It’s Viva, Mexico at Mayakoba and on the PGA TOUR

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, Mexico – Only two Mexican players have won on the PGA TOUR: Victor Regalado at the 1974 Pleasant Valley Classic and Cesar Sanudo at the 1970 Azalea Open Invitational. (Mexican-American Lee Trevino played for the U.S. and even captained the 1985 U.S. Ryder Cup team.) But with a record four exempt Mexicans on TOUR—Abraham Ancer, Roberto Diaz, Jose de Jesus Rodriguez and Carlos Ortiz—things are looking up. They’re way up at the Mayakoba Golf Classic, which has made room for three more Mexicans in the field, bringing the total to seven, and a strength-in-numbers ethos that is rare for a TOUR event. Golf’s return to the Olympic Games in 2016 and 2020 has helped, as have two TOUR events in Mexico. But the record Mexican representation is also a reminder of what can happen when you give a guy a chance, Diaz and others said this week. It speaks to the power of special exemptions, and the steadying presence of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. “Mexico has got really the potential to produce a lot more players than four,� said Ancer, who finished T4 at last week’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. “It’s not as easy as for Americans because there’s not really any public courses in Mexico, but it’s trending in the right direction for Mayakoba.� There are a handful of reasons for this. For starters, it’s hard to overstate the importance of exemptions for lesser-known Mexican players like Sebastian Vazquez, Armando Favela and Oscar Fraustro this week. Such dispensations were once a stepping stone for the four Mexicans who now have their TOUR cards, and Diaz is a case in point. He was given a spot in the field at Mayakoba in 2013, and while he missed the cut, it was still a career-changer. “They knocked on the door, on my door, and they said, ‘All right, you can do it,’� Diaz said. “And then you start playing more and more and more, and finally you come here as a member and you see everything different and you see how everything started. “Just very thankful,� he added. “Very, very thankful, because it’s super important that an organization like this help out kids coming out of college or coming (into) professional golf.� Ortiz, who won three times and was Web.com Tour Player of the Year in 2014, also spoke of Mayakoba, which began in 2007, as a lifeline. “I feel really grateful to the people that put this together,� he said. “They were the first ones to believe in golf in Mexico.� This is arguably the strongest field ever to hit Mexico’s Riviera Maya, with Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Tony Finau among the stars. The infusion of homegrown talent is a bonus, and numbers are up not just because once-exempted players are now coming to maturity. It’s also because PGA TOUR Latinoamérica launched in 2012, creating a gateway to the big time. Jose de Jesus Rodriguez was a legend in Mexico when he joined PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, and sure enough he was 2017 Player of the Year to reach the Web.com Tour last season. “Day by day your confidence grows,� said de Jesus Rodriguez, who missed the cut in his first TOUR start, the Safeway Open, but has made the weekend rounds the last two weeks. “Mexico is a very important market for us, and seeing their talent succeed is a result of their hard work and perseverance,� said Jack Warfield, President of PGA TOUR Latinoamérica. “The future for Mexican and other Latino players is bright, as this year alone we saw double the figures of Mexican Nationals playing on our Tour.� Herewith, a rundown of the four local favorites at Mayakoba this week. Abraham Ancer Ancer was born in McAllen, Texas, but grew up in Reynosa, Mexico, before playing for Odessa (Texas) Junior College and later Oklahoma. He is only 5 feet, 7 inches tall, but his stature was unrivaled among his countrymen last season. After finishing T9 at Mayakoba, he held late leads at the Quicken Loans National (final-round 72, T4) and Dell Technologies Championship (73, T7) and qualified for all but the last FedExCup Playoffs event. He finished T5 at the CIMB Classic, and T4 at the Shriners. “Just need to keep putting myself in that situation, and I’ve been able to do that lately,� he said. “I think my short game has been sharp; just a couple mistakes here and there that have kept me from, like, that top spot. But other than that, I’m very happy with my game.� Jose de Jesus Rodriguez The PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Player of the Year in 2017, de Jesus Rodriguez, 37, has won nearly 20 times in Mexico, twice in Columbia, and once in Paraguay. He was 12th on the Web.com Tour Regular Season money list last season, and cried after his TOUR card-clinching victory at the United Leasing and Finance Championship at Indiana’s Victoria National. He is one of eight brothers. “There’s 10 in my family,� he said. “Little house. Very difficult.� His nickname, El Camaron (The Shrimp) came about because his face was red at birth and his grandmother thought he looked like one. He started as a caddie with a baseball grip; is now coached by his brother, Rosendo; and, perhaps most famously, talks to his golf balls. “It’s good for me because it’s frustrating sometimes,� de Jesus Rodriguez said. “And when I talk to the ball I’m more relaxed, more patient. ‘Vamos, reyna (queen); vamos, hermosa (sister); vamos, Linda.’ I start at night: ‘Hey, tomorrow we start. Please get in the hole.’� Roberto Diaz Diaz, who lives in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, shot a second-round 65 on the way to a T25 finish at Mayakoba last year. Alas, it was his only top-25 finish in 25 TOUR starts, which sent him back to the Web.com Tour Finals, where he reestablished himself. The Veracruz native became the fourth Mexican to gain exempt status on TOUR for the 2018-2019 season upon the conclusion of the Web.com Tour Championship, where he tied for 17th to crack the top 25 on the Web.com Tour Finals money list. “It’s a learning curve,� he said. “I learned a lot last year.� Carlos Ortiz Results have been up and down the last four years, but when Ortiz shot a final-round 64 to finish T3 at the Sanderson Farms Championship two weeks ago, it marked his best result in 64 TOUR starts and recalled his Web.com Tour Player of the Year season of 2014. The other big victory of late: Ortiz, who is based in Dallas, is a new father, to 5-month-old Sofia. Ortiz spoke at the Sanderson of kids like Sofia not caring whether you shoot 65 or 75, so perhaps he’s feeling less pressure. Of the four Mexicans on TOUR, he added at Mayakoba, “I don’t think we have even reached the potential that this sport can have in this country.�

Click here to read the full article

Did you know you can also play slots at Bovada online sportsbook? Check our our partner site for the best slots at Bovada casino and sportsbook.
1st Round 3 Balls – J. Bramlett / D. Thompson / S. Gutschewski
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Davis Thompson+125
Joseph Bramlett+135
Scott Gutschewski+350
1st Round 3 Balls – H. Norlander / J. Suh / C. Yuan
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Carl Yuan+160
Justin Suh+160
Henrik Norlander+200
Tournament Match-Up – J. Suh v C. Yuan
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Justin Suh-120
Carl Yuan-110
1st Round Match-Up – D. Thompson v D. Berger
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Davis Thompson-125
Daniel Berger+105
1st Round Match-Up – J. Bramlett v V. Whaley
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Joseph Bramlett-135
Vince Whaley+115
1st Round 3 Balls – P. Kizzire / R. Moore / C. Tarren
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Ryan Moore+130
Patton Kizzire+190
Callum Tarren+220
1st Round 3 Balls – M. Trainer / V. Whaley / M. Schmid
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Matti Schmid+150
Vince Whaley+175
Martin Trainer+200
1st Round 3 Balls – D. Berger / J.B. Holmes / S. Stallings
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Scott Stallings+125
Daniel Berger+130
J B Holmes+375
1st Round 3 Balls – W. Clark / T. Finau / S. Woo Kim
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Wyndham Clark+135
Tony Finau+190
Si Woo Kim+200
1st Round Match-Up – W. Clark vs S. Theegala
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Sahith Theegala-120
Wyndham Clark+100
1st Round Match-Up – J. Day vs T. Finau
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Jason Day-110
Tony Finau-110
1st Round Match-Up – S.W. Kim vs A. Noren
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Si Woo Kim-120
Alex Noren+100
1st Round 3 Balls – V. Norrman / D. Riley / C. Ramey
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Vincent Norrman+160
Chad Ramey+180
Davis Riley+180
1st Round 3 Balls – S. Theegala / J. Day / P. Harrington
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Sahith Theegala+120
Jason Day+135
Padraig Harrington+375
Tournament Match-Up – S. Theegala vs J. Day
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Sahith Theegala-145
Jason Day+110
1st Round Match-Up – A. Smalley v V. Norrman
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Alex Smalley-110
Vincent Norrman-110
1st Round 3 Balls – M. Hughes / B. Horschel / T. Hoge
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Mackenzie Hughes+170
Tom Hoge+170
Billy Horschel+185
1st Round 3 Balls – K. Kitayama / J.J. Spaun / C. Champ
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Kurt Kitayama+130
Cameron Champ+180
J J Spaun+240
1st Round Match-Up – T. Hoge vs K. Kitayama
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Kurt Kitayama-120
Tom Hoge-110
1st Round Match-Up – P. Rodgers vs M. Hughes
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Mackenzie Hughes-120
Patrick Rodgers-110
1st Round 3 Balls – H. Buckley / R. Shelton / T. Alexander
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Robby Shelton+160
Tyson Alexander+175
Hayden Buckley+190
1st Round 3 Balls – J. Walker / P. Rodgers / A. Smalley
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Patrick Rodgers+115
Alex Smalley+170
Jimmy Walker+280
1st Round 3 Balls – N. Lashley / S. Ryder / Z. Blair
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Sam Ryder+145
Nate Lashley+160
Zac Blair+230
1st Round 3 Balls – A. Long / J. Vegas / A. Noren
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Alex Noren+100
Jhonattan Vegas+230
Adam Long+260
1st Round Match-Up – B. Silverman v N. Lashley
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Nate Lashley-115
Ben Silverman-105
1st Round 3 Balls – C. Phillips / C. Gotterup / H. Springer
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Chandler Phillips+160
Chris Gotterup+170
Hayden Springer+190
1st Round 3 Balls – B. Silverman / P. Barjon / K. Ventura
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Ben Silverman+115
Paul Barjon+210
Kris Ventura+230
Tournament Match-Up – B. Silverman vs C. Gotterup
Type: Tournament Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Ben Silverman-115
Chris Gotterup-115
1st Round Match-Up – C. Phillips v C. Gotterup
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Chris Gotterup-115
Chandler Phillips-105
1st Round 3 Balls – E. Barnes / T. Crowe / W. Furr
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Erik Barnes+145
Trace Crowe+185
Wilson Furr+200
1st Round 3 Balls – N. Lindheim / A. Dumont De Chassart / K. Dougherty
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Adrien Dumont de Chassart+175
Kevin Dougherty+175
Nicholas Lindheim+175
1st Round 3 Balls – E. Gonzalez / H. Endycott / V. Perez
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Victor Perez+120
Harrison Endycott+185
Emilio Gonzalez+250
1st Round 3 Balls – R. MacIntyre / R. Campos / R. Pereda
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Robert MacIntyre+110
Rafael Campos+170
Raul Pereda+320
1st Round Match-Up – V. Perez v R. MacIntyre
Type: 1st Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Victor Perez-115
Robert MacIntyre-105
1st Round 3 Balls – J. Campillo / R. Hoey / R. Gibson
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Jorge Campillo+140
Rico Hoey+140
Rhein Gibson+275
1st Round 3 Balls – A. Nordqvist / A Lim Kim / Y. Saso
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Yuka Saso+130
A Lim Kim+170
Anna Nordqvist+250
1st Round 3 Balls – M. Stark / J. Kupcho / J. Shin
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Jenny Shin+130
Maja Stark+200
Jennifer Kupcho+210
1st Round 3 Balls – L. Vu / N. Hataoka / A. Furue
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Ayaka Furue+170
Lilia Vu+175
Nasa Hataoka+180
1st Round 3 Balls – N. Korda / C. Boutier / L. Ko
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Nelly Korda+130
Lydia Ko+190
Celine Boutier+220
1st Round 3 Balls – L. Grant / H.J. Kim / R. Zhang
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Hyo Joo Kim+170
Linn Grant+175
Rose Zhang+180
Hero Indian Open
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Jordan Smith+650
Joost Luiten+750
Keita Nakajima+750
Matteo Manassero+1100
Ewen Ferguson+1400
Sam Bairstow+1400
Adrian Otaegui+1600
Romain Langasque+1600
Fabrizio Zanotti+2800
Alex Fitzpatrick+3000
Click here for more…
2nd Round 3 Balls – D. Ravetto / A. Sandhu / P. Figueiredo
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
David Ravetto+110
Ajeetesh Sandhu+185
Pedro Figueiredo+275
2nd Round 3 Balls – S. Baisoya / D. Lawson / R. Gouveia
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Ricardo Gouveia+165
Deyen Lawson+170
Sachin Baisoya+185
2nd Round 3 Balls – R. Khan / D. Van Tonder / Y. Sandhu
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Daniel Van Tonder+120
Rashid Khan+180
Yuvraj Sandhu+250
2nd Round 3 Balls – J. Goth-Rasmussen / J. Lyras / K. Pratap Singh
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
John Lyras+170
Jonathan Goth-Rasmussen+175
Karan Pratap Singh+175
2nd Round 3 Balls – E. Kofstad / L. Scalise / J. Weon Ko
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Jeong Weon Ko+130
Lorenzo Scalise+150
Espen Kofstad+280
2nd Round Match-Up – S. Bairstow v A Fitzpatrick
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Alex Fitzpatrick-120
Sam Bairstow+100
2nd Round Match-Up – J. Luiten v R. Cabrera Bello
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Joost Luiten-165
Rafa Cabrera Bello+125
2nd Round 3 Balls – R. Cabrera Bello / A. Fitzpatrick / S. Kapur
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Alex Fitzpatrick-115
Rafa Cabrera Bello+180
Shiv Kapur+400
2nd Round Match-Up – J. Veerman v M. Kieffer
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Johannes Veerman-110
Maximillian Kieffer-110
2nd Round Match-Up – J. Morrison v T. Lewis
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
James Morrison-110
Tom Lewis-110
2nd Round 3 Balls – J. Veerman / A. Hidalgo / J. Morrison
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Angel Hidalgo+150
Johannes Veerman+170
James Morrison+210
2nd Round Match-Up – M. Kawamura v A. Sullivan
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Andy Sullivan-120
Masahiro Kawamura+100
2nd Round 3 Balls – E. Ferguson / M. Kieffer / A. Sullivan
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Ewen Ferguson+125
Andy Sullivan+175
Maximilian Kieffer+250
2nd Round Match-Up – C. Jarvis v M. Penge
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Casey Jarvis-135
Marco Penge+105
2nd Round 3 Balls – M. Penge / M. Kinhult / L. Nemecz
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Lukas Nemecz+165
Marco Penge+170
Marcus Kinhult+190
2nd Round 3 Balls – J. Parry / D. Hillier / S. Bairstow
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Sam Bairstow+130
Daniel Hillier+180
John Parry+225
2nd Round 3 Balls – M. Schneider / C. Jarvis / M. Schwab
Type: 2nd Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Matthias Schwab+150
Casey Jarvis+180
Marcel Schneider+190
2nd Round 3 Balls – M. Kawamura / F. Lacroix / K. Kobori
Type: 1st Round 3 Balls – Status: OPEN
Frederic Lacroix+130
Masahiro Kawamura+180
Kazuma Kobori+225
2nd Round Match-Up – B. Stone v G. Migliozzi
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Guido Migliozzi-125
Brandon Stone+105
2nd Round Match-Up – S. Sharma v A. Otaegui
Type: 2nd Round Match-Up – Status: OPEN
Adrian Otaegui-120
Shubankar Sharma+100
The Galleri Classic
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Steve Stricker+350
Steven Alker+650
Miguel Angel Jimenez+1100
Jerry Kelly+1200
Stephen Ames+1400
Ernie Els+1600
Alex Cejka+1800
Brian Gay+2000
KJ Choi+2500
Kevin Sutherland+2500
Click here for more…
Major Specials 2024
Type: To Win A Major 2024 – Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+125
Jon Rahm+225
Rory McIlroy+225
Viktor Hovland+225
Brooks Koepka+350
Ludvig Aberg+350
Patrick Cantlay+400
Collin Morikawa+450
Justin Thomas+450
Wyndham Clark+450
Click here for more…
The Masters 2024
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+450
Rory McIlroy+1100
Jon Rahm+1200
Brooks Koepka+1800
Jordan Spieth+2000
Xander Schauffele+2000
Hideki Matsuyama+2500
Joaquin Niemann+2500
Justin Thomas+2500
Ludvig Aberg+2500
Click here for more…
PGA Championship 2024
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+700
Jon Rahm+1000
Rory McIlroy+1000
Viktor Hovland+1400
Brooks Koepka+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Patrick Cantlay+2000
Wyndham Clark+2000
Xander Schauffele+2000
Cameron Smith+2500
Click here for more…
US Open 2024
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+700
Rory McIlroy+800
Jon Rahm+900
Viktor Hovland+1000
Cameron Smith+1600
Brooks Koepka+1800
Cameron Young+2000
Collin Morikawa+2000
Ludvig Aberg+2000
Patrick Cantlay+2000
Click here for more…
The Open Championship 2024
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+800
Jon Rahm+1000
Rory McIlroy+1000
Viktor Hovland+1100
Brooks Koepka+2000
Cameron Smith+2000
Cameron Young+2000
Collin Morikawa+2000
Jordan Spieth+2500
Ludvig Aberg+2500
Click here for more…
Solheim Cup 2024
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
USA-140
Europe+135
Tie+1200
Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner – Status: OPEN
USA-135
Europe+135
Tie+1000