Most-Picked Players: U.S. Open

THE OVERVIEW Club de Golf Chapultepec is in the heart of Mexico, but based on last year’s results, it may be the most European of courses on the PGA TOUR. Consider the leaderboard at the 2017 World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship: Although American Dustin Johnson was the winner, the next four finishers were from Europe. Of the top 10 players, six were from Europe, and of the 27 players who finished T25 or better, there were more Europeans (13) than Americans (12). That’s not a ratio we see very often on the PGA TOUR. The Open Championship, of course, may favor Europeans since it’s played in the United Kingdom and has more Europeans in the field. Obviously, World Golf Championships fields generally will have a higher ratio of Europeans than regular PGA TOUR events, since several of this week’s participants are regulars on the European Tour. Still, perhaps the Europeans have found their comfort zone in the high-altitude course in Mexico City. Of the 65 players in the field, 17 are from Europe – including seven from England. “It is a very European layout,â€� said Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, runner-up last year to Johnson. “Last year it just reminded us of playing in Italy or some of the courses that we play. And it wasn’t just me that played well last year, there were a lot of Europeans up there. “It just is a bit of a European layout, a bit (more) of an old-school golf course (than) ones we’re kind of used to playing a little bit. It’s still different, it’s still a long way above sea level and the greens are a bit (more) slopey than what we’re used to. So there are still differences that we don’t get but just the general feel of when you’re walking down the fairways and seeing the tee shots, it’s tree-lined, that is quite a European feel to it.â€� Ironically, one of Europe’s best players did not fare well in Mexico last year. England’s Justin Rose failed to break 70 in his four rounds, eventually finishing T38 – even though he ranked first in strokes gained: tee to green. He may enter this week as Europe’s hottest player, having won three times in his last eight starts to move to No. 5 in the world. (Spain’s Jon Rahm, at No. 2, is the highest-ranked European in the world.) Rose doesn’t subscribe to the theory that Chapultepec favors long hitters, despite Johnson’s success last year. “It shouldn’t be a golf course that really suits the long hitter,â€� he said. “I think it’s the kind of golf course that suits everybody and offers everybody the opportunity to play well. It’s very strategic, there’s a lot of wedges in hand for most of the field. Yeah, it’s about kind of just getting the ball in the hole this week. “Just from memory, you can be aggressive, you can try and take it over tree lines occasionally. But if you’re on your own, that works for a long hitter, but equally there’s a lot of risk with that as well. So game plan’s very important around here, but I think all types of players can find their way around the golf course.â€� All types of players from all parts of the world, that is. THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER Dustin Johnson Defending champ is the only player to complete the World Golf Championships Slam. Justin Thomas FedExCup champ was the 54-hole leader a year ago before shooting a disappointing 72 on Sunday. Justin Rose His last five wins have come in Hong Kong, Rio de Janeiro, Shanghai, Turkey and Jakarta. THE FLYOVER The 388-yard 18th is not the shortest par 4 on the course – in fact, there are three par 4s on the front nine that are shorter – but it’s the shortest and easiest par 4 on the back nine, offering players a chance to make up ground with a closing birdie. A year ago, it played to a stroke average of 3.974. THE LANDING ZONE The most difficult hole at Chapultepec is the 525-yard eighth, which just so happens to be the longest par 4 on the course. With a stroke average of 4.359 last year, the hole ranked as the 12th most difficult of all 900 holes on the PGA TOUR last season. Just 24 birdies were made against 104 bogeys, 10 doubles and three others, with the tree-lined fairway and heavily guarded multi-tiered green adding to the challenge. Here is where all tee shots landed last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Wade Stettner: “The weather pattern from Thursday through Sunday calls for sunny skies each morning with scattered thunderstorms each afternoon. Thunderstorms tend to develop after 4 p.m. in the mountains to our west and drift in the direction of the upper-level winds. Temperatures will be seasonal this week, with highs in the upper 70s each day and overnight lows in the 50s.â€�  For the latest weather news from Mexico City, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK “I like the course, it’s a fun little track. The course reminds me a lot of the Web(.com Tour) events I played down in South America. I played well in some of those, so I kind of have hopefully those good vibes and just got to hopefully get some more this week.â€� BY THE NUMBERS 7,835 – Altitude, by feet, of the highest point at Chapultepec. The lowest point is 7,603 feet. The course has the highest altitude of any on the PGA TOUR – nearly 2,000 feet higher than Montreux Golf & Country Club in Reno, Nevada. 77 – Number of hole-outs at last year’s WGC-Mexico Championship. That’s the most of any single event in the history of the World Golf Championships. 317.47 – Average distance (by yards) of tee shots at Chapultec last year when using a driver. That was the highest average using a driver of any course on TOUR last year. 528 – Scorecard yardage for the third hole at Chapultepec. Just two other par-4 holes were longer on the PGA TOUR last season – the 17th at Kapalua (549 yards) and the fourth at TPC Four Seasons (529 yards). SCATTERSHOTS Jordan Spieth has not won in his last 13 worldwide starts. That’s his longest drought since the 37 worldwide starts in between his first professional win at the 2013 John Deere Classic and his next win at the 2014 Australian Open. Here are the driving-distance leaders from last year’s event, broken down by club used: Driver (Rory McIlroy at 350.34 yards); Fairway wood (Justin Thomas at 333.52 yards); Iron (Dustin Johnson at 285.13 yards). Six players are making their World Golf Championships debuts this week – Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, Spain’s Jorge Campillo, South Africa’s Dylan Frittelli, Australia’s Wade Ormsby, England’s Chris Paisley and India’s Shubhankar Sharma. There are two fully-exempt players from Mexico on the PGA TOUR – Abraham Ancer (who was born in Texas but raised in Reynosa, Mexico) and Roberto Diaz (born in Veracruz). A year ago, Diaz finished T67, but he is not in the field this week. Ancer is in the field this week as the world’s highest-ranked golfer from Mexico.

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Through two rounds at The Open Championship, Cameron Smith leads by two strokes, highlighted by an 8-under 64 in Friday’s second round. But there are plenty of top players right behind him, which will make for a great weekend of live golf betting. There are plenty of options this weekend for golf betting at the BetMGM online sportsbook, including some special prop bets for some leaders heading into Saturday’s third round. Smith (-13) leads Cameron Young (-11) by two shots and then Rory McIlroy (-10) and Viktor Hovland (-10) by three shots. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (-8) sits five shots back after back-to-back 68s. Let’s break down the numbers on the props to see if there’s value to be found. Birdie the first hole: Rory McIlroy (+275), Cameron Smith (+275), Scottie Scheffler (+275) The par-4 first hole played slightly over par in the first two rounds, yielding 55 birdies to 37 bogeys and 45 scores of double-bogey or worse. Specific to the three players, McIlroy and Smith made one birdie against one par on the hole in the first two rounds, while Scheffler made a bogey in Friday’s second round after making par on Thursday. To shoot 68 or lower: Rory McIlroy (+110), Scottie Scheffler (+120), Cameron Smith (+130) Shooting 68 or lower means going 4-under or better at St. Andrews. All three players have done this through the first two rounds so far this week. In third-round scoring this year, Smith and Scheffler have the advantage over McIlroy. Scheffler ranks third on TOUR this year in third-round scoring, Smith is eighth and McIlroy is 115th. To make an eagle: Rory McIlroy (+900), Cameron Smith (+900), Scottie Scheffler (+900) With only two par-5s at St. Andrews, there are limited eagle chances. Some of par-4s are drivable depending on wind direction, but the par-5 fifth hole and par-5 14th hole will be the best opportunity. There have been 26 eagles in the first two rounds, 12 of which came on the fifth and 14th holes. Smith is the only one of the three players to make an eagle this week (14th hole on Friday). 6 or more birdies/eagles: Rory McIlroy (+100), Scottie Scheffler (+105), Cameron Smith (+110) McIlroy and Smith have accomplished this in both rounds this week, while Scheffler has made five birdies/eagles to one bogey in both of his rounds. For the year, all three players rank high in birdies per round. Smith ranks second (4.7), Scheffler third (4.66), and McIlroy sixth (4.39). Bogey free: Rory McIlroy (+900), Scottie Scheffler (+1000), Cameron Smith (+1100) Smith is the only player of the three to have a bogey-free round this week, which came on Friday. Scheffler has made one each day, while McIlroy made one Thursday and two on Friday. In bogey avoidance this year, Scheffler is 18th, McIlroy 24th, and Smith T-57th. * Visit BetMGM.com for terms and conditions. 21+ years of age or older to wager. BetMGM is available in AZ, CO, DC, IA, IN, IL, LA, MI, MS, NJ, NV, NY, PA, TN, VA, WV, or WY only. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Paid in free bets. Free bets expire in 7 days from issuance. Minimum deposit required. Excludes Michigan Disassociated Persons. Please Gamble Responsibly. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, DC, LA, NV, WY, VA), 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help (MI), 1-800-GAMBLER (IN, NJ, PA & WV), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA) or call (877-8-HOPENY) or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), call or text the Tennessee REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN) or call 1-888-777-9696 (MS). Sports betting is void where prohibited. Promotional offers not available in Nevada.

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