The Mexico Open is the eighth tournament of the year on the PGA Tour and, incredibly, the first with Spanish presence. As you know, it’s all about the dollars. Jorge Campillo will kick off his American season this Thursday at the Vidanta Vallarta, a course by the beach with views of the North Pacific from the Bahía de las Banderas. A corner of the world born to attract tourism in droves, but don’t be fooled by the course…
Anyone could think that being in such an extraordinarily holiday spot as Puerto Vallarta, the course would be a resort style, designed for the enjoyment of the visitor, a treat in the hands of the professionals. Well, it’s not Riviera Country Club, far from it, it doesn’t have the features of a US Open venue, let’s not fool anyone, but it’s trickier than it seems.
The key to the Mexico Open’s home is the distance. It’s a very, very long course, the sixth longest on the PGA Tour. It has two par 5s over 600 yards (5 and 12) and two other par 4s over 500 (4 and 16). Total: 7,456 playing from the back. And besides, there’s no trickery on this course. Obviously, it’s at sea level, so the ball flies as it flies, tending to be short. “There are a couple of par 4s that I’m not quite sure if I can reach in two against the wind,” Campillo confessed to Ten Golf this week.
It’s a course for hitters. No one doubts it. Not only because of the distance, but because of the width of the fairways. They average about 40 meters, so it’s wide open. You have to hit it hard and the layout allows it. It was the sixth course on the PGA Tour in 2023 where more fairways were hit. And in the worst case scenario, legendary escape, the rough is not very punishing. Time to let loose and go all out. Whoever goes further, has a lot to gain, as more than forty percent of the shots to green last year were from over 200 yards. You have to try to be on the other side of the percentage. Time to push.
More evidence. Of the 14 players who finished in the top 10 last year, the worst ranked in the distance from the tee statistic was Austin Smotherman, 51st with an average of 310.40 yards. 144 golfers were playing. Half of those 14 first finished among the 25 longest. To the rich bomb.
If we go back to 2022, the matter is even more evident. Among the top ten finishers of the tournament, the three longest hitters that week made it, including the winner, Jon Rahm, who was also the one who made the most distance with a brutal average of 340.50 yards. Eight of the top ten on the leaderboard finished among the top twelve in hitting. Time to hit hard.
That the statistic throws this data, does not mean that without being a hitter you can’t compete in Vallarta. There is the example of Brandon Wu, with two consecutive top 10s being 140th and 137th in the average distance from the tee in the last two years on the PGA Tour. Or David Lipsky, top 10 two years ago hitting less than average. The exceptions that prove the rule.
Campillo will need to let loose this week, but the most important thing will still be the shots to green, and there Jorge has always been and will be a guarantee. The man from Extremadura never feared a long iron. He will start playing at 16.20, Spanish peninsular time this Thursday and at 19.05 on Friday, in the last match of the day. He plays with Blaine Hale Jr. and the Mexican amateur José Antonio Safa.
The big favourite to win is, for more than obvious reasons, Tony Finau. He is the defending champion, finished second two years ago and holds the best position in the world ranking of the entire tournament. We should also keep an eye on Patrick Rodgers, the aforementioned Brandon Wu, Cameron Champ, David Riley, Emiliano Grillo or Nicolai Hojgaard. In addition to Campillo, Thorbjorn Olesen is making his American debut this year.
