2023 World Wide Technology Championship: Betting Odds, Picks and a Prop for El Cardonal at Diamante
I don’t know if there has ever been a more drastic venue change on the PGA Tour than what the field will face at the World Wide Technology Championship. For 16 years, the Tour has visited Riviera Maya and the Greg Norman-designed Mayakoba Resort. Russell Henley won the final edition on the east coast of Mexico, and now the field of 132 players has traveled west to the southern tip of Baja to Cabo San Lucas. A picturesque resort community called Diamante is home to 36-holes of championship golf.
One of the courses is called El Cardonal and it was created by Tiger Woods. It opened in 2014 as Tiger’s first design and now the first course being used by the PGA Tour. I always knew there would be a time where Woods’s business empire would collide with the Tour. It makes sense, and as the Big Cat winds down his playing career we see him accept a special role on the PGA Tour Policy Board, collaborate with the TGL and employ one of his courses as a host venue. Pretty keen business strategy if you ask me.
The 7,452-yard scorecard displays four par-3s and 5s along with 10 par-4s playing to a par-72. Long by Tour standards, is there any surprise that Tiger would create a course that favors power? If you remember, Mayakoba was quite the opposite setting. Fairways lined with mangrove trees and tight target golf set the scene. Woods favors the resort golfer as the greens average 8,300 square feet, the fairways measure 60 yards wide on most holes and there is only one hole where water comes into play.
Our expert likes a Texan to continue his hot play this fall.
Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire
I’m not surprised either by the hole architecture either. Two reachable par-4s, six more par-4s over 460 yards long and four very scorable par-5s. Some books have the winning total over/under at 23.5 under par! This will be a birdiefest as the weather forecast is as serene as the setting. Temperatures are expected to reach the high 80s each of the four days and there is little wind predicted. Wind would be the only challenge these men face as they compete for an $8.2 million purse and $1.476 million for first place.
The top 65 and ties make the weekend which means more than half the field will get paid for this vacation. Tiger is the greatest approach player of all time, specifically long-iron acumen. With so many scorable holes where long irons and woods come into play one can see Tiger’s DNA throughout. Woods also loved par-5 scoring and low scores. To reach the trophy on Sunday a player will need close to 27 or 28 sub-par scores.
Even though the fairways are more than generous, if you miss one you are in the desert. Recovery from sand and stone will be difficult and could lead to one or two bogeys over 72 holes. With such large greens, I have also looked at approach putting. Lag putting is the art of getting that first putt close when it starts more than 30 feet from the hole. We will see 80- to 100-foot putts in Cabo and that can be difficult for anyone with a flatstick in hand.
Considering the size of the greens, short-game play won’t be much of influence on scoring outside of the par-5s and reachable par-4s to get up and down for birdie. Overall, power is really going to be the key. Playing 7,400-plus yards over four rounds requires some serious ball speed. Watch for those in the field who can really move it. Their approaches will be closer than the remainder of the field and allow them to increase their proximity to the hole.
Even though the Tour has not visited El Cardonal before, we have some interesting comparisons to consider. Coastal courses like those at Diamante use Paspalum grass on the greens, fairways and tees. This sticky blend of blade is especially resilient around sea water and resort sunlight. Puerto Rico, Punta Cana and Puerto Vallarta also use the same grass. Whether we look at Corales or Vidanta Vallarta, we can get some relevant player history.
I cannot wait to see the Tour take on Tiger’s vision. I know it is his first design, but the players' ability to score and game plan around his course will help Woods evolve as an architect. We have a fun field with only five players in the top 50 OWGR. The FedEx Cup Fall has three weeks left to get inside the top 125 and earn those PGA Tour cards. Enjoy the entertainment on the west coast in the evening and make some money with my Win, Place and Show.
Win: Beau Hossler
In his last two starts, Beau Hossler has finished seventh and second. In four starts this fall, he has not finished outside the top 30. The Texas star has been outshined by his teammate Scottie Scheffler and the ballstriking of Doug Ghim on Tour, but now Hossler is gaining six strokes total against the field in his last five starts. He's first in the field in par-4 scoring and is excellent around and on the green. Those skills will serve him well with two short par-4s and four par-5s. In April, Hossler finished 10th in Mexico gaining nearly nine shots on the field. I believe he gets comfortable again down south and contends late Sunday afternoon. Take Beau Hossler to win the World Wide Technology Championship (+2500 SI Sportsbook).
Last pick: Cameron Champ was tabbed to win at the Zozo Championship, he finished 59th.
Place: Callum Tarren
In each of his four fall starts, Callum Tarren has gained positive strokes total against the field. His worst finish was 43rd at the Sanderson and best was a seventh at the Fortinet. He’s ranked in the top six in the field for driving distance gained and approach. Watch the Paspalum putter perform south of the border as he contends on Tiger’s track. Take Callum Tarren to finish Top 40 (+100 BetMGM).
Last pick: Our man picked Adam Svensson to finish top 20; a final-round 65 picked up some spots but not enough in a T41 week.
Showdown: Taylor Pendrith over Akshay Bhatia
Akshay Bhatia will be a popular pick this week, but the fact is he has lost strokes with his approach game in all four fall starts. The putter is inconsistent as well, which means the young phenom will be tough to back in Baja. Taylor Pendrith finished third in Las Vegas and is gaining positively tee-to-green consistently and bombs the ball. Take Taylor Pendrith over Akshay Bhatia H2H (+105 DraftKings).
Last pick: The showdown at Zozo favored native Hideki Matsuyama (T51) over Sahith Theegala (T19), no dice.
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Select Odds to Win at SI Sportsbook
Ludvig Aberg +900
Cameron Young +1200
Sahith Theegala +1400
Lucas Glover +2200
Beau Hossler +2500
Emiliano Grillo +2500
Stephan Jaeger +2500
Adam Svensson +2800
Akshay Bhatia +2800
J.J. Spaun +3000
Thomas Detry +3000
Chris Kirk +3300
Justin Suh +3500
Keith Mitchell +3500
Luke List +3500
Davis Thompson +4000
Lucas Herbert +4000
Mark Hubbard +4000
Matt Kuchar +4000
Andrew Putnam +4500
Ben Griffin +4500
Cameron Champ +4500
Taylor Pendrith +4500
Chris Gotterup +5000
Taylor Montgomery +5000