Mexico Open 2026: Dave Tindall's each-way picks from 30/1 to 60/1

Introduction to the Mexico Open

It's a double dose of Mexico on the PGA Tour over the next fortnight as players battle to finish in the top 100 of the FedEx Cup Fall standings and secure their cards for 2027.

First up is the Mexico Open at Vidanta Vallarta, a par 71 that measures 7,337 yards. It's playing host for the fifth time.

The Greg Norman design features water in play on all but four of its holes and is definitely one for bombers. The fairways are wide and the the rough is minimal.

Being so close to the ocean, the greens are Paspalum and the par of 71 is reached by having five par 3s as well as the standard four par 5s.

The routing has been changed this year but essentially the test is the same although the switch to October should be noted. The previous two editions took place in February.

The first three winners - Jon Rahm (April/May 2022), Tony Finau (April 2023), Jake Knapp (February 2024) back up the idea that big hitters thrive. Brian Campbell's victory last February does not but it's very much the exception to the rule and he beat the PGA Tour's longest driver, Aldrich Potgieter, in a playoff.

The four winning scores: -17, -24, -19, -20. Sunshine and modest winds suggest -20 could be reached again.

Mexico Open Bet 1: Neal Shipley each-way @ 30/131.00

Greg Norman, the course designer, was a great driver of the ball and it would be fitting if the PGA Tour's Strokes Gained: Off The Tee leader lifted the trophy.

That man is Neal Shipley, the 25-year-old who was low amateur in both the 2024 Masters (remember the The Office style shifty look to camera?) and 2024 US Open.

After two Korn Ferry Tour wins in 2025, expectations were high for 2026 but he started this year by missing nine of his first 10 cuts.

It's taken a long time to turn the corner but Shipley has now cashed in each of his last six starts.

There are clear highlights in that run. At the Biltmore Championship, he opened 65-62-65 and finished third before backing that up with a top 10 at the Bank of Utah.

A 34th in Bermuda last week was decent but he still needs a late surge to secure his playing privileges for 2027.

While excellent driving is a given, the rest of his game is not but there have been strong signs in various departments in recent weeks.

Shipley was fourth for SG: Putting and 14th Around The Green at the Biltmore and fourth for Approach in Utah. He was positive in all the SG categories in Bermuda.

At the Biltmore, he said: "Just going to keep doing what I'm doing. Keep being me and keep having fun out there. Keep that mindset of going out there, chasing birdies, and trying to get it as low as possible.

"Been reading the greens a lot better. Worked on that at home. Kind of been making a switch over to a little bit more of an AimPoint style of reading greens and that's been really helpful.

"Giving me a lot more confidence on the greens with what I'm seeing and matching it up to what I'm feeling with my feet."

Perhaps Shipley's most encouraging line, in terms of confidence, was this: "I'm playing really well and I know it's a matter of time for me."

It's his course debut but 18th on his last start in Mexico (Korn Ferry 2025) helps and, on current form, he looks ready to get that breakout win.

Mexico Open Bet 2 - Luke Clanton each-way @ 45/146.00

Big things were expected of Luke Clanton when he made real waves on the PGA Tour as an amateur.

After finishing 41st in the US Open while still at Florida State University, he played some outstanding golf from June to November.

In seven PGA Tour starts, Clanton was runner-up at both the John Deere Classic and RSM Classic, fifth in the Wyndham Championship and 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

But after turning pro in 2025, the 22-year-old really struggled to live up to his billing as a potential superstar.

However, the talent that took him to No.1 in the World Amateur rankings is starting to shine through again.

He was fifth in Puerto Rico back in March, that result scoring extra significance points as it came by the coast on Paspalum grass.

And Clanton heads to Mexico this week on the back of three top 20s in five starts. The latest two are seventh in the Bank of Utah Championship and 11th in last week's weather-shortened Bermuda Championship.

Despite a very mixed campaign, Clanton ranks 20th for SG: Approach and 13th in Proximity to Hole (a key stat here).

Add in an improved performance with the putter in Bermuda last week (11th SGP) and he's definitely of interest here.

Like Shipley, he needs a move up the FedEx charts to secure his card so there is major incentive too.

It's a jump of 45/146.00 (5 Places) from 33/134.00 (10 Places) so I'll take the former.

Mexico Open Bet 3: Isaiah Salinda each-way @ 60/161.00

Isaiah Salinda is an interesting runner this week as he continues his return to the game.

The 29-year-old from California took a break from golf earlier this year, citing a need to get better both physically and mentally.

"I feel like it's kind of been a long time coming with this decision, I didn't really think about taking this break up till about two weeks ago," Salinda said at the time.

"Last year was tough for a lot of reasons and kind of drained me. I was kind of going down a path I didn't want to, so I figured I needed to take some time to prioritize my health and come back better.

"It will be at least a few months, but I am planning to come back before the end of the year in the fall," he added.

True to his word, Salinda has now returned and made two of three cuts. He was 57th at the Biltmore (69-66 on the weekend), missed the cut in Utah despite a Friday 68 and then, most promising of all, was 11th in Bermuda last week after shooting 69-65-67. Who knows where he'd have ended up with a crack at a fourth round.

He really comes into the crosshairs here after finishing third last year when missing the playoff by a single shot. Salinda shot 65s on days one and four.

Speaking that week, he said: "I love this place, this resort's awesome. Big fan of this golf course, I think it suits me really well. Yeah, I love everything about this place."

Salinda also shot two rounds of 65 when landing his one Korn Ferry title in 2024, the Panama Championship. That was by a massive eight strokes and also took place outside of the US.

Last year he ranked 27th for Driving Distance so hopefully that big hitting can pave the way for another strong week in Mexico.

Now read Steve Rawlings' in-depth preview of the Mexico Open

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