Forty-nine of the top 50 ranked players in golf have headed down Mexico way in search of the biggest chunk they can bite off of the $9,750,000 in prize money that’s on the line. It will be a different test for the best ball strikers in the world as they will have to negotiate a track that’s about 7,780 feet above sea level, which is 50% higher than the Mile High City in Colorado called Denver. The thinner air could be considered an advantage for the big hitters on the PGA Tour like new world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, however, this might not be the case since the track is lined by walls of various species of trees that guard the fairways and greens, making Club de Golf Chapultepec a target course.
Players to go for position
Many of the players have said that the thinner air on the not overly long track is almost certain to keep the big dog in the bag as the players go for position when they chat with their caddies about which club to hit. This factor is likely to work in favor for such players as Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler. Spieth, who is third in the FedExCup points standings and ranked sixth overall in the world rankings, is one of the better distance-control shooters on tour and has a recent win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and four top 10s so far this season. Fowler, who sits 10th in the FedExCup standings and moved into the ninth position in the world rankings, is certain to enjoy the shot-shaping challenges the Mexican track poses.
Plus, he’s got momentum on his side since he is coming off of a win last week at The Honda Classic.
Two-month recovery from rib injury
Rory Mcilroy returns to competitive golf this week at the WGC-Mexico Championship after an almost two-month recovery from a rib injury, and having to deal with big-time heat for playing a round of re-hab golf with Donald Trump in Florida.
Johnson may be taken out of his big-hitting element in the rarified air, but the newly crowned No. 1 player in the world got there by developing a devastating short game, so he’s likely to be somewhere high on the leaderboard come Sunday’s final round. Club de Golf Chapultepec plays 7,245 yards and is a par 72.
Favorites: Dustin Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson.
Players to watch: Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Sergio Garcia, Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler.
