The PGA Tour heads south of the U.S. border this week for the Mexico Open. It’s the third of five stops that fill the calendar between The Masters and PGA Championship.
The long-running national championship of Mexico will make its debut on the PGA Tour with a field headlined by world No. 2 Jon Rahm.
Marquee names joining the Spaniard superstar at Vidanta Vallarta include Mexico’s own Abraham Ancer alongside American stars such as Tony Finau, Patrick Reed and Daniel Berger.
As we do each week, here’s a roundup of information and data to get you prepped for the PGA Tour’s 26th week.
This week’s Primer is powered by Taylormade Golf.
PGA Tour Skinny
Tournament: Mexico Open
Title Sponsor: Grupo Salinas
PGA Tour Debut: 2022
Dates: Apr. 28-May 1, 2022
PGA Tour Week: 26 (of 43)
Where: Vallarta, Mexico
Course: Vidanta Vallarta
Distance: Par 71, 7456 yards
Architect: Greg Norman (2015)
Format: 72-holes, stroke play
Purse: $7,300,000
Winning Share: $1,314,000
Defending Champion: Debut
How to Follow the Mexico Open
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 3:30-6:30 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 1-3 p.m. (GOLF), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thu-Fri: 8:45 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (ESPN+); Sat-Sun: 8:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+)
Watch on ESPN+
PGA TOUR RADIO: Thu-Fri: 1-6:30 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 1-6 p.m.
(PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio)
LINKS: Web | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
Mexico Open History
The roots of the Mexico Open date back to 1944 with PGA Tour pro Al Espinosa taking the first four editions. The famed Chapultepec course hosted fourteen of the tournament’s first 16 editions.
From 1944 through 2002 it was called the Mexican Open and was not associated with any tour. In 2003, it became part of the Tour de las Américas – the principal pro golf tour throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, superseded by PGA Tour Latinoamérica.
From 2008 through 2012 it was part of the PGA Tour’s major developmental tour (Nationwide and Web). In 2013 it became part of the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, formerly known as the aforementioned Tour de las Américas.
The Mexican-American Espinosa holds the record for the most Mexico Open wins with four. He’s followed by Argentinian legend Roberto De Vicenzo, who won three titles in a five-year span (1951, 1953, 1955).
Lee Trevino is the tournament’s most iconic champion. The “Merry Mex” is a two-time winner (1973, 1975) and the only player in history to win the national open championship of the United States (US Open), Canada (Canadian Open), Britain (British Open), and Mexico (Mexico Open).
Other two-time winners include Americans Tony Holguin (1949-50), Tony Lema (1961-62) and Stewart Cink (1996, 1999).
Ernesto Pérez Acosta (1970, 1976) is the only Mexican native to win multiple titles.
The new version of the Mexico Open also has bloodlines to the WGC-Mexico Championship as this was the tournament it replaced on the PGA Tour schedule. It was also initially retitled to the Mexico Championship, before deciding to take ownership of the Mexico Open’s history.
It’s also being managed and sponsored by Grupo Salinas, which ran the three editions of the WGC stop in Mexico at Chapultepec.
History: Tournament Names
- Mexico Open (2022)
- Abierto Mexicano de Golf (2018-21)
- Mexico Open (2015-16)
- TransAmerican Power Products CRV Mexico Open (2014)
- Abierto Mexicano de Golf (2013)
- Mexico Open (2011-12)
- Mexico Open Bicentenary (2010)
- Mexico Open (2008-09)
- Abierto Mexicano Corona (2005-06)
- Mexican Open (1944-2003)
Mexico Open Field
The weakest field of 2022 will tee it up at Vidanta Vallarta for the Mexico Open’s debut on the PGA Tour.
Leading the way is world No. 2 Jon Rahm, who will make his first start since the Masters. The 27-year-old Spaniard will enter in somewhat sloppy form (T27, T9, T55, T17, T21), particularly for his lofty standards. Joining Rahm as headliners are American stars Daniel Berger, Tony Finau and Patrick Reed, who won the WGC-Mexico Championship in 2019.
Abraham Ancer leads the Mexican contingent alongside Carlos Ortiz and Roberto Diaz.
Other marquee names include Gary Woodland, Aaron Wise, Cameron Champ and Kevin Na.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
1. Jon Rahm (5-1)
2. Daniel Berger (14-1)
3. Abraham Ancer (18-1)
4. Gary Woodland (18-1)
5. Tony Finau (20-1)
Full Field: Rank & Odds
Vidanta Vallarta . Vallarta, Mexico . Apr 28-May 1, 2022
