Mexico open 2022 DraftKings Preview
new stop on the pga tour unvieled in mexico
We're back to regularly scheduled programming after a bit of a "break" week. The Zurich Classic was entertaining but it is a weird dynamic and doesn't leave much to be desired when the two studs set the course ablaze. This week on the PGA Tour, we get a fresh event, a fresh course, and a "fresh field"? Jon Rahm leads the contingent into Mexico where they will tee it up for the 2022 Mexico Open at Vidanta. Let's get you set to see some green screens on DraftKings this weekend.Â
What's up golf addicts! AC here, checking in week to week to provide a quick preview of the upcoming PGA Tour event. I’ll give you the lowdown on the course, the players, some key stats, and our favorite DraftKings picks for the week.Â
All of the course data, player stats, and most of the information below can be found on Fantasy National Golf Club (FNGC). At FNGC you can view historic course conditions, course scoring breakdowns, tournament history, simulators, and official strokes gained data provided by the PGA Tour. Start building your models at Fantasy National now!
The Field and Tournament Details for the Mexico Open
Mexico has a new national golf championship with the launch of the Mexico Open. A new course in the PGA Tour rotation as well. More on that below. In recent years, the World Golf Championships - WGC Mexico Championship held that honor. The PGA Tour has switched up the schedule for 2022 and the WGC event is no more. That's not a good thing for golf fans. WGC events drew stacked fields. Unsurprisingly, the Mexico Open field is a bit lacking.
Jon Rahm is set to tee it up though. The world #2 has not had the game we have been accustomed to so far this year. Perhaps this is the stop he needs. Rahm headlines a field of 132 that will include 12 sponsor exemptions, four reserved for Latin American players.
Representing Mexico are Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, and Roberto Diaz along with the exemptions. Among the studs set to tee it up are the likes of *Daniel Berger (WD), Gary Woodland, Tony Finau, Chris Kirk, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Sebastian Munoz, Russell Knox, Mark Hubbard, Cameron Tringale, Brendon Todd, and a flock of KFT grads with a solid opportunity in front of them.
*Daniel Berger WD.
Mexico Open Course Breakdown
- Course: Vidanta Vallarta
- Location: Vallarta, México
- Yardage: 7,456
- Par: 71
- Architect: Greg Norman (2015)
- Grass: Paspalum
- Comp Courses: Coco Beach (Puerto Rico), Corales GC, TPC San Antonio
Greg Norman's Vidanta Vallarta golf course in Vallarta, Mexico will host the PGA Tour for the first time this week. The 7,456-yard championship course will play as a Par 71 for the Mexico Open. The course features Paspalum grass from tee to green which is common for the area. Norman's El Camaleon (Mayakoba), Coco Beach (Puerto Rico Open), and Corales Golf Club in the Dominican Republic all feature Paspalum surfaces.
Anything over 7,400 yards is definitely on the long side. Playing as a Par 71 makes it even longer. This course will favor bombers as the fairways and greens both look larger than a normal Tour stop. Not much in the way of trees either. It's wide open. The main defenses will be the water hazards, which come into play on more than half of the holes, and Norman's 'cavernous' sand bunkers. The wind may also play a factor as the course sits just off the Pacific but the forecast looks quite tame early on.
There isn't going to be any course history to sift through though I expect this course to get scorched. Paspalum greens will even the field with both putting and around the green game (see Viktor Hovland). The longest guys in the game should have a clear advantage as well. Two of the Par 5s are over 600 yards. Four of the Par 4s are almost or more than 500 yards. This course has a mixed bag of five Par 3s. Two of them over 200 yards. There is, however, a 297-yard driveable Par 4. Fun!
Key Stats for the mexico open
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- Driving Distance
- Birdie or Better %
- Opps Gained
- Long Iron Ability
- Par 5 Scoring
- Par 3 Scoring
- Paspalum Experience
Approach is always the number one stat. Greens in regulation will likely be easy to hit this week but the more scoring opportunities the better. Long iron play especially. Approach shots are going to be coming from long distances here.
Opps gained shows who are giving themselves the most looks for birdie or better. Pair it with scoring stats. Par 5 scoring is a must. There are four of them and they are long. I don't normally include Par 3 scoring but there are five on this course, which is not normal. Worth a look.
Next, I'll be focusing on the bombers. I think the big stick will be a key tool and those boys will have their way with this place. Being able to have shorter clubs into these soft greens will be a huge advantage. Finally, Paspalum is not a normal grass these players are used to. A lot of players rarely even see it as Corales and the PRO are alternate field events. Slight edge to the guys with experience but most will be able to figure them out before they tee off on Thursday.
Here's a tidbit from our Nut Hut in-house caddie: "Updated on Tuesday"
If you are not yet a member, join the Tour Junkies crew and some brilliant minds in Goalby’s Nut Hut. The Nut Hut is a discord chat with tons of insight, caddie news, banter, trash talk, and most of all a collection of golf addicts that have won more than $4 million since the restart. Click the banner below to sign up!
Mexico Open Picks & Fades
Each week we will give you some plays and a fade from each DraftKings salary range. For all of DB and Pat’s thoughts and picks make sure to check out and subscribe to the Tour Junkies Podcast.
**Picks will be updated on Monday night**
To Play or Not to Play Brooks Koepka
BK is not in the field.
$9K & AboveÂ
- DB: Play - Cameron Tringale | Fade - Abe Ancer
- Pat: Play - Cameron Champ | Fade - Kevin Streelman
- AC: Play - Jon Rahm, Gary Woodland, Cameron Champ | Fade - Patrick Reed
BOMB IT! That's what these three guys have in common. They are all in the top six in driving distance and top 10 in Par 5 scoring over the last six months. You are going to have some ownership issues here. Gotta make a stand. These guys are winners.
Reed has been brutally bad for what seems like a year now. He's 113th in driving distance in this field and worse in approach, opps, gained, and tee to green over the last six months.
$8K Range
- DB: Play - Sahith Theegala | Fade - Davis Riley
- Pat: Play - Charles Howell III | Fade - Doug Ghim
- AC: Play - Aaron Rai, Lanto Griffin | Fade - Carlos Ortiz
Rai played really well at the Zurich last week with his teammate David Lipsky and sets up well here. His distance isn't huge but he's not really a shorty. He's also third in Par 5 scoring over the last six months. Pair that with an elite scoring ability fed from superb opps gained and approach numbers. Lanto is one of my favorite showdown plays each week. He strikes in specific rounds every week. Lanto knows how to pile up the birdies or better.
Carlos Ortiz is ranked the worst for me and hasn't made a cut in over two months. With some added pressure from sponsors and country obligations, I'll pass.
$7K Range
- DB: Play - David Lipsky | Fade - Patrick Rodgers
- Pat: Play - Wyndham Clark | Fade - Scott Stallings
- AC: Play - Austin Smotherman, Wyndham Clark, Adam Svensson | Fade - Emiliano Grillo
Smotherman is checking too many boxes. Can't ignore it. Approach, check. Opps gained, check. Distance, check. Par 3 and 5 scoring, check. He also won the national championship of Mexico (Abierto Mexicano de Golf) in 2018. Wyndham Clark also had a solid Zurich alongside Catalina Tringale (Nut Hut joke). Clark is the longest guy off the tee on Tour over the last six months and is also in the top seven on the greens, making eagles, and DK scoring. Lastly, my favorite Canadian in the field. Svensson is a solid ball striker who has an incredible approach game. The putter is bad but a neutral week should return heaps.
Grillo's game is U-G-L-Y. I'm not sure how he still has his Tour card but if something doesn't change, this might be it. He's made three cuts in his last 12 starts and two of them were basically DFL.
$6K Range
- DB: Play - Peter Malnati, Paul Barjon, Seung Yul Noh
- Pat: Play - Vincent Whaley, Bill Haas, Trey Mullinax
- AC: Play - James Hahn, Dylan Wu, Jared Wolfe
There isn't much to love down here. The fact is, that a few of these guys will find their way into the top 10. The Hahn-dar is tingling a bit this week. It's a good spot for him. He doesn't lack in distance and as long as the putter doesn't fail, is capable of going low. Wu rated 14th in my model. Mostly due to him being #1 in Par 3 scoring and 11th in putting. He can also bomb it. Wolfe rated out well too. 25th in my model. He's coming off a T29 at Valero and also brings a big stick. Much like Wu, Wolfe seems to excel at Par 3 scoring as well but the sample size is smaller.
There ya go. Keep an eye on ownership. make your stands. Remember, even if Rahm wins and you don't have him, depending on your contest selection, you can still take down a GPP. This isn't a week to unload the clip. Save some bankroll, there's a major coming up! I'll leave you with this; Join the Nut Hut. It's $10 a month. We win things. Good luck!
THE INS & OUTS
*The field is 132