The QBE Shootout added a former champion, a two-time major winner, and one of the contenders for a Presidents Cup captain’s pick in completing its field Tuesday. Ian Poulter, who won the 2010 tournament with Dustin Johnson, plus two-time Masters …
The QBE Shootout added a former champion, a two-time major winner, and one of the contenders for a Presidents Cup captain’s pick in completing its field Tuesday.
Ian Poulter, who won the 2010 tournament with Dustin Johnson, plus two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Kevin Kisner were among the 10 announced to the field by tournament host Greg Norman for the tournament, which is Dec. 11-15 at Tiburón Golf Club at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort.
“We are pleased to round out the field with such a quality group of players and equally thrilled with the compelling teams we’ve been able to put together,” Norman said in a release. “These dynamic duos comprised of young guns, recent Tour winners and established veterans are sure to create an exciting three-days of competition.”
The 24-person field features nine players whom won during this past season and a total of 80 career PGA Tour and LPGA victories as well as eight of the top 50 players in the world. There are also eight first-time participants in the annual event.
Kisner, who won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, was listed by many as a possibility to be one of Tiger Woods’ captain’s picks for the Presidents Cup.
Also competing are: 2019 Valero Texas Open winner Corey Conners; reigning Zurich Classic of New Orleans champion Ryan Palmer; former Australian PGA Championship winner Harold Varner III; Kevin Chappell, who earlier this fall became the 10th player in PGA Tour history to shoot 59; six-time PGA Tour winner Charley Hoffman; four-time Tour winner and two-time Shootout champion Sean O’Hair, and six-time Tour winner Rory Sabbatini.
This year’s QBE Shootout will also feature nine new teams competing for the $3.5 million purse. The three returning teams are defending champions Brian Harman and Patton Kizzire as defending champions, Billy Horschel and Brandt Snedeker who played in 2018, and the return of the team of Graeme McDowell and Poulter, who were paired together in 2008.
Lexi Thompson will be playing for the fourth straight year, and this time will be paired with O’Hair, who won the QBE Shootout with two different partners, Steve Stricker and Kenny Perry. Thompson played with Bryson DeChambeau her first year, and Tony Finau the past two.
Shootout rookies Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff also are paired together.
Finau, Patrick Reed, and Gary Woodland, all of whom have played in the Shootout multiple times, were three of Woods’ captain’s picks announced last week. Woods picked himself for the fourth selection.
Friday’s first round will be broadcast live by Golf Channel from noon to 2 p.m. and on Golf Channel Digital from 2-4 p.m. Over the weekend, the final two rounds will be live on Golf Channel from noon to 4 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday.
The QBE Shootout will once again feature a scramble format during the first round, a modified alternate shot format on Saturday, and a final-round four-ball on Sunday.
Get live updates as the PGA Tour returns this week with the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
[jwplayer FbLbRmJ9-9JtFt04J]
The PGA Tour is back in action this week with the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Brendon Todd is the winner, taking the title at 20-under par. It’s his second consecutive title on the PGA Tour, following up his win two weeks ago at the Bermuda Championship.
We all remember Cheapskate-Gate, where it was revealed that Matt Kuchar paid only a paltry percentage of his winner’s check to David Ortiz.
[jwplayer FbLbRmJ9-9JtFt04J]
The 2018 Mayakoba Golf Classic was won by Matt Kuchar, who also emerged as the biggest loser of the week.
We all remember Cheapskate-Gate, where it was revealed that Kuchar paid only a paltry percentage of his winner’s check to David ‘El Tucan’ Ortiz, the local caddie he used that week.
Kuchar’s once-pristine reputation was spit-roasted on social media. The whole thing was a master class in how to botch a public-relations crisis.
But let’s hope that everyone doesn’t just pretend that last year’s drama didn’t happen.
Watch the video at the top of the page to see the latest edition of Eamon’s Corner.
Here are the power rankings for the players competing in the Mayakoba Golf Classic beginning Thursday.
[jwplayer 0bIoyNLW-9JtFt04J]
The 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic tees off this Thursday and marks the PGA Tour’s return from a three-event swing through Asia. El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, remains host of the annual event which has been a staple of the fall portion of the Tour’s schedule. The Greg Norman-designed course measures 6,987 yards and plays as a par 71 under tournament conditions.
The 128-man field is fronted by defending champion Matt Kuchar and World No. 16 Tony Finau. Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who were all victorious in Asia, are all absent this week in wait of next month’s Hero World Challenge. Next week’s RSM Classic will be the final full-field event until the Sony Open, running Jan. 9-12, 2020.
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2019-20 Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club.
30. Russell Henley
Strong approach game at a course requiring golfers to take tight angles and dodge bunkers.
29. J.T. Poston
Returns to North America off of two top-30 finishes at the WGC-HSBC Champions and Zozo Championship.
28. Keegan Bradley
The 47th-ranked golfer in the world placed T-13 in a strong field at the Zozo Championship, but he was previously in poor form in North America and missed the cut at the Houston Open.
27. Aaron Wise
Tied for 10th last year following a missed cut in 2018. Bounced back from missing the cut at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open with a third-place finish at the Bermuda Championship.
26. Dylan Frittelli
Is closing in on the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings with a T-22 result at the Zozo Championship. Has a strong approach game and hits greens in regulation others can’t.
25. Cameron Champ
Played in just two events since his win at the Safeway Open in September. Relies more heavily on his off-the-tee game than approaches.
24. Sebastian Munoz
Gained 1.56 strokes per round putting during his victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Hasn’t been able to recapture the success with the flat stick.
23. Russell Knox
Had three straight top 10s at this event before skipping last year’s tournament. Was the co-runner-up in 2016.
22. Graeme McDowell
The 2016 champion hasn’t finished better than T-24 since and missed the cut last year.
21. Charley Hoffman
The 2015 champ has missed four straight cuts since his victory. He can still create scoring opportunities but isn’t in consistent four-round form.
20. Jhonattan Vegas
One of the best in the field by Opportunities Gained. Finished T-10 in 2017 and made the cut in four of his last five tries.
19. Denny McCarthy
A spectacular putter who’s waiting to put it all together. The approach game is one of his greatest struggles as he’s often left saving par.
18. Rory Sabbatini
Finished T-33 at the Zozo Championship and T-31 at The CJ Cup. Enters the week 75th by the OWGR.
17. Danny Lee
Photo Credit: Brian Spurlock – USA TODAY Sports
Last year’s runner-up is coming off a T-10 at the Zozo and a solo runner-up at The CJ Cup against much stiffer competition.
16. Pat Perez
The 2017 champ rebounded from a T-34 finish in 2018 to tie for sixth last season. Was solo third at the Shriners but finished T-51 and T-31 in the first two events in Asia.
15. Harris English
Hasn’t played since a T-4 at the Houston Open. Ranks third in the field in Greens in Regulation Gained over everyone’s last 36 rounds.
14. Kyle Stanley
A great course fit who excels on the approach and can create scoring opportunities.
13. Scottie Scheffler
The recent Korn Ferry Tour grad is an expert ball striker. Finished T-28 at the Houston Open but rebounded with T-3 at Bermuda.
12. Billy Horschel
Played all three events in Asia with a top showing of T-6 at the Zozo. He has six top 10s and just two missed cuts in 25 events in 2019.
11. Charles Howell III
Well-experienced at this venue. Placed T-7 in 2017 and T-4 in 2018 before a missed cut last year.
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10. Lanto Griffin
Photo Credit: Eric Bolte – USA TODAY Sports
The current FedExCup points leader and winner of the Houston Open didn’t compete in any of the Asian tournaments. Excels off the tee and on the greens, but can struggle with the approach.
9. Abraham Ancer
The best golfer on the PGA Tour hailing from Mexico has a top finish of T-9 in 2018.
8. Chez Reavie
Four straight made cuts in this event with a top showing of T-4 in 2017. An excellent ball striker who has a great approach game.
7. Kevin Kisner
Ranks 35th in the world after finishing T-9 in each of the final two events of last season’s FedExCup Playoffs. Not in great form after finishing outside the top 25 in the final two events in Asia.
6. Joaquin Niemann
Has slipped back to 55th in the world after peaking at 50th with his breakout win at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. Finished T-60 in this event last year.
5. Emiliano Grillo
His 15th-place finish here last year was his worst result in his last three appearances. Leads the field with 1.91 total strokes gained per round in this event since 2015.
4. Jason Day
The winner of MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins. Hasn’t finished higher than T-22 in a stroke-play event since the Travelers Championship.
3. Matt Kuchar
Last year’s champ. He had three other top 10s and two runner-ups last season but none since the RBC Canadian Open.
2. Tony Finau
The top-ranked golfer in the field by the OWGR. An expert ball striker with a great approach game and more than enough distance for this shorter venue.
1. Viktor Hovland
Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, Strokes Gained: Approach and Opportunities Gained over everyone’s most recent 36 rounds. Had disappointing showings at The CJ Cup and Zozo Championship but was T-10 at The Greenbrier and T-11 at the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship.
Here are the odds, predictions, picks and PGA Tour best bets for the Mayakoba Golf Classic beginning Thursday.
[jwplayer 0bIoyNLW-9JtFt04J]
The PGA Tour returns to North America this week for the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The course measures 6,987 yards and plays as a par 71 under tournament conditions.
Courtesy of historical data from Fantasy National, the stats best associated with success at this venue are:
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Ball Striking
Opportunities Gained
Greens in Regulation Gained
My model looks at the most recent 36 rounds for each golfer in the field.
Hovland, 22, is tied with Jason Day, Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau as the tournament favorite, according to the sportsbooks. He is ranked 97th by the Official World Golf Ranking and is still looking for his first career win after turning pro in the summer. Hovland leads the field in each of the four key stats.
Emiliano Grillo +3300
Grillo is a course horse. He finished 15th last year, T-9 in 2018 and T-10 in 2017. He’s coming off a T-30 in a much stronger field at the Zozo Championship in Japan, and he placed T-26 at The CJ Cup the week before. He ranks second to Hovland in most key stats and shares the lead in SG: Approach.
Mayakoba Golf Classic – Tier 2
Chez Reavie +5000
Reavie participated in all three events the PGA Tour just played in Asia. His best result was a T-46 at The CJ Cup in South Korea. The 33rd-ranked golfer by the OWGR ranks sixth by the stat model and is in the top five of the field in SG: Ball Striking, SG: Approach and Opportunities Gained.
Stanley plummeted down the OWGR last season while missing the cut in 10 of 25 events and picking up just one top-10 finish with a T-8 at the Wells Fargo Championship. He was ranked as high as 26th at the conclusion of the 2018 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Mayakoba Golf Classic – Longshots
Charley Hoffman +10000
Hoffman was the 2015 champion at El Camaleon. This number is too great for a winner from just five years ago as a $10 bet returns a $1,000 profit. He hasn’t made the cut in his last four appearances at this event, but he finished T-36 at The CJ Cup and certainly has experience on the course, even with the poor recent results.
Keith Mitchell +12500
Mitchell ranks just 73rd by the stat model, but he’s an excellent value as he has typically been priced much lower than this in more competitive fields. He made the cut here in each of his last two tries.
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Odds
Golfer
Odds
Jason Day
20/1
Matt Kuchar
20/1
Tony Finau
20/1
Viktor Hovland
20/1
Billy Horschel
22/1
Charles Howell III
28/1
Joaquin Niemann
28/1
Abraham Ancer
30/1
Denny McCarthy
33/1
Emiliano Grillo
33/1
Russell Knox
33/1
Scottie Scheffler
33/1
Kevin Kisner
35/1
Aaron Wise
40/1
Cameron Champ
40/1
Harris English
40/1
Keegan Bradley
40/1
Lanto Griffin
40/1
Carlos Ortiz
50/1
Chez Reavie
50/1
Danny Lee
50/1
Dylan Frittelli
50/1
Harold Varner III
50/1
J.T. Poston
50/1
Pat Perez
50/1
Rory Sabbatini
55/1
Brian Gay
60/1
Brian Harman
60/1
Beau Hossler
66/1
Brice Garnett
66/1
Cameron Tringale
66/1
Graeme McDowell
66/1
Harry Higgs
66/1
Kevin Streelman
66/1
Nick Taylor
66/1
Scott Piercy
66/1
Sebastián Muñoz
66/1
Xinjun Zhang
66/1
Bronson Burgoon
80/1
Kevin Stanley
80/1
Mark Hubbard
80/1
Martin Laird
80/1
Ryan Armour
80/1
Scott Harrington
80/1
Si Woo Kim
80/1
Whyndham Clark
80/1
Zach Johnson
80/1
Austin Cook
90/1
Brian Stuard
90/1
Doc Redman
90/1
Kramer Hickok
90/1
Luke List
90/1
Nick Watney
90/1
Sam Ryder
90/1
Vaughn Taylor
90/1
Adam Schenk
100/1
Brendon Todd
100/1
Charley Hoffman
100/1
Fabián Gómez
100/1
Hank Lebioda
100/1
Jhonattan Vegas
100/1
Matt Jones
100/1
Roger Sloan
100/1
Scott Stallings
100/1
Straka Straka
100/1
Shawn Stefani
100/1
Talor Gooch
100/1
Aaron Baddeley
125/1
Adam Long
125/1
Bo Hoag
125/1
Brandon Wu
125/1
Brendan Steele
125/1
C.T. Pan
125/1
Calum Hill
125/1
David Hearn
125/1
J.J. Spaun
125/1
James Hahn
125/1
Jiel Dahmen
125/1
Keith Mitchell
125/1
Kevin Chappell
125/1
Maverick McNealy
125/1
Patton Kizzire
125/1
Peter Malnati
125/1
Robert Streb
125/1
Tyler Duncan
125/1
Andrew Landry
150/1
Henrik Norlander
150/1
Jason Dufner
150/1
Kyoung-Hoon Lee
150/1
Luke Donald
150/1
Patrick Rodgers
150/1
Robby Shelton
150/1
Scott Brown
150/1
Wes Roach
150/1
Zac Blair
150/1
Kristoffer Ventura
175/1
Chris Kirk
200/1
Hudson Swafford
200/1
Mac Hughes
200/1
Matthew NeSmith
200/1
Rafael Campos
200/1
Rhein Gibson
200/1
Roberto Diaz
200/1
Rylan Brehm
200/1
Chis Baker
250/1
Chris Stroud
250/1
Graham DeLaet
250/1
José de Jesús Rodriguez
250/1
Michael Gligic
250/1
Sebastian Cappelen
250/1
Ben Martin
300/1
Ben Taylor
300/1
Chase Seiffert
300/1
Jim Herman
300/1
Mark Anderson
300/1
Satoshi Kodaira
300/1
Nelson Ledesma
400/1
Sebastián Vazquez
400/1
Will Gordon
400/1
Bo Van Pelt
500/1
D.A. Points
500/1
Davis Love III
500/1
Kevin Stadler
500/1
Michael Kim
500/1
Alvaro Ortiz
1000/1
Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra
2500/1
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Previewing the 2019-20 Mayakoba Golf Classic and looking at the best fantasy golf selections for El Camaleon Golf Club.
The 2019 Mayakoba Golf Classic tees off this Thursday and marks the PGA Tour’s return from a three-event swing through Asia. El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, remains host of the annual event which has been a staple of the fall portion of the Tour’s schedule. The Greg Norman-designed course measures 6,987 yards and plays as a par 71 under tournament conditions.
The 128-man field is fronted by defending champion Matt Kuchar and world No. 16 Tony Finau. Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, who were all victorious in Asia, are all absent this week in wait of next month’s Hero World Challenge. Next week’s RSM Classic will be the final full-field event until the Sony Open, running Jan. 9-12, 2020.
Fantasy Golf Rankings: Top 30
Here are my top-30 fantasy golf rankings for the 2019-20 Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club.
30. Russell Henley
Strong approach game at a course requiring golfers to take tight angles and dodge bunkers.
29. J.T. Poston
Returns to North America off of two top-30 finishes at the WGC-HSBC Champions and Zozo Championship.
28. Keegan Bradley
The 47th-ranked golfer in the world placed T-13 in a strong field at the Zozo Championship, but he was previously in poor form in North America and missed the cut at the Houston Open.
27. Aaron Wise
Tied for 10th last year following a missed cut in 2018. Bounced back from missing the cut at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open with a third-place finish at the Bermuda Championship.
26. Dylan Frittelli
Is closing in on the top 100 of the Official World Golf Rankings with a T-22 result at the Zozo Championship. Has a strong approach game and hits greens in regulation others can’t.
25. Cameron Champ
Played in just two events since his win at the Safeway Open in September. Relies more heavily on his off-the-tee game than approaches.
24. Sebastian Munoz
Gained 1.56 strokes per round putting during his victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Hasn’t been able to recapture the success with the flat stick.
23. Russell Knox
Had three straight top 10s at this event before skipping last year’s tournament. Was the co-runner-up in 2015.
22. Graeme McDowell
The 2015 champion hasn’t finished better than T-24 since and missed the cut last year.
21. Charley Hoffman
The 2015 champ has missed four straight cuts since his victory. He can still create scoring opportunities but isn’t in consistent four-round form.
20. Jhonattan Vegas
One of the best in the field by Opportunities Gained. Finished T-10 in 2016 and made the cut in four of his last five tries.
19. Denny McCarthy
A spectacular putter who’s waiting to put it all together. The approach game is one of his greatest struggles as he’s often left saving par.
18. Rory Sabbatini
Finished T-33 at the Zozo Championship and T-31 at The CJ Cup. Enters the week 75th by the OWGR.
17. Danny Lee
Last year’s runner-up is coming off a T-10 at the Zozo and a solo runner-up at The CJ Cup against much stiffer competition.
16. Pat Perez
The 2016 champ rebounded from a T-34 finish in 2017 to tie for sixth last season. Was solo third at the Shriners but finished T-51 and T-31 in the first two events in Asia.
15. Harris English
Hasn’t played since a T-4 at the Houston Open. Ranks third in the field in Greens in Regulation Gained over everyone’s last 36 rounds.
14. Kyle Stanley
A great course fit who excels on the approach and can create scoring opportunities.
13. Scottie Scheffler
The recent Korn Ferry Tour grad is an expert ball striker. Finished T-28 at the Houston Open but rebounded with T-3 at Bermuda.
12. Billy Horschel
Played all three events in Asia with a top showing of T-6 at the Zozo. He has six top 10s and just two missed cuts in 25 events in 2019.
11. Charles Howell III
Well-experienced at this venue. Placed T-7 in 2016 and T-4 in 2017 before a missed cut last year.
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10. Lanto Griffin
The current FedExCup points leader and winner of the Houston Open didn’t compete in any of the Asian tournaments. Excels off the tee and on the greens, but can struggle with the approach.
9. Abraham Ancer
The best golfer on the PGA Tour hailing from Mexico has a top finish of T-9 in 2017.
8. Chez Reavie
Four straight made cuts in this event with a top showing of T-4 in 2016. An excellent ball striker who has a great approach game.
7. Kevin Kisner
Ranks 35th in the world after finishing T-9 in each of the final two events of last season’s FedExCup Playoffs. Not in great form after finishing outside the top 25 in the final two events in Asia.
6. Joaquin Niemann
Has slipped back to 55th in the world after peaking at 50th with his breakout win at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier. Finished T-60 in this event last year.
5. Emiliano Grillo
His 15th-place finish here last year was his worst result in his last three appearances. Leads the field with 1.91 total strokes gained per round in this event since 2015.
4. Jason Day
The winner of MGM Resorts The Challenge: Japan Skins. Hasn’t finished higher than T-22 in a stroke-play event since the Travelers Championship.
3. Matt Kuchar
Last year’s champ. He had three other top 10s and two runner-ups last season but none since the RBC Canadian Open.
2. Tony Finau
The top-ranked golfer in the field by the OWGR. An expert ball striker with a great approach game and more than enough distance for this shorter venue.
1. Viktor Hovland
Leads the field in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking, Strokes Gained: Approach and Opportunities Gained over everyone’s most recent 36 rounds. Had disappointing showings at The CJ Cup and Zozo Championship but was T-10 at The Greenbrier and T-11 at the European Tour’s BMW PGA Championship.
Analyzing the 2020 Mayakoba Golf Classic and which golfers are the best options for the event. Who will win at El Camaleon GC? We break it down within.
The PGA Tour returns to North America this week for the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The course measures 6,987 yards and plays as a par 71 under tournament conditions.
Courtesy of historical data from Fantasy National, the stats best associated with success at this venue are:
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Ball Striking
Opportunities Gained
Greens in Regulation Gained
My model looks at the most recent 36 rounds for each golfer in the field.
Hovland, 22, is tied with Jason Day, Matt Kuchar and Tony Finau as the tournament favorite, according to the sportsbooks. He is ranked 97th by the Official World Golf Ranking and is still looking for his first career win after turning pro in the summer. Hovland leads the field in each of the four key stats.
Emiliano Grillo +3300
Grillo is a course horse. He finished 15th last year, T-9 in 2017 and T-10 in 2016. He’s coming off a T-30 in a much stronger field at the Zozo Championship in Japan, and he placed T-26 at The CJ Cup the week before. He ranks second to Hovland in most key stats and shares the lead in SG: Approach.
Mayakoba Golf Classic – Tier 2
Chez Reavie +5000
Reavie participated in all three events the PGA Tour just played in Asia. His best result was a T-46 at The CJ Cup in South Korea. The 33rd-ranked golfer by the OWGR ranks sixth by the stat model and is in the top five of the field in SG: Ball Striking, SG: Approach and Opportunities Gained.
Stanley plummeted down the OWGR last season while missing the cut in 10 of 25 events and picking up just one top-10 finish with a T-8 at the Wells Fargo Championship. He was ranked as high as 26th at the conclusion of the 2018 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
Mayakoba Golf Classic – Longshots
Charley Hoffman +10000
Hoffman was the 2014 champion at El Camaleon. This number is too great for a winner from just five years ago as a $10 bet returns a $1,000 profit. He hasn’t made the cut in his last four appearances at this event, but he finished T-36 at The CJ Cup and certainly has experience on the course, even with the poor recent results.
Keith Mitchell +12500
Mitchell ranks just 73rd by the stat model, but he’s an excellent value as he has typically been priced much lower than this in more competitive fields. He made the cut here in each of his last two tries.
2019-20 winners: Joaquin Niemann – A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier (+2800)
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Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.