Occasionally I kid myself that the time is right for me to take up Goff, the received pronunciation of the game involving sticks and lost balls. I like the game, I have even sponsored a team of racing journalists, providing electric carts and ice buckets and a decent Macon for the relief of my players. I can use when trapped, throw-away lines such as; “aah, just a seven iron and the trusty putter.? ….. £5 a stroke playing off 16?… ” God help me if my bluff were ever called, as disaster and poverty would become my constant companions.
However, where I do pick up the golfing cudgels, is when I feel a chilly weekend looming and I fancy looking at some live, warm-weather action, in which I have an interest. To that end I am attracted to The WGC – Mexico, where I feel as though I might have a bit of a handle.
Once again at Club de Golf Chapultepec, this is the course that defending champion Dustin Johnson famously had a 369 yard drive that set him up for a short eagle putt in 2019. Sounds great – but you’ll suddenly realise that the five par-5s, which are all 579+ yards are easily attainable at altitude. (See, it’s all about talking the talk!). Theoretically, and indeed according to the market, this is between DJ and our Rory (ours when we don’t have a Brit available). But the key I feel lies in the key stats of SG: App (Strokes Gained on the Approach). The leader out of all the players is Webb Simpson, and he is also 1st on SG: Tot (Total Strokes Gained); 3rd in SG: Tee-Green and 4th SG: Putting. He is currently 20/1 for 7 places at 1/5 odds with Boyle Sports.
At longer odds and for a bit of sport, I have had my eye on the Korean Sungjai Im and I’ll have a little bit on Im, again with Boyle Sports at 60/1.
I also quite like the look of Bernd Weisberger to be Top Continental European at around 11/1 for 3 places. Given Jon Rahm is favourite for that at 5/4, I think those are pretty fair odds.
WGC MEXICO – WINNER
WEBB SIMPSON: 1 pt e/w 20/1 5th odds 7 places SUNGJAI IM: ½pt e/w 60/1 ditto conditions.
WGC MEXICO – TOP CONTINENTAL EUROPEAN:
BERND WEISBERGER: 1pt e/w 11/1 3 places ¼ odds generally
