Mayakoba Classic: Johnson looks just the job in Mexico

The Punter / Steven Rawlings / 21 February 2012 / 2

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Johnson Wagner – A great bet according to The Punter

“Johnson Wagner’s case is a cast-iron one and it’s hard to find fault. He’s in the best form of his career I think he’s a great bet.”

It may not be topping the bill this week but The Punter thinks the Mayakoba Classic offers up a great bet. Read his preview here...

Tournament
The Mayakoba Classic was the PGA Tour's first foray down Mexico way when it debuted in 2007 and it's been quite a hit. So much so that it's future is now assured until 2018. It has always been played out opposite the WGC World Match Play so the field is always relatively weak.

Venue
El Camaleon, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Course Details
Par 70, 6,923 yards, stroke average in 2011 - 70.63
This diverse Greg Norman designed track opened in 2005. It's a course that takes in three differing landscapes - tropical jungle, dense mangroves, and oceanfront.

Useful Sites

Course Guide

Official Event Site

Tee times

TV Coverage
Although live on the Golf Channel, there doesn't appear to be any planned coverage anywhere else, so most UK viewers are going to miss out.

First Five Winners
2011 - Johnson Wagner -17 (Playoff)
2010 - Cameron Beckman -11
2009 - Mark Wilson -13
2008 - Brian Gay -16
2007 - Fred Funk -14 (playoff)

Typical Winner
Experienced accurate pros prosper here and there's a very strong correlation between this event and the Sony Hawaii Open played at Waialae country Club. Wagner and Wilson have both won the Sony since winning here.

Market leaders
Defending champion, Johnson Wagner, heads the market and rightly so. He won here on debut last year when he wasn't in form. He comes here in much better nick and with the benefit of course experience.

Spencer Levin was the man Wagner beat in the playoff twelve months ago and he'll be keen to lay two ghosts to rest in one hit. He'll want to avenge that defeat, as well as gaining compensation for his final round collapse at the WM Phoenix Open.

Brian Gay trades at third best and his figures here are impressive (41-1-20-5) but he's been fairly disappointing of late and at less than [20.0] makes little appeal.

Jarrod Lyle was a last minute alternate at last week's Northern Trust Open and he made the most of his opportunity, finishing in a tie for fourth. He'll be chomping at the bit to get going again here and given he's finished in the top-ten in each of his last three appearance he'll have his followers.

Selections
A case could be made about a plethora of players here. The likes of Rory Sabatini, Robert Allenby, Jerry Kelly and Charles Howell III all have plenty of form around Waialae and the likes of Heath Slocum and Chad Campbell both have the right profile and bits of form here but in the end I've just backed three...

Johnson Wagner's case is a cast-iron one and it's hard to find fault. He's in the best form of his career and I don't think Mike Norman goes far enough when he says he's definitely worth keeping an eye on. I think he's a great bet.

Stephen Ames pitched up at the Puerto Rico Open (played at a similar course) last year in no sort of form at all and should have won. This place looks ideal for Ames and he could well do the same thing again.

And finally, it's a weakness I know, but I've backed the injury ravaged Matt Bettencourt once again.

Mayakoba Classic Selections:
Johnson Wagner @ [16.5]
Stephen Ames @ [85.0]
Matt Bettencourt @ [230.0]

I'll be back on Thursday morning with a look at the state of play at the WGC World Match Play.

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(2)

Justsomeone | 21 February 2012

Bettencourt or Couples?
Steve Rawlings | 22 February 2012

Thanks justsomeone, a typo. Bettencourt all the way!