Draws & Fades: Look to co-leader Jake Knapp to break free from Mexico Open at Vidanta logjam
Four players are tied for the lead at the Mexico Open at Vidanta, creating a logjam at the top of the leaderboard. Jake Knapp, Matt Wallace, Sami Valimaki, and Alvaro Ortiz are currently leading at 11 under through two rounds. The tournament has a wide range of odds for potential winners, with Knapp listed at +375. With the halfway point reached, it is expected that the winner will come from the top 10 players on the leaderboard. Leading the field in strokes gained: approach and strokes gained: off the tee, Knapp is a strong contender for the title. Mark Hubbard, currently three shots off the pace at 8-under, is also a player to watch with his strong putting and approach play. On the other hand, Tony Finau, despite being a star player, has shorter odds to win but is five shots back at 6-under. It is unlikely for him to make a comeback and successfully defend his title.
Draws
Jake Knapp is currently leading the Mexico Open at Vidanta and is a strong contender for the title. He is leading the field in strokes gained: approach and strokes gained: off the tee. Although his putting needs improvement, it is expected that Knapp's putting performance will get better over the next two days.
Mark Hubbard is another player to watch in this tournament. He has been putting great and is currently ranked third in the field for strokes gained: putting. Despite not having the best approach play, Hubbard is still just three shots off the pace at 8-under. If his approach play improves over the weekend and his putting remains solid, he has a good chance to win his first-ever TOUR title.
Fade
Tony Finau, despite being a star player, has shorter odds to win the tournament but is currently five shots back at 6-under. It is unlikely for him to make a comeback and successfully defend his title. Finau does not rank higher than 27th in any of the four Strokes Gained categories in this field, making it even more improbable for him to climb up the leaderboard.
With 26 players in contention for the title, it becomes increasingly difficult for Finau or any other player outside the top 10 to overcome the competition. While Finau may still have a decent finish, it is unlikely that he will find another gear to win the tournament.
Mexico Open: How to watch Round 3 from Vidanta Vallarta
Details on how to watch Round 3 of the Mexico Open at Vidanta Vallarta can be found here.
Wallace, three others share lead halfway through Vidanta
Matt Wallace, Sami Valimaki, and Alvaro Ortiz are currently tied with Jake Knapp for the lead at the halfway mark of the Mexico Open at Vidanta.
Erik Van Rooyen, the first-round leader, is one shot back at 10 under. Tony Finau, the defending champion, is among the group at 6 under.
Mexico’s Ortiz ties lead, in position for career-changing weekend at Mexico Open
Alvaro Ortiz, one of the co-leaders at the Mexico Open at Vidanta, has the opportunity for a career-changing weekend. With a strong performance in the final rounds, Ortiz has a good chance to secure his first-ever PGA TOUR win.
