next step is finding it for all four rounds. Opened with 65 and closed with 66 but the two rounds of 70-71 in the middle in a shootout didn’t help. Only made four bogeys for the week.
Adrian Meronk (+2500): Last top 10 was his victory, the first by a Polish golfer, on the DP World Tour at the Horizon Irish Open in early July. White hot BEFORE the life changer. MC
Aaron Rai (+2500): Flushes it. Top 25 Fairway and GIR. Englishman should embrace less than ideal conditions with his Ball-Striking. T2 Fairways and T14 GIR should have produced better than T54. Gotta putt!
Eyes On
Players NOT LISTED in previous articles this week
Adam Schenk (+4000): His time of the season annually. T29 after opening with 63. Can’t post 76 in Round 3 of a shootout, or any time in most events haha.
Austin Eckroat (+7500): Just write his name down. Annnnnnnnnnd save it for this week, MC. T12 at Mayakoba two years ago.
Brice Garnett (+8000): Grinds out pars and loves the breeze. MC.
Longer Shots/Funny Money
Vincent Norrman (+10000): Crushed it tee to green on KFT last season. Another who learned that 5-under sometimes isn’t good enough.
Harrison Endycott (+14000): Wind and Aussies. What about wind, RAIN and Aussies? Solo 10th. Aussie!
Jonathan Byrd (+16000): Proper grinder. T35
Nicholas Lindheim (+16000): Ride flushers. WD – back injury.
Brandon Matthews (+17500): Bombs away. Fore! right!
Glass Houses 