Niall Lyons picks out six selections in this week's World Wide Technology Championship at El Cardonal At Diamante, Los Cabos, Mexico.
World Wide Technology Championship
World Wide Technology Championship will be held at El Cardonal At Diamante, Los Cabos, Mexico.
Mayakoba was ditched a few years ago for this Tiger Woods designed golf course and the two couldn't be any more different.
Whilst El Cameleon was all about fairways and greens this golf course has some of the widest fairways and easiest to hit greens on tour.
The winner two years ago Erik Van Rooyen hit a whopping 86% of greens throughout the week and only ranked 18th in that category.
Unfortunately we don't get strokes gained statistics from the couple of years this course has been used. We did assume that it would suit the longest hitters in the field with the ability to open the shoulders and not give a monkeys about where it goes.
Adam Long in fact hit every fairway two years ago whilst Van Rooyen hit 92% and only ranked 27th.
Fairways and greens are easy here, and in fact what it came down to was a putting contest. Five of the top 7 in the field that year were in the top 10 for putting average for the week and there's little doubt that's where it will be won and lost again this year.
Last year once again Eckroat only ranked 55th in driving distance so we can't assume because of the wide fairways that this suits the bombers, it's difficult to rule anybody out.
World Wide Technology Championship Tips
- 1.5pts each-way A.Eckroat 50/1 (1/5 8) Skybet
- 1.25pts each-way S.Jaeger 60/1 (1/5 6) Starsports
- 1pt each-way B.Kohles 100/1 (1/5 8) Skybet
- 1pt each-way C.Young 100/1 (1/5 8) Skybet
- 1pt each-way T.Hoge 200/1 (1/5 6) Quinnbet, Betway, 888sport, 10bet
- 1pt each-way T.Montgomery 90/1 (1/5 8) Bet365
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Austin Eckroat at 45/1 (Eight Places)
The defending champion has been somewhat overlooked in the market for me and he'll be on my staking plan at anything north of 45/1.
Truly speaking bar the top two in the market who aren't exactly prolific, this tournament is wide open and Eckroat has the class to pose a real threat to that twosome. I'd be more of a buyer of Spaun's stock long term than I would be of Ben Griffin's so I have to say I was tempted by the 14/1 about this year's US Open champion.
Even though it was the US Open it is only one victory in the space of nearly three and a half years so I'd be reluctant of taking short prices in a shoot out such as this.
Eckroat though has two wins in that space of time and has shown a lot of class during two victories. I'm convinced there will be more to come too and his performances here suggest there is every chance he contends once again.
His 8 rounds of golf here read 69-69-65-68-68-67-66-63. Quite simply that is someone who loves this golf course and has scored with ease upon it. 56th in Japan is not much of much concern for someone not used to travelling to those parts and instead look back to his 11th in the Procure in a really strong field as a sign of what he can produce.
A repeat of that effort should see him go close here and he looks a lot more likely than many around him in this price bracket.
Stephan Jaeger at 60/1 (Six Places)
Stephan Jaeger bounced back to some sort of form last time out in Utah with an 11th place finish and had he managed a better first round it could have been a lot better.
El Cardonal should give him some grace with the driver as that's the club he has struggled with the most throughout a miserable Summer and Autumn period.
The German loves a birdie fest and has the short game capabilities to shoot really low scores here over the four days.
After opening rounds of 66 and 65 he lay 3rd after two days here a couple of years ago and with solid iron play in his two starts in October he could well build upon that first top 20 in six months gained in Utah.
Ben Kohles at 100/1 (Eight Places)
Ben Kohles has been about for quite a while now without landing a victory with a runner up at the Byron Nelson last year being his closest call.
Four wins on the Korn Ferry Tour though suggests that he is more than capable and courses such as this that don't demand an awful lot of length despite the yardage will give him the best chance.
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Four rounds in the 60s in Utah is solid preparation for this and that top 20 there could have been a fair bit better had he managed to putt better.
His effort on the greens that week was a lot better than what he has become accustomed to of late though with woeful form on the greens plaguing his season to date.
His approach play has been phenomenal though ranking 9th on the tour this season in that category.
Carson Young at 100/1 (Eight Places)
Carson Young may not have a PGA Tour victory to his name just yet but he does have a Korn Ferry Tour victory in Panama not too far away from where the action is this week.
Back in November of 2023 Young had missed his previous two cuts before finishing 9th at El Cardonal whilst last year he didn't much form to write home about before finishing 2nd just one shot behind the winner Austin Eckroat.
His iron play at the Procure was fine when missing the cut then he ranked 3rd in the field in approach play at Jackson next time out.
A poor effort in Utah is a shade concerning but it seems like a week for some speculative bets and having shown flashes in recent weeks with his irons and a great record here it all adds up here for Young.
Tom Hoge at 200/1 (Six Places)
Rounds of 68-70-68-70 left Tom Hoge down the field in 42nd in Utah but that was somewhat acceptable following a dismal run since his 7th placed finish at the Memorial in May.
Most parts of his game have struggled since then but 6th in the field in strokes gained approach at the Black Desert course a few weeks ago is a really encouraging sign.
Hoge had a really good start to the season, one which saw him go all the way to the BMW Playoff event courtesy of a top 3 finish at Sawgrass and a top 20 at the Masters.
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At his best Hoge would be a quarter of his pre tournament price and off the back of that really nice iron performance in Utah I believe he is worth the risk here at a venue that doesn't demand an awful lot of length off the tee.
1pt each-way T.Hoge 200/1 (1/5 6) Quinnbet, Betway, 888sport, 10bet
Taylor Montgomery at 90/1 (Eight Places)
Francesco Molinari wasn't all too bad in Utah and his first made cut on the PGA Tour in a while could be the catalyst for something better in the near future.
Another triple figure poke I'm interested in though is Taylor Montgomery and I'll back him to land a maiden victory here at a venue that should suit.
He has made the weekend here on both occasions without making much of a splash but on a going week he could really make his presence felt. His driver is obviously his biggest problem and this course definitely eases up on the pressure of that club.
From then on he's been reasonably good lately with his irons and his red putter continues to be his main weapon.
Solid iron play both at Silverado and Jackson is a big positive and with some solid efforts of late on the KFT also he doesn't look a million miles away.
Courses where the driver is one of the least important clubs in the bag remain his best chance of a landing a victory and with a bit of a putting contest here to play out should he hit his irons well he has a great chance of landing a blow.
