PGA Preview – OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic
PGA Preview – OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic
The PGA Tour heads to Mexico for the OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic this week and there are a few heavy hitters in the field this year. And, as would be expected, those players top the list of favorites according to oddsmakers. Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Tony Finau are the three riding the top of the betting charts heading into the opening round south of Cancun.
Rickie Fowler, at +800, came up short last year by one stroke behind Patten Kizzire who carded a 19-under 265. It appears that the working minds in Vegas don’t think a repeat Champion is in the cards. Kizzire comes in way down the favorites list at +6600 along with six other players.
Rules officials face crash course on new golf rules
In fact, outside of the top three - which are the heavy hitters I alluded to in the opening paragraph –, the numbers separate quickly! Fowler, at +800, is the only player under +1000 when looking at winning outright. And, he’s also the favorite when it comes to additional bets such as leading round one, top-five finishers etc.
Top-Five from Intertops
Here’s a look at the top-Five favorited players heading into round one of the OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic.
Rickie Fowler | +800 |
Jordan Spieth | +1000 |
Tony Finau | +1200 |
Gary Woodland | +1800 |
Emiliano Grillo | +2000 |
Fowler finished second last year and Woodland was the runner-up the year prior. Fowler comes into the Classic riding three top-ten finishes with a T4 last week. While Spieth is second on the list, he comes into the tournament following a disappointing showing last week in Vegas. He finished T55 after entering the event as one of the favorites.
Grillo has played in the Mayakoba Golf Classic twice and finished inside the top ten both times. He finished the CIMB Classic T2 and has broken into the top-50 in the Official World Golf Rankings. Finau comes in with a story like Spieth’s, but with an upside. Yes, he struggled last week in Vegas where he finished T36. But, prior to that, he was second on the leaderboard in Shanghai, China.
Short List of Former Winners
If you’re a person that loves looking at trends, such as former winners at the same tournament, then the OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic gives you plenty of options. The event has a short history on the PGA Tour schedule. The first event was in 2007 when it became the first PGA TOUR in Mexico. There are seven past winners, of eleven, entered in the field.
2017: Patton Kizzire | Playing |
2016: Pat Perez | Playing |
2015: Graeme McDowell | Playing |
2014: Charley Hoffman | Playing |
2013: Harris English | Playing |
2012: John Huh | Playing |
2011: Johnson Wagner | Not Playing |
2010: Cameron Beckman | Not Playing |
2009: Mark Wilson | Not Playing |
2008: Brian Gay | Playing |
2007: Fred Funk | Not Playing |
El Camaleón Golf Club by the Numbers
El Camaleón Golf Club is located south of Cancun, Mexico in Playa del Carmen and was designed by legendary player Greg Norman. The course, known for its stunning landscape, plays par 72 for members and guests but switched to a par 71 for the PGA Tour.
The course features a layout that winds through mangrove jungles, to limestone canals and oceanfront views of the Caribbean. Norman took great strides to incorporate the natural landscape into the design which includes a cave opening as a bunker. In all, there are 35 bunkers located on the course with water coming into play on ten holes.
The course has become known for being a birdie machine during some years due to the rather short yardage of just over 7,000 yards. The course includes three par-five, eleven par-four, and four par-three holes. The terrain is gently rolling in both fairways and rough. The fairways work through open spaces as well as dense mango forests.
Location: Playa del Carmen
Designers: Greg Norman
Established: 2007
Par: 71 for PGA Play
Length: 7,039 yards for PGA Play
Course rating: 73
Slope rating: 137
Grass: Sea Isle 1 seashore paspalum
OHL Mayakoba Golf Classic TV Times - all times ET
Wednesday/Thursday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Golf Channel
Friday/Saturday: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Golf Channel
Streaming available via the PGA Tour Live, the Golf Channel app and NBCsports app with sign in via your TV provider.