Before the PGA Tour heads to the Sunshine State for the Florida Swing, it’s south of the border for the Mexico Open at Vidanta in Vallarta.
Defending champion Tony Finau — coming off a top-20 finish at the Genesis Invitational — is hoping to make a run at back-to-back titles. Last year, Finau beat Jon Rahm by three shots.
Other players in the field include Nicolai Hojgaard, Emiliano Grillo, Keith Mitchell, Patrick Rodgers and Ryan Fox.
Will Zalatoris — runner-up at Riviera Country Club — withdrew from the field earlier this week. With an important stretch coming up, it’s no surprise to see this field lack a bit of star power.
Golf course
Vidanta Vallarta | Par 71 | 7,456 yards
Course history
Vidanta Vallarta – Course History for the #MexicoOpen
Includes finish position and Strokes Gained per round from both events here in 2022 and 2023.
-It is currently the least predictive (out of 44) annual course on Tour.
Past Winners/Odds
2023 – Tony Finau (-24) +800
2022 -… pic.twitter.com/DkYhTI9eJc— Ron Klos (@PGASplits101) February 19, 2024
Betting preview
Previous event results (Genesis Invitational)
Justin Thomas (16/1): MC
Ludvig Aberg (20/1): T-19
Cameron Young (30/1): T-16
Sahith Theegala (35/1): T-37
Normally I’d say it wasn’t a great week, but we cashed Hideki Matsuyama at 70/1 in our sleepers list. Gotta love hitting a big number like that. Let’s get another in Mexico.
Odds
| Player | Odds | Player | Odds |
| Tony Finau | (+750) | Erik van Rooyen | (+3500) |
| Nicolai Hojgaard | (+1600) | Davis Thompson | (+3500) |
| Stephan Jaeger | (+2200) | Jake Knapp | (+4000) |
| Keith Mitchell | (+2200) | Ryo Hisatsune | (+4500) |
| Thomas Detry | (+2500) | Doug Ghim | (+4500) |
| Taylor Pendrith | (+2500) | Brandon Wu | (+4500) |
| Emiliano Grillo | (+2500) | Mark Hubbard | (+5000) |
| Thorbjorn Olesen | (+3000) | Mackenzie Hughes | (+5000) |
| Ryan Fox | (+3500) | Cameron Champ | (+5000) |
| Patrick Rodgers | (+3500) | Aaron Rai | (+5000) |
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Jake Knapp (40/1)
This will be Knapp’s first start at the Mexico Open, but his game should set up perfectly with Vidanta Vallarta.
This golf course rewards distance — Tony Finau defending champion, Cameron Champ back-to-back top 10s — and Knapp can move it.
As for recent appearances, Knapp finished T-3 at the Farmers Insurance Open — another course that rewards performance off the tee — and T-28 at the WM Phoenix Open.
Maverick McNealy (55/1)
In a weaker field, this might be the perfect week for McNealy to earn his first Tour win.
McNealy made the cut at last year’s Mexico Open and is coming off a T-6 performance at the WM Phoenix Open.
At a low-scoring event, taking one of the best putters on the planet is never a bad idea.
S.H. Kim (60/1)
Kim has played well over his last two starts, tying for 31st at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and for 28th at the WM Phoenix Open.
At last year’s Mexico Open, Kim finished T-24.
