2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic picks, predictions, odds: Ranking the field in Mexico

We are finally nearing the end of PGA Tour golf season in 2018. Following last week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, only two official events remain on the schedule between this week’s Mayakoba Golf Classic and next week’s RSM Classic in Georgia. After that it’s only unofficial events (mostly involving Tiger Woods) until the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii in January.

Let’s take a look at this week’s contest.

Event information

What: Mayakoba Golf Classic | When: Nov. 8-11
Where: El Camaleon Golf Club — Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Ranking the field (odds)

Field strength — C+: This is about what I expect from my fall events. One or two stars and superstars with the rest of the field filled out with solid pros, young, aspiring players and some journeymen. It certainly doesn’t have the same punch as last week’s event.

Three stories to watch

1. Age is a virtue: Interestingly, eight of the 11 champions at this tournament since it started in 2007 were in their 30s or older. That goes against a recent trend on the PGA Tour and all of the data we have this season. Five of the first six winners on the PGA Tour in the 2018-19 season have been under the age of 30.

2. Spieth two weeks in a row: I did not envision either Tiger Woods being ranked ahead of Jordan Spieth in the OWGR at the end of 2018 (like he is right now) or Spieth teeing it up two weeks in a row in the fall series. Here we are after a lackluster weekend from Spieth in which he lost nearly four strokes to the field off the tee in the final 36 holes. I’d like to see something big from him this week before he dives into the (real) offseason.

3. Fowler’s answer: I know he doesn’t think about this stuff (and he shouldn’t), but I’m curious to see if Rickie Fowler has an on-course answer for his Ryder Cup teammate Bryson DeChambeau passing him in career wins in just his 71st start on the PGA Tour last week at the Shriners. I think Fowler is better than he probably gets credit for, but there has to be some wins to show for it at some point, and he only has four in his first 214 events.

Past winners

  • 2017: Patton Kizzire
  • 2016: Pat Perez
  • 2015: Graeme McDowell
  • 2014: Charley Hoffman
  • 2013: Harris English

Mayakoba Golf Classic picks




Source: Read Full Article