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USATSI

Put your partner to the side as the pleasantries of the Zurich Classic team event are no more. Golfers are to make their way South of the border to Vallarta, Mexico, as the first edition of the Mexico Open marks the return of stroke-play competition on the PGA Tour. Lost in between the year's first two majors, the Masters and PGA Championship, the Mexico Open has drawn a less-than-stellar field for its tournament debut but nevertheless has a number of key names competing for the purse.

Don't get it twisted: The introduction of a new golf course, a large Mexican contingent in the field and world No. 2 Jon Rahm returning to competition should be conducive for an entertaining weekend of golf. The clear class of the field, Rahm is without a top-10 finish in a stroke-play event since February, and he will look to return to his winning ways as the PGA Tour's long summer of play quickly approaches.

Rahm and the rest of the field will take to the Norman Signature Course at Vidanta Vallarta for the first time in the public eye. The par-71 can be described as generous off-the-tee and laid out right in front of players. With no tricks or gimmicks likely to appear, those who own enviable length may be in an advantageous position before play even begins.

Let's take a closer look at this week's 2022 Mexico Open with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.

Event Information

Event: 2022 Mexico Open | Dates: April 28-31
Location: Vidanta Vallarta -- Vallarta, Mexico
Par: 71 | Yardage: 7,456 | Purse: $7,300,000

2022 Mexico Open field, odds

  • Jon Rahm (5-1): It is hard to believe it has been nearly 11 months since Rahm's last victory at the U.S. Open, but that is where we currently stand with the fiery Spaniard. Arriving off a forgettable Masters, he is the rightful favorite and possesses a realistic opportunity to reenter the winner's circle if his short-game woes subside.
  • Abraham Ancer (20-1): The world No. 20 headlines 10 Mexican golfers playing this week. Since his quarterfinal appearance at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Ancer has withdrawn before the Texas Open and RBC Heritage, and he missed the cut at the Masters, which leads me to believe he may be less than 100%.
  • Tony Finau (20-1)
  • Gary Woodland (20-1): Woodland is trending towards his 2019 self, and we all know what happened that year at Pebble Beach. a pair of top five finishes and an additional top 10 result in his last six starts have been courtesy of an uptick in his approach play.
  • Kevin Na (28-1)
  • Patrick Reed (30-1)
  • Aaron Wise (30-1)
  • Sebastian Munoz (30-1): Before withdrawing from the RBC Heritage due to a back injury, Munoz's tee-to-green game was among the best on the PGA Tour. The status of his health brings an additional question mark, but on paper, this Greg Norman design should perfectly suit Munoz's game as he looks to improve on his 14th-place ranking on the International team for this fall's Presidents Cup.
  • Cameron Tringale (35-1): Statistically, Tringale is more than due for a victory as he remains the all-time money leader amongst players who have never raised a trophy on the PGA Tour. Finishes of T12 at the RBC Heritage and T10 at the Zurich Classic provide hope, but 326 prior fruitless efforts give way for a cloud of doubt.
  • Cameron Champ (35-1)
  • Chris Kirk (35-1)

2022 Mexico Open picks


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Tony Finau
Winner (20-1): The most recent winner in the field outside of Chad Ramey, Finau's two victories on the PGA Tour have come alongside bays in Puerto Rico and New Jersey. The wide open nature of the Norman Signature Course at Vidanta Vallarta should allow him to routinely take driver off-the-tee to set up his scoring clubs. Second in strokes gained: approach over the last three months, this should bring forth ample birdie chances for the Presidents Cup hopeful.

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Matt Jones
Contender (40-1): When I heard of a Norman resort-style golf course where wind is the main defense, immediately the Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio came to mind. That's a site where Jones finished runner-up earlier this month. In lieu of brush, there will be water, but minimal rough, deep greenside bunkering, and a similar scorecard yardage may bring a correlated leaderboard. Capable in breezy conditions, if Jones' iron play makes the trip to Mexico, he will factor.

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Tyler Duncan
Sleeper (100-1): The weak field of the Mexico Open should propel numerous surprise names to find the top of the leaderboard. What Duncan lacks in distance, he makes up for in accuracy as he arrives off back-to-back top-20 finishes at the RBC Heritage and Zurich Classic. A sneaky proficient long iron player and known to take advantage of par-5 scoring opportunities, the Purdue product should be in store for yet another quality outing.

Who will win the Mexico Open, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up almost $7,500 since the restart.