The world’s top golfers will head south of the border this week for the 2017 staging of the WGC-Mexico Championship. A cool $9.75 million is at stake for the elite field with the champion grabbing not only 550 FedExCup points but also the $1.66 million top prize. Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of the year’s first WGC event and while you’re at it, you can check out our sleeper picks for this prestigious golf tournament.
Favorites – Dustin Johnson (+650) and Jordan Spieth (+800)
There’s no hotter golfer in the world right now than American Dustin Johnson. The newly-minted world no. 1 has five top-6 finishes in his last six worldwide starts, including a stirring five-shot win at the Genesis Open a couple of weeks ago. On the season, Johnson leads the PGA Tour in both strokes gained: tee-to-green (2.177) and total strokes gained off-the-tee (1.325). He is pegged at +650to win the WGC-Mexico Championship this week.
If there’s one player, though, who can stop Johnson this week, it’s got to be his fellow Ryder Cup star Jordan Spieth. The two-time major champion has been playing some excellent golf of late as well, nabbing top-10 finishes in his last five worldwide starts, including victories at the Australian Open and Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Spieth currently leads the PGA Tour in GIR and fifth in birdie-or-better percentage. His odds of winning the WGC-Mexico Championship are priced at +800.
High-Value Sleepers – Gary Woodland (+4,000) and Zach Johnson (+6,000)
One golfer who can make a strong run at the WGC-Mexico title is Gary Woodland. The American has been playing some outstanding golf of late, finishing in the top-20 in five of his last six starts, including a solo second at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba. Key to Woodland’s resurgence has been his terrific play with the driver. He is 17th in the PGA Tour in driving distance, averaging 304.3 yards per drive this season. That powerful swing will be a major weapon for Woodland when tackling the long 7,330-yard, par-71 Chapultepec course.
Another golfer who’s primed for a good showing this week is Zach Johnson. What makes Johnson such a great pick this week is his excellent play with the flat stick. He’s second in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with an impressive 1.098 clip. That will come in handy for Johnson when navigating the delicate greens here in Mexico City.
One long shot who can definitely spring a surprise this week is Kevin Na. He has finished in the top-16 in each of his last two starts, including a T4 at the Genesis Open. Na shot an 11-under-par total of 273 in that event to finish six strokes shy of eventual champion Dustin Johnson. He has no problems with elevated courses as evidenced by his 5-for-6 record (five top 25s) at the Barracuda Championship.
Writer’s Prediction
The victories just keep on coming for Dustin Johnson (+650) as he captures the WGC-Mexico Championship this week.
