WGC Mexico Preview – Feburary 21st – 24th 2019
The 2019 action swings down to Mexico this week for the WGC Mexico Championship and there is going to be a headline marker there. For the first time in his professional career, 18 time World Golf Championships winner Tiger Woods is set to play in Mexico.
It is Phil Mickelson though who is heading back as the reigning champion and is 28/1 odds to pull off a title defence* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm)
WGC Mexico Winner Odds*
Justin Thomas 10/1
Dustin Johnson 11/1
Rory Mcilroy 12/1
Jon Rahm 16/1
Bryson DeChambeau 18/1
Rickie Fowler 18/1
Tiger Woods 20/1
Brooks Koepka 20/1
Xander Schauffele 25/1
Tony Finau 25/1
Hideki Matsuyama 28/1
Patrick Cantlay 30/1
Bubba Watson 30/1
Marc Leishman 33/1
Jordan Spieth 33/1
Webb Simpson 40/1
Sergio Garcia 40/1
Rafael Cabrera Bello 50/1
Patrick Reed 50/1
Matt Kuchar 50/1
Charles Howell 50/1
66/1 bar
* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm)
Mickelson to defend
There was a great battle between Big Lefty Mickelson and Justin Thomas twelve month ago at the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City. It all came down to a playoff between the two and it was Mickelson who got the job done on the first extra hole. That gave him his first victory on tour in over four years. He took a win recently at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and followed it up with a T37 at the Genesis Open last week.
WGC Mexico Field
Justin Thomas is one of the hot tickets so far in 2019 with some fantastic from behind him. All that is missing is the win but he is 10/1 odds to deliver that in Mexico City* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm) especially after coming so close last season. Thomas has three top-three finishes in his last four outings, including a second place finish at the Genesis Open last week.
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, although out at big 50/1 odds* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm) had a really good tournament in Mexico City twelve months ago. He finished tied for third alongside Tyrrell Hatton. Cabrera Bello has been steady more than spectacular really this season. He made his first PGA Tour appearance at Pebble beat in early February carding a T22 followed by a T25 at the Genesis.
Dustin Johnson has been knocking on the door of a title this season and hit a nice bit of form with a top ten finish at the Genesis Open last weekend. He hasn’t quite going all of his game together yet, but it’s not going to take much for one of the best around to do that. He also banked a top ten finish in Mexico last season and he is 11/8 to pull off a repeat top ten return* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm). Johnson was the 2015 champion in Mexico. John Rahm has had a very solid 2019 and was T3 here two years ago.
Rory McIlroy has been producing some wonderfully consistent stuff, with three straight top-five finishes and so should be taking a lot of interest. The appearance of Tiger Woods is going to be huge for the tournament’s profile and he will be bringing steady form with him. Woods has taken a T20 at the Farmers and a T15 at the Genesis Open in his last two starts. You are looking at the 12/5 mark to see Tiger get a top ten finish this week* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm).
World Golf Championships
This is the first tournament in the 2019 World Golf Championship. This is a series of four tournaments. They are big deal because the prize money in them is right up there along die the Majors. It is the general perception that the WGC events rank directly beneath the Majors in golf.
The four parts of the World Golf Championship are:
WGC Mexico Championship – Stroke Play
WGC Dell Match Play – Match Play
WGC Bridgestone Invitational – Stroke Play
WGC HSBC Champions – Stroke Play
No-one has won as many WGC titles than a certain Tiger Woods. He has claimed 18 of them throughout his career, seven of them in fact. Dustin Johnson is the second most successful player in the WGC with five titles and two of them coming at the Championship. Then you have Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy with three WGC titles and a bunch of players with two wins.
Predictions
Justin Thomas checks a lot of boxes here. He has taken a top six finish in his two previous attempts at Mexico City and it doesn’t look like a course that really rewards great driving distance, so that’s not a factor. It is the short game that the winner will have to rely on and right now Thomas is the perfect fit and well worth a look at 10/1 odds to open with* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm)
As a longer each way option, there is Cabrera Bello who may be worth a pole at 50/1 odds* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm). It’s a big outsider and the Spaniard hasn’t come close to winning form this season yet. But he was so solid around the course twelve months ago.
On top of that, with his WGC career, a 15/8 stab at Woods to get a top ten is a nice side too* (betting odds taken from Ladbrokes on February 18th, 2019 at 3:52 pm).
