The PGA TOUR will be traveling from Bermuda to Mexico this week, for the World Technology Championship at Mayakoba, formerly known as the Mayakoba Golf Classic and OHL Classic. El Camaleon Golf Club (par 71, 7,017 yards, Paspalum greens) in Playa Del Carmen has been the only course to host this tournament since it was added to the annual PGA TOUR schedule back in 2007. Victor Hovland has claimed back-to-back wins at El Camaleon, shooting 20-under in 2020 and then 23-under in 2021. Overall, the winner at this par 71 has shot 20-under or better for four straight years.
El Camaleon is a tree-lined coastal course that has water come into play on 10-of-18 holes. With narrow fairways and this course on the shorter side for a par 71, accuracy off the tee is far more crucial than distance, and clubbing down off the tee will be a strategy used by most of the field, similar to Port Royal GC last week in Bermuda. While off-the-tee stats are rather irrelevant for research at El Camaleon, targeting players who come into this week with compelling form with their irons is a must. For five years running, the golfer to become a champion at El Camaleon has ranked top-10 in greens in regulation during their wins. This par 71 presents a wide range of holes, with no specific length of hole to focus on. That being said, being efficient on both the par 4s and par 5s will be essential if you want to contend at this birdie fest. Of the past five victors at El Camaleon, four have either led their field or finished runner up in Strokes Gained on the par 4s. Furthermore, three of these five champions have ranked inside the top-five in Strokes Gained on the par 5s during their victories. Finally, the most unique characteristic of El Camaleon is the venue’s Paspalum greens, and while not a must, seeking out golfers who have a strong track record on this rare type of putting surface is a savvy move. Some notable PGA TOUR courses that are home to Paspalum greens are Kiawah Island for the 2021 PGA Championship, Corales Golf Club for the Corales Championship, Grand Reserve Country Club for the Puerto Rico Open and TPC Kuala Lumpur for the CIMB Classic prior to the renovations for the 2019 edition of the event.
After the very underwhelming field at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, five of the top-20 ranked golfers in the world are competing at El Camaleon this week, headlined by No. 2 ranked golfer, Scottie Scheffler. The bomber is the betting favorite for the World Technology Championship on the DraftKings Sportsbook at +900, with Hovland not far behind at +1000, as the Norwegian seeks his third straight title in Mexico. In total, this field consists of 130 players and there will be a top-65 and ties cut following the first two rounds.
Below, I dive into four of my favorite bargain plays for the World Technology Championship, that all cost less than $7.5K.
Adam Long ($7,400) – Long is difficult to overlook at this cheap price tag. The 35-year-old has made three cuts in a row and has advanced to the weekend at 14 of his last 16 events, notably finishing T35 or better at 10 of these tournaments. Statistically, Long ranks third in greens in regulation, seventh in SG: Putting, second in bogeys avoided and fourth in Strokes Gained on par 4s when we compare this field’s last 50 rounds. To put the icing on the cake, the Duke graduate has been stellar at El Camaleon, finishing T3, T2 and T22 over the last three years, giving Long the best average finish at the par 71 of this entire field.
J.J. Spaun ($7,300) – For very good reason, Spaun carries the best odds to win the World Technology Championship of all the golfers priced under $7.5K this week, at +6000 on the DraftKings Sportsbook. Including three top-25 finishes, the 32-year-old has only missed one cut in his past eight starts coming into this week. During that stretch, Spaun has gained strokes with his irons at five-of-eight events. Additionally, Spaun ranks 11th in par-4 efficiency over his last 24 rounds. On top of the promising current form, Spaun owns a spotless six-for-six record at El Camaleon, including four top-30 finishes, most notably with a T3 in 2018. Via the DraftKings Sportsbook, Spaun’s +6000 outright odds are the same as Russell Henley – who costs $1.1K more for DFS purposes – showing you how underpriced Spaun is for his upside this week.
Joel Dahmen ($7,200) – Dahmen is another outstanding combination of course history and current form that is far too cheap this week. In five appearances at El Camaleon, the bucket hat wearing ball striker has never missed a cut and has carded three top-25 finishes, including a T6 three years ago. Now, returning to Mexico riding a three made cut streak including two top-20 finishes, Dahmen is poised to add another high finish to his impressive Mayakoba resume this weekend. During this run, the 34-year-old gained strokes on approach at all three tournaments and shot under par in 10-of-12 rounds.
Russell Knox ($7,100) – While not known for his putting, Knox is at his best on Paspalum – ranking 11th in Total Strokes Gained when we compare this field’s last 50 rounds on the rare putting surface - which has translated to immense success for the Scottish professional at El Camaleon. In nine attempts at the par 71, Knox has made eight cuts and has never finished worse than T37th among those times he proceeded to the weekend. Specifically, Knox lost in a playoff to Graeme McDowell in 2016, then finished T3 and T9 the next two seasons. Arriving in Mexico as the maker of seven of his last nine cuts, Knox should easily out produce this low salary, which is notably the lowest the 37-year-old has ever been priced for an event at El Camaleon.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is Hunta512) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.