Following an off week the PGA Tour is back in action south of the border in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, for the Mayakoba Golf Classic. After several limited field, no-cut events in Asia the Tour returns to a sense of normalcy with 132 golfers ready to peg it up at El Camaleon Golf Club. Matt Kuchar returns to defend his title and looks to avoid any controversy this week. And you can bet he’ll have his own caddy this time around. Kuchar opened as the betting favorite at offshore sportsbooks with President’s Cup members Jason Day, Tony Finau, Joaquin Niemann and Mexico’s Abraham Ancer populating the top of the odds board. However, the opening lines suggest a wide-open field. Be sure to visit BookMaker.eu for a complete list of betting odds when you’re ready to place a wager.
Odds to Win Mayakoba Golf Classic at BookMaker.eu
Matt Kuchar +1600
Viktor Hovland +1800
Jason Day +1800
Billy Horschel +2000
Tony Finau +2000
Joaquin Niemann +2500
Charles Howell III +2800
Abraham Ancer +3000
Russell Knox +3000
Scottie Scheffler +3300
Keegan Bradley +3500
Kevin Kisner +3500
Kyle Stanley +3500
Lanto Griffin +3500
Aaron Wise +3500
Emiliano Grillo +3500
Denny McCarthy +4000
Harris English +4000
Cameron Champ +4000
Dylan Frittelli +4500
Danny Lee +5000
Chez Reavie +5000
Graeme McDowell +5000
Harold Varner III +5000
J.T. Poston +5000
Rory Sabbatini +5500
Pat Perez +6000
Brian Gay +6000
Brian Harman +6000
Sebastian Munoz +6600
Scott Piercy +7000
Si Woo Kim +7000
Brice Garnett +7000
Beau Hossler +7000
Carlos Ortiz +7000
Russell Henley +7500
Zach Johnson +8000
Kevin Streelman +8000
Harry Higgs +8000
Bronson Burgoon +8000
Cameron Tringale +8000
Adam Schenk +9000
Ryan Armour +9000
Odds Analysis
Viktor Hovland +1800
This is an intriguing tournament for Hovland and I’m hesitant to back him at these odds. Hovland’s driver is a strength and that is negated by the length at El Camaleon. So the question is can he perform at a higher level in other areas? Recent history suggests that’s a possibility and he has some experience here since he made his PGA Tour debut at this event last year. He missed the cut, but the experience should be a learning moment.
Tony Finau +2000
We can’t knock Finau’s game, only his ability to close and win. The field here is strong but not overpowering and Finau should be competitive, just like he seems to be at most of his events. You can also expect him to have a huge boost of confidence after his President’s Cup selection, and he’ll want to show off this week. Finau is one of the better ball-strikers on tour and he has two strong showings at this tournament with a T7 in 2014 and a T16 in 2018.
Abraham Ancer +3000
His finishes have been a bit erratic this season, but you can’t complain about Ancer’s ball-striking ability. And there is always something about playing a tournament on home soil. This could be a special time for Mexico’s top golfer and he enters on the heels of some strong play. He was an automatic qualifier for the President’s Cup and he finished with a solid top-5 showing at the WGC-HSBC Champions with consecutive 67s. He’s also quite familiar with El Camaleon, which will help his climb up the leaderboard.
Joaquin Niemann +2500
He’s only 21, but Niemann has been around long enough and has competed in a number of tournaments with big-time players to understand what it takes to be successful. And he’s been enjoying that success. Niemann secured his maiden victory earlier this season at Greenbrier and has placed among the top-15 in six of his 13 starts on the PGA Tour. He has the game, and the stats, to go low at El Camaleon with a 65.6 scoring average and the second-best birdie average on Tour. I like his chances and his odds, and won’t hesitate putting a few bills down on him.
Danny Lee +5000
Last year’s runner-up isn’t getting a lot of respect from oddsmakers heading into the tournament. And let’s hope he doesn’t have a letdown after missing out on captain’s pick for the President’s Cup. Maybe that snub, along with some recent torrid play in Asia is enough to get Lee one spot higher on the leaderboard this year. A solo second at the CJ Cup in his native South Korea was followed by a T10 at the ZOZO, so there’s no arguing recent form. And he missed by a stroke to Kuchar here last year, so there are plenty of positives, along with a nice payout.
Course: El Camaleon Golf Club – 6,987-yards, Par-71
El Camaleon opened in 2004 and has hosted every Mayakoba Classic since the event’s inception in 2007. Playing under 7,000 yards, there is no need for massive drives. There are few courses on the tour where accuracy plays better than distance and this is one of them. The fairways are forgiving, but go too far wide and the numbers can escalate quickly with water, forests and swampland on the outer edges. Over par holes are usually well over par with this layout owning a high percentage of doubles or worse. There are just a few, however. El Camaleon is a resort course and shouldn’t be problematic for the pros. Weather can be and has been a factor on this course, and the possibility of showers exists over the weekend.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
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