The World Wide Championship at Mayakoba, the seventh of the PGA Tour’s nine-stop wrap-around series, will tee it up in the tropical wonderland of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
The 128-player field in Mexico is headlined by former world No. 1s, and past PGA Tour Players of the Year, Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka.
The field will also include defending champion, and world No. 14, Viktor Hovland. The young Norwegian will be joined by European Ryder Cup teammates Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, and Ian Poulter. American Ryder Cuppers include Thomas, Koepka, Scottie Scheffler, and Tony Finau.
Additional top-ranked players include Abraham Ancer, Patrick Reed, Billy Horschel, Joaquin Niemann, Matthew Wolff, and Will Zalatoris.
Other marquee players to watch include Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, and last week’s winner in Bermuda, Lucas Herbert.
As we do each week, here’s a rundown of facts and figures to get you prepped for the 2021 World Wide Championship at Mayakoba.
The Skinny
World Wide Championship at Mayakoba
PGA Tour Debut: 2007
Event Week: 7 of 43
Dates: Nov. 4-7, 2021
Where: Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Course: El Camaleon Golf Club
Distance: Par 71, 7017 yards
Architect: Greg Norman
Field: 128 players, 36-hole cut
Purse: $7,200,000
Winning Share: $1,296,000
FedExCup Pts: 500
Defending Champion: Viktor Hovland
How to Follow the World Wide Championship at Mayakoba
TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 3-6 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 2-5 p.m. (GOLF Channel)
RADIO: Thu-Fri: 12-6 p.m.; Sat-Sun: 12-5 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM)
LINKS: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Mayakoba History
Then titled the Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, the event debuted in February 2007 as the first PGA Tour event ever contested outside of North America (U.S. and Canada), and the first-ever Tour event in Mexico.
The tournament launched as an opposite-field event with a purse of $3.5 million (and a winner’s share of $630,000), along with 300 FedExCup points.
Fred Funk took home the inaugural title in a playoff over José Coceres of Argentina. The then 50-year old Funk, who had won on the Champions Tour earlier in the year, became the oldest player to win a PGA Tour event in nearly 32 years.
In 2013, the tournament was upgraded to a full-grade PGA Tour event, and moved to November as part of its wrap-around season, offering a larger purse ($6 million) and a full 500 FedEx Cup points.
Since the upgrade in 2013, the champions list has also improved with winners including familiar names such as Harris English, Graeme McDowell, Charley Hoffman, Matt Kuchar, and Viktor Hovland.
Known as “The Golf Classic” locally, it allocates four additional sponsor exemptions designated for players of Spanish or Mexican heritage from Latin America, South America, Spain, or Mexico.
In 2021, World Wide Technology was announced as the new title sponsor of the event, in a deal lasting until 2027.
History: Recent Winners
2020: Viktor Hovland (-20)
2019: Brendon Todd (-20)
2018: Matt Kuchar (-22)
2017: Patton Kizzire (-19)
2016: Pat Perez (-21)
2015: Graeme McDowell (−18)
2014: Charley Hoffman (−17)
2013: Harris English (−21)
History: Tournament Records
Low Round: 61 (Roland Thatcher, 2008)
Low Score: -22 (Matt Kuchar, 2018)
The Golf Course: El Camaleon
El Camaleon Golf Club, the host of the World Wide Championship at Mayakoba, is a Greg Norman-design in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The course boasts a variety of tropical settings, including a jungle, mangroves, and oceanside holes.
Distinctive hazards such as cenotes (sink holes), including the famous “cave bunker” along with crystal-clear fresh water canals make El Camaleon one of the most visually appealing on the Tour’s rota. It is certified by Audubon International for its commitment to the environment.
From a scenic standpoint, situated along the Mexican Caribbean Sea coastline, it will be one of the best the players see all year.
The Mayakoba Field
The field in the Mexican Caribbean includes American superstars Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka.
The two former world No. 1s will be joined by a bevy of supporting stars including home hero Abraham Ancer, Tyrrell Hatton, Tony Finau, and defending champion Viktor Hovland.
Additional marquee players to watch include Billy Horschel, Patrick Reed, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, and Matt Fitzpatrick.
Aaron Wise, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Francesco Molinari, Alex Noren, Gary Woodland, and Danny Willett are some of the other familiar names in Mexico.
Top-5 Betting Favorites
Pos-Player-Odds
1. Justin Thomas (12-1)
2. Viktor Hovland (18-1)
3. Abraham Ancer (20-1)
4. Tony Finau (25-1)
5. Billy Horschel (28-1)
5. Brooks Koepka (28-1)
5. Scottie Scheffler (28-1)
5. Tyrrell Hatton (28-1)
Full Field & Odds
World Wide Championship | El Camaleon GC | Playa del Carmen, MX | Nov. 4-7, 2021
More: Read Joel Cook’s Power Rankings.
Up Next On Tour
Following the World Wide Championship, the PGA Tour heads to Texas for the 74th edition of the Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course, the eighth of nine events on the wrap-around portion of the 2022 schedule.
The 2022 season will resume in January with the traditional swing through Hawaii before moving to the West Coast.
Nov. 11-14 Houston Open (Houston, TX)
Nov. 18-21 The RSM Classic (St. Simons Island, GA)
–HOLIDAY BREAK–
Jan. 06-09 Sentry Tournament of Champions (Kapalua HI)
Jan. 13-16 Sony Open in Hawaii (Honolulu, HI)
Jan. 20-23 The American Express (La Quinta, CA)
Credits: Getty Images, PGA Tour Media
