The WGC-Mexico Championship was the first World Golf Championship of the season which proved to be a spectacular event that was thrilling from start to finish. Here Scott Grayston picks out five things we learned from the tournament.
Rory is a beast
Everyone already knows Rory McIlroy is one of the biggest hitters in the game but the World No.1’s 410-yard drive on the par four 12th flew onto the green. Check this out below…
Rory just drove the green on a 415 yard par 4 #WGCMexico pic.twitter.com/xRQMIcPWUe
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) February 22, 2020
McIlroy’s fifth place finish in Mexico was his seventh top five finish in succession and two of those were victories. The 30 year old is on fire!
Erik Van Rooyen is the real deal
Rewind two years and Van Rooyen had just graduated from the Challenge Tour, a year later he became the European Tour Graduate of the Year and now the South African is one of the world’s best. He finished tied-third this week with his main highlight being a round of 62 on the second day, which has helped him rise to 40th in the world. We can only see this ranking improving as he has now secured his spot in the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass where he can show he is more than ready to contend week in, week out with golf’s elite.
A good week to ring in the 30’s. Fun in Mexico! #Vamos pic.twitter.com/Dmz8Ux8qNx
— Erik van Rooyen (@FredVR_) February 24, 2020
Matt Wallace has lost his way
It’s sad to see Matt Wallace near the bottom of the leaderboard again in Mexico (tied 58th) but it almost seems a regular occurrence in recent months. Since winning three European Tour titles in 2018 and becoming one of the biggest stars in golf, the Callaway man has struggled to live up to the high expectations. He did finish seventh on the Race to Dubai last season but most expected him to be higher after a tied third finish in the US PGA Championship as well as many other impressive performances. However, in Wallace’s last eight tournaments he hasn’t finished higher than 28th and has been outside the top 40 in his last four events. He’s only missed the cut once at the Dubai Desert Classic in this time but you expect more from the 29 year old.
Jon Rahm is a Major champion in the making
Rahm proved yet again how talented he is this week in Mexico with a tied-third outing that included a course record 61. He was elated after his second PGA Tour hole in one that you can watch along with his round highlights below:
The lowest round of his career.
A new tournament record.
A new course record.
A hole-in-one.
T22 ➡️ T4Have a day, @JonRahmPGA. pic.twitter.com/bYlFu1lTra
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 23, 2020
The Spaniard has risen to second in the world and will leapfrog Rory into World No.1 if he secures his first Major title this season, which you wouldn’t back against with the form that the reigning Race to Dubai champion is showing.
Hideki Matsuyama is back!
Matsuyama has struggled with a recurring wrist injury but seems to be returning back to his best after securing a tied-sixth finish in Mexico which is his ninth top 20 finish in his last 10 tournaments. This sort of sizzling form is what helped him rise up to No.2 in the world in 2017. The Japanese World No.20 has all the stats to prove his talent. Last week in the Genesis Invitational where he finished tied-fifth, he led the entire field in strokes gained: off-the-tee, and was also first in strokes gained: tee-to-green. Still only 27 years old, there’s no doubt that Matsuyama is back!
