The details
Venue: Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico City
Date: February 26-March 4, 2019
Course stats: Par 71, 7,345 yards
Course summary: Altitude plays a huge part in this tournament on a layout that’s tight and quirky and is being played here for the third time. Conditions can make the ball fly nearly 10% further than at sea level. Tree-lined kikuyu fairways demand accuracy and great ball striking, while the greens are very similar to those the players faced at Riviera – a mix of poa and bentgrass.
Purse: $10.25 million
Defending champion: Phil Mickelson (-16)
Weather forecast: Sunny and mild with temperatures getting up in the early 20s over the first two days.
TV coverage
Thursday: Sky Sports Golf and Main Event, 5pm (featured groups); Sky Sports Golf, 7pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 10.30pm
Friday: Sky Sports Golf, 5pm (featured groups); Sky Sports Golf, 7pm
Saturday: Sky Sports Golf, 5pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 8pm
Sunday: Sky Sports Golf, 5pm; Sky Sports Main Event, 7pm
WGC-Mexico Championship betting tips: Each-way tips
Ian Poulter missed the first two instalments of Mexican life but I’d like to think this course would be right up his street.
The odd hosel rocket might leave the Englishman’s iron every now and again but he’s a very good ball striker and a sound putter.
Seventh in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this year and hitting around 77% overall, he’s spent most of 2019 on the European Tour where he’s performed well without winning.
Tied 6th in Saudia Arabia and Abu Dhabi, and tied 3rd in Dubai, indicates a game in good shape. There’s no reason to suggest why, at 60/1, he’s not a decent price to get in the frame.
He’s already got two WGC titles in the trophy cabinet – the last admittedly in 2012 – and with length not likely to be a massive factor at Chapultepec, I’m optimistic he could enjoy another nice week.
Has Sergio Garcia’s green bashing antics got under the skin of the oddsmakers? Various reasons have been ascribed for the Spaniard’s meltdown in Saudi Arabia but is that enough to have him at prices as big as 45/1?
Sergio had a quiet week at Riveria, finishing tied for 37th. That is probably just what the doctor ordered after the outcry in the Middle East and public mea culpa.
Prior to that, though, the 2017 Masters champion had enjoyed a reasonably solid start to the year when filling a podium position at the Dubai Desert Classic.
With its emphasis on shotmaking and tee to green performance, both of which are strengths of Garcia’s, it is no surprise to see his results in Mexico City improving over the first two tournaments here.
He was 12th in 2017 and 7th last year. At this price, I’ll gamble he’s in a better frame of mind to make it third time lucky.
So that’s who Steve thinks might come out of the pack. But who are the leading lights that may make a charge? Turn the page to find out…