PGA Tour 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic Odds: Can Fowler Get a Win?
- Fowler returns to tournament he was runner-up in last year
- Recent trend of 20-something winners on tour
- The golfers with the best value to emerge victorious
Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, and Tony Finau tee it up again this week to headline the relatively weak field at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.
The three account for the only players ranked top 15 in the world competing.
In the 11-year history of this event, ten of the eventual winners came from the United States, with Graeme McDowell in 2015 the lone exception. Of those 11 champs, eight have been at least 30 years old.
Odds to Win 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Rickie Fowler | +900 |
| Tony Finau | +1400 |
| Jordan Spieth | +1600 |
| Gary Woodland | +1800 |
| Emiliano Grillo | +2000 |
| Aaron Wise | +2800 |
| Cameron Champ | +3300 |
| Billy Horschel | +3300 |
| Abraham Ancer | +3300 |
| Ryan Moore | +3300 |
*Follow the link in the table to see all options
The Time is Now for Fowler to Win
At last weeks tournament in Las Vegas, I cautioned against Rickie Fowler winning and yet this week I’m bullish on him.
Why the change?
He had his usual great first tourney of the season (tie for fourth) and was a runner-up here in debut at Mayakoba last season.
RT @PGATOUR: Carrying momentum into @MayakobaGolf. @RickieFowler finished T4 at the @ShrinersOpen after carding the lowest final round of his career Sunday (63). pic.twitter.com/VBZDl30yWr
— The Golf Shop (@TheGolfShopCo) November 6, 2018
He’s stuck on that criminally low four PGA Tour titles, but why not get off the schneid with a low-tier event? He really needs to kick-start his career and earn more W’s and he’s showing supreme confidence.
Last 5 winners at Mayakoba Golf Classic
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Patton Kizzire |
| 2016 | Pat Perez |
| 2015 | Graeme McDowell |
| 2014 | Charley Hoffman |
| 2013 | Harris English |
Younger players prevailing on Tour this season
As mentioned earlier, this tournament has a history of late bloomers taking home the hardware, including the last four champions being at least in their 30’s.
One trend could be bucked this week, though, because the last four PGA Tour winners this season shows that the tour is skewing younger.
PGA Tour Winners This Season
| Tournament | Winner | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Safeway Open | Kevin Tway | 30 |
| CIMB Classic | Marc Leishman | 34 |
| The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges | Brooks Koepka | 28 |
| WGC-HSBC Champions | Xander Schauffele | 25 |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Cameron Champ | 23 |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Bryson DeChambeau | 25 |
There's never a shortage of spectators at @MayakobaGolf. ??? pic.twitter.com/AX229haX4f
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 6, 2018
2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic Best Value Picks
- Abraham Ancer (+3300): I liked this value much better at the initial posting of +4500, but Ancer is Mexico’s best hope for a national victory, having finished T-9 last year at this event and has two top-five finishes in 3 starts this year.
- Chez Reavie (+5000): Finished T-4 and T-14 here last two years and has been in the money in all four events this year, highlighted by T-7 at Nine Bridges.
- Charley Hoffman (+8000): 2014 champ that has had a pair of middling results in the early season, but has propensity to get hot and make birdies in bunches.
- Jamie Lovemark (+10000): How has this man never won on the PGA Tour before? Destined to get that breakthrough victory sooner rather than later.
Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 16 years, where he's been featured on Sportscentre, That's Hockey, That's Hockey 2Nite, The Masters preview shows, and several more.
