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The biggest tournament of 2018 gets underway this weekend as the World Golf Championships begin in Mexico.
The four-legged Championships are widely considered amongst the most important in the golfing calendar, and in terms of prestige many believe they are the biggest of the majors.
The World Golf Championships is sanctioned by all the tours so neither the PGA or European Tour hold major events during these weeks.
See below as we run through the tournament for you including facts, odds and picks from our own golfing expert Cliff Jackson and Betfair.
World Golf Championship – Mexico
FIELD: A brilliant field as you expect with the world’s best on show in number one Dustin Johnson – who is also defending champion, and he is joined by fellow American’s Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler, whilst the likes of Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Rose will lead the European charge. There is no Rory McIlroy or Jason Day with both already thinking ahead towards The Masters.
QUOTES: The talk of the practice range in Mexico is all about TrackMan which is helping the players try to gauge how far the golf ball travels at Chapultepec which is at altitude. Justin Thomas – last week’s winner of the Honda Classic, said: “I think this is going to be the best week for [TrackMan’s] branding, for sure, versus any other week. You look out on the range, about everyone’s using one just because we’re able to get a lot better idea of the numbers. If you really step on one and hit it hard and hit it up in the air, it may go a little farther versus the shorter irons or wedges that aren’t in the air as long aren’t going to be affected as much.”
.@DJohnsonPGA is in the house ?? pic.twitter.com/xxHWy8iu3u
— Mexico Championship (@WGCMexico) February 28, 2018
ODDS provided by Betfair: Dustin Johnson 6/1 Justin Thomas 15/2 Jon Rahm 10/1 Jordan Spieth 12/1 Tommy Fleetwood 16/1 Rickie Fowler 20/1 Justin Rose 22/1 Alex Noren 25/1 Phil Mickelson 25/1 Sergio Garcia 25/1 Paul Casey 30/1 Patrick Cantlay 33/1 Thomas Pieters 33/1
Our resident golf expert is Cliff Jackson. Cliff is a leading youth coach and PGA professional at the famed Seaton Carew Links – one of the oldest courses in the world.
A big winner is going to win this for me, and I don’t see how we can look past Dustin Johnson – Jon Rahm will go well, but Johnson all the way for me in this one.
We caught up with Betfair’s Joe Dyer to get their views on this week’s action
Once again there is a clear gulf in quality between this week’s two tournaments, but for once the European Tour can claim a slice of the glory with the WGC-Mexico Championship being a co-sanctioned event with the PGA Tour.
While there are a few notable names missing – Rory McIlroy for starters – the Mexican event oozes quality with defending champion Dustin Johnson 6/1 to follow up with 15/2 Justin Thomas, 10/1 Jon Rahm and 12/1 Jordan Spieth in behind him at the top of the market.
With small poa annua greens and kikuyu grass on the fairways this week’s test should be similar to the Genesis Open, staged two weeks ago at Riviera. Bubba Watson, won that event to suggest a return to form, is 40/1 to go in again while Tommy Fleetwood, undoubtedly one of the hottest golfers in the world right now, is a 16/1 shot.
As ever there are a bewildering number of names to catch the eye with major winners galore. For an in-depth preview of the WGC-Mexico read Steve Rawlings on the Betting.Betfair website here >>> https://betting.betfair.com/golf/the-punter/wgc—mexico-championship-2018-betting-preview-tips-270218-167.html
Betfair is paying six place at 1/5 the odds in the 66 runner field, and Phil Mickelson looks a pretty solid option this week. The veteran has finished top 10 in his last three tournaments and as seventh in this last year. Big Phil boasts very solid Riviera form and looks a decent play at 25/1.
