Bob Weeks Picks Six – Mexico Open

TSN Senior Reporter

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This week, the PGA Tour heads south of the border for the Mexico Open. The event is being held at the Greg Norman-designed Vidanta Villarta Golf Course in Puerto Vallarta. It’s a par-71, 7,500-yard layout that will favour the big hitters as the holes are long and the rough is short. If there is a defence for the course, it could come in the form of wind as the gusts seem to always rise up in the afternoons. If the winds don’t blow, expect there to be some low scores. The field is not that deep with just six of the top 50 players from the Official World Golf Rankings entered but there are 10 Mexican golfers playing, a record for a PGA Tour event. 

Favourites Jon Rahm +350 Rahm moved back into the No. 2 spot on the Official World Golf Ranking while sitting at home and likely changing diapers. This will be his first start since the Masters and he’s still looking for his first win since his U.S. Open title last June. The Spaniard sits 11th in driving distance and leads the PGA Tour in greens in regulation. Those two numbers indicate that it’s on the greens where Rahm is lacking. However after a stretch of poor putting, he had a good week at the Masters where he picked up nearly half a shot on the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. If he can putt, he can win. 

Gary Woodland +2000 Also making his first start since Augusta, Woodland enters this week with three top-eight finishes in his previous five events. Those were healthy signs for the player who has not shown a lot since his U.S. Open win in 2019. He has plenty of distance off the tee, sitting 14th on the PGA Tour in driving distance and his putter, which has been his weak link for much of his career, has been better but not necessarily