WGC Mexico Preview: Betting Tips, TV Times

A star-studded field heads to Club de Golf Chapultepec for the first World Golf Championship of 2019 in Mexico City this week 

Last year Phil Mickelson became the oldest player to win a WGC event when he triumphed in a play-off againsts Justin Thomas in Mexico, and will be hoping to become just the second player to successfully defend a WGC title when he returns this week. 

In total, 27 of the World’s top 30 will be teeing up at Club de Golf Chapultepec as Tiger Woods makes his debut and Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama return after being sidelined with wrist injuries last year. World No.1 Justin Rose, Jason Day and Adam Scott are among those choosing to skip the event. 

➤ How do players prepare for the altitude in Mexico?
➤ Steve Stricker named 2020 U.S Ryder Cup Captain
➤ PGA Tour players allowed to wear shorts for practice, pro-am days

WGC Mexico: What you need to know

The formerly Miami-based event is entering it’s third year of a seven-year hosting deal in Mexico, and presents a unique challenge to players in the form of altitude: Played at over 7,800 feet above sea level, the ball travels roughly 10% further. 

Designed by 1899 US Open winner Willie Smith and his brother Alex, Club de Golf Chapultepec opened in 1928 and was previously home to the Mexico Open (last used in 2014), before becoming the venue for the WGC event in 2017. 

As for terrain, the fairways are tree lined while the greens are a mix of both Poa annua and bentgrass – just like at last week’s Genesis Open.

Field: 67 Players
Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec, Par 71, 7,345 yards
Course Record, 18 holes: 62 (Justin Thomas, 2018)
Course Record, 72 holes: 268 (Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas 2018)
Defending Champions (at this course): Phil Mickelson (’18), Dustin Johnson (’17)

FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 550 points.
RACE TO DUBAI: Winner receives 9,000 points.

WGC Mexico: TV Times, Feature Groups

Feature Groups: 
Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau, Abraham Ancer
Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka
Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed
Phil Mickelson, Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson

Wednesday
On the Range, Live WGC, Sky Sports Golf (20:00)

Thursday
Feature Groups: Live WGC, Sky Sports Main Event (17:00), Sky Sports Golf (17:00)
Main Coverage: Sky Sports Golf (19:00), Sky Sports Main Event (22:30)

Friday
Feature Groups: Live WGC, Sky Sports Golf (17:00)
Main Coverage: Sky Sports Golf (19:00)

Saturday
Sky Sports Golf (17:00), Sky Sports Main Event (20:00)

Sunday
Sky Sports Golf (17:00), Sky Sports Main Event (19:00)

WGC Mexico: Betting Tips 

Justin Thomas: 10/1
Fell one shot short last week after holding a four-shot advantage after 54-holes, but it was his third top five in four starts in 2019. Thomas also has an excellent record in Mexico; he holds the course record of 62, lost in a play-off against Mickelson last year and finished T5 in 2017. Ranks 1st on the PGA Tour for SG: Tee to green and SG: Appraoch the green, 2nd for birdie average, 3rd for scoring average and 10th for GIR. 

Dustin Johnson: 10/1
The 2017 champion was T7 last year and finished T9 last week, totalling his third top 10 in 2019 – which includes a win at the Saudi International. Ranks 5th SG: Around the green on the PGA Tour this season.

Rory McIlroy: 12/1
In three starts in 2019 McIlroy has finished T4-T5-T4, and with a T7 here in 2017 (didn’t play last year) it feels likely he’ll be in for a good week. Ranks 1st for SG: Off the tee and 3rd for SG: Tee to green. 

Jon Rahm: 16/1
Rahm heads to Mexico with seven top 10s in a row, which includes a T9 at last week’s Genesis Open. T20 last year and T3 in Mexico in 2017. Ranks 4th SG: Off the tee, 16th for Scoring average and 18th for SG: Tee to green. 

Bryson DeChambeau: 18/1
11 top 10s in a row for DeChambeau, who hasn’t had an over-par round this season. That includs a T15 last week, and victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic. Ranks 2nd for scoring average, 3rd for birdie average, 6th for SG: Tee to green and 7th for SG: Off the tee. 

Rickie Fowler: 18/1
First start for Fowler since his win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. In two starts in Mexico has gone T16-T38 and ranks 4th for scoring average and SG: Off the tee, 5th for birdie average and SG: Putting. 

Tiger Woods: 20/1
Making his first start since this WGC moved to Mexico, and heads here after two consecutive top 20s. Doesn’t rank in stats yet for this season but was 3rd for SG: Approach, 7th for Scoring average and 8th for SG: Tee to green last year. 

Brooks Koepka: 25/1
First start since a T57 at the Saudi International, which followed a T9 in Abu Dhabi. Missed Mexico with an injury last year and was T48 in 2017, but would be unwise to write off the World No.2 – even if he doesn’t have any particular stand-out stats for this season as yet. Ranked inside the top 10 on Tour last year for birdie average, scoring average and SG: Off the tee. 

Hideki Matsuyama: 28/1
Two top 10s in 2019 which includes a T9 at last week’s Genesis Open. Like Koepka skipped Mexico with an injury last year, and was T25 in 2017. Ranks 2nd for SG: Tee to green, 4th for SG: Approach the green and 15th for Scoring average. 

Marc Leishman: 28/1
Finished T4 at the Genesis Open, which was his 5th top-five this season. A T37 in Mexico in 2018. Ranks 5th SG: Approach, 7th Scoring average, 11th Birdie average and 16th SG: Putting. 

Paul Casey: 28/1
Followed up back-to-back runner-up finishes with a T25 at last week’s Genesis Open. Finished T12 last year in Mexico, and T16 in 2017. Ranks 10th SG: Around the green, 15th SG: Tee to green, 19th for Driving Accuracy and 28th for Scoring Average.

Phil Mickelson: 28/1
Defending champion in Mexico who was T7 the year before in 2017. Followed up his victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am with a T37 last week at the Genesis Open. Ranks 5th for Scoring average, 10th for Birdie average and 13th for SG: Approach the green this season. 

Xander Schauffele: 28/1
In four starts in 2019 Schauffele has posted a victory and hasn’t finished worse than T25, ending up T15 last week. Was T18 in Mexico in 2018. Ranks 9th for SG: Putting, 11th for SG: Around the green and 12th for Scoring average. 

Jordan Spieth: 33/1
T35-T45-T51 in Spieth’s last three starts on Tour don’t tell the whole story: He was in contention all three weeks at one point (ranks 6th for 1st round scoring average) before struggling over the weekend, so if he can keep his form going for four rounds there’s a chance he could do well here. Was T14 in 2018 and T12 in 2017 in Mexico. 

Patrick Cantlay: 33/1
Four top 10s in his last six starts, and despite a WD from the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am he returned with a T15 at the Genesis Open. Was T30 in Mexico in 2018. Ranks 7th for SG: Tee to green, 9th for Scoring average and inside the top 25 for SG: Off the tee, SG: Approach the green and SG: Around the green. 

Gary Woodland: 40/1
Four top 10s in his last five starts, including a T7 during his last start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. T50 in 2018, T38 in 2017. Ranks 4th for Birdie average and SG: Tee to green, 5th for GIR, 6th for SG: Approach the green and 10th for Scoring average. 

Matt Kuchar: 50/1
Two victories and no worse than T28 in Kuchar’s last seven starts so worth a bet despite a T57 last year here and T20 in 2017. Ranks 6th for Scoring average and Driving accuracy, 9th for GIR, and inside the top 20 for Birdie average, SG: Approach the green and SG: Tee to green

Tyrrell Hatton: 60/1
T3-T10 in two starts in Mexico prove his game is suited to the course, and is the only player not have recorded a three-putt in the last 8 rounds. MC last week at the Gensis Open but was T15 the week before, and ranks 1st on the PGA Tour for SG: Around the green.