Breven Honda
For the first time in 2023, the PGA Tour goes outside the United States south of the border for the Mexico Open at Vidanta in Vallarta, Mexico, just north of Puerto Vallarta.
This tournament also comes on the same weekend Major League Baseball has the San Diego Padres and the San Francisco Giants face off in Mexico City as Cinco de Mayo is right around the corner.
Last week on the PGA Tour, Davis Riley and Nick Hardy were victorious at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with a tournament record score of 30-under par in the only team event during the regular season.
The 30-under par score surpassed last year’s record score by one stroke from both Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, who finished tied for fourth in their title defense last week.
Coming off the win last week in New Orleans, Riley and Hardy decided to give this week a break and withdraw from the field.
This week for the Mexico Open at Vidanta, it is one of the longest courses on the PGA Tour at 7,456 yards. This par-71 course also features the longest combined par- 4s and 5s on the PGA Tour. Three of the four par-5s are at least 585 yards long and five of the nine par-4s are at least 475 yards.
As a result, this course is going to benefit the long drivers and players who can hit greens with their mid-irons with approach shots in the area of 200 yards.
Also read: PGA Tour announces fall ’23 schedule changes
What channel is the Mexico Open at Vidanta on?
The Mexico Open at Vidanta will be televised between CBS and the Golf Channel.
Television schedule for the Mexico Open at Vidanta
| Round | Date | Time (ET) | TV |
| 1 | Thursday Apr. 27 | 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 2 | Friday Apr. 28 | 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. | Golf Channel |
| 3 | Saturday Apr. 29 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel CBS |
| 4 | Sunday Apr. 30 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Golf Channel CBS |
Other coverage for the Mexico Open at Vidanta
In addition to CBS and the Golf Channel, the Mexico Open at Vidanta will also be broadcasted on ESPN+ and Peacock. PGA Tour Live for the marquee and featured groups can be exclusively found on ESPN+ for all four days of the tournament, in addition to the featured holes at 5, 9, 13, 17. With this event taking place in Mexico, ESPN+ will also provide a Spanish broadcast this week.
The Mexico Open at Vidanta will also be on the airwaves of Sirius XM.
Thursday, April 27 (Round 1)
ESPN+: 8:45 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Peacock: 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Friday, April 28 (Round 2)
ESPN+: 8:45 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Peacock: 3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Saturday, April 29 (Round 3)
ESPN+: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Sunday, April 30 (Round 4)
ESPN+: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
Peacock: 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET
Sirius XM: 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET
How much are tickets for the Mexico Open at Vidanta?
Tickets for the Mexico Open at Vidanta begin at $2,000 pesos to walk the grounds. In addition, the hospitality venue with an Upgrade ticket begins at $3,000 pesos, which gives views of the greens on the first and 15th holes, as well as on the tee boxes at the second and 16th holes.
Children 12 and under can receive free general admission when accompanied by a general access ticketed adult.
Payout for the 2023 Mexico Open at Vidanta
The total purse for the event is set at $7.7 million and the winner will receive $1.3 million. In addition, the winner will receive 500 FedEx Cup points toward the standings.
- 1st place: $1.386 million
- 2nd place: $839,300
- 3rd place: $531,300
- 4th place: $377,300
- 5th place: $315,700
- 6th place: $279,125
- 7th place: $259,875
- 8th place: $240,625
- 9th place: $225,225
- 10th place: $209,825
Who are the best golfers in the Mexico Open at Vidanta?
Headlining the field this week is the reigning champion, Jon Rahm, who is also No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Last year, Rahm took home the trophy with a score of 17-under par, winning by one stroke over Kurt Kitayama, Tony Finau and Brandon Wu. Riley finished solo fifth at -15, rounding out the top five.
Of the three runners-up to compete this week, both Wu and Finau make their return to Mexico as both hold the course record at 8-under 63, which both came in last year’s final round. Last year, both Wu and Finau recorded a three-hole stretch of birdie, eagle, birdie to get to a low Sunday round and the course record.
Finau, No. 11 in the FedEx Cup standings, won the Cadence Bank Houston Open last fall and is one of two players among the top 20 in the standings alongside Rahm (No. 1).
Nico Echavarria, who won the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year and is No. 67 in the FedEx Cup standings, is one of 17 Latin American players in the field.
Who will win the Mexico Open at Vidanta trophy? 5 picks to win on Sunday
Jon Rahm
Jon Rahm is looking to capture his fifth PGA Tour title this week, which would be the most wins in a season since Justin Thomas won five times in 2017.
Rahm, who captured his first green jacket earlier in the month, is first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained: total, birdie average and third in strokes gained: approach the green. Being able to attack greens, while being in the top 10 in greens in regulation percentage and proximity to the hole, is going to be crucial for Rahm, let alone any player in the field this week.
Related: Ranking the top 10 PGA Tour players after the Masters
Tony Finau
As the designated have taken place this season, Tony Finau has been contending but not quite at the top. His best finish at a designated event this season came at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January with a seven-place finish. So far this season, Finau has missed only one cut, which was his first of the year at the World Wide Technology Championship in November and a week before winning the Houston Open.
Finau has three top 10s and nine top-25s this season to go along with leading the PGA Tour in strokes gained: approach the green and in the top 10 in both par 4 and par 5 scoring average. His play, in addition to his experience last year puts him in a position to contend this week.
Patrick Rodgers
Patrick Rodgers has had a nice 2022-23 PGA Tour season by turning 11 of his made cuts into seven top-25s and three top-10s, including a fifth-place finish at the Valero Texas Open four weeks ago. He also tied for 19th two weeks ago at the RBC Heritage.
Although Rodgers is looking for his first PGA Tour win, which would also come with a two-year exemption, he finished inside the top 10 last year.
Wyndham Clark
Wyndham Clark, who enters this week at No. 40 in the FedEx Cup standings has the opportunity to move up with a solid week in a weaker field compared to a designated event. This season, Clark has five top-10s, including in three of his last four events.
The key for Clark this week will be his score, especially early, ranking 14th in par-5 scoring, ninth in front nine scoring average and 15th in early scoring average on the PGA Tour this season. As coastal winds come into play in the afternoons, Clark’s score on Thursday will be crucial to be in contention for the following three days.
Beau Hossler
Clark’s partner last week at the Zurich Classic, Beau Hossler, comes into the Mexico Open at Vidanta with a third-place finish last week after the duo shot an 11-under 61 and a 10-under 62 in the first and third round of four-ball play as Hossler recorded his first top-10 this season.
Currently sitting at No. 75 in the FedEx Cup standings, he is going to need some good performances to get inside the top 70 before the first playoff event, the FedEx St. Jude Championship in August. It can start this week for Hossler.
Mexico Open at Vidanta pairings
All times ET; MG: Marquee Group, FG: Featured Group
| Round 1: 1 tee | Round 2: 10 tee | Players |
| 6:45 a.m. | 11:50 a.m. | Greg Chalmers, Kevin Stadler, D.J. Trahan |
| 6:56 a.m. | 12:01 p.m. | Sung Kang, Grayson Murray, Fabian Gomez |
| 7:07 a.m. | 12:12 p.m. | Wesley Bryan, Peter Malnati, S.H. Kim |
| 7:18 a.m. | 12:23 p.m. | Matrin Laird, Taylor Pendrith, Alex Smalley |
| 7:29 a.m. | 12:34 p.m. | Mark Hubbard, Doc Redman, Max McGreevy |
| 7:40 a.m. | 12:45 p.m. | Derek Ernst, Scott Brown, Cameron Percy |
| 7:51 a.m. | 12:56 p.m. | Nate Lashley, Nick Watney, Jonathan Byrd |
| 8:02 a.m. | 1:07 p.m. | Austin Cook, Ryan Armour, Ben Crane |
| 8:13 a.m. | 1:18 p.m. | Cody Gribble, Tommy Gainey, Ben Taylor |
| 8:24 a.m. | 1:29 p.m. | Dylan Wu, Akshay Bhatia, Steve Jurgensen |
| 8:35 a.m. | 1:40 p.m. | Carson Young, Paul Haley II, Jose Cristobal Islas |
| 8:46 a.m. | 1:51 p.m. | Zechang Dou, Trevor Werbylo, Raul Pereda |
| Round 1: 10 tee | Round 2: 1 tee | Players |
| 6:45 a.m. | 11:50 a.m. | Jonas Blixt, Doug Ghim, Stephan Jaeger |
| 6:56 a.m. | 12:01 p.m. | Michael Kim, Harry Higgs, Robby Shelton, |
| 7:07 a.m. | 12:12 p.m. | Martin Trainer, Hank Lebioda, Eric Cole |
| 7:18 a.m. (MG) | 12:23 p.m. (FG) | Jon Rahm, Emiliano Grillo, Alex Noren |
| 7:29 a.m. (FG) | 12:34 p.m. (MG) | Lucas Glover, Gary Woodland, Austin Smotherman |
| 7:40 a.m. (FG) | 12:45 p.m. (FG) | Matt Wallace, Garrick Higgo, Richy Werenski |
| 7:51 a.m. | 12:56 p.m. | D.A. Points, Beau Hossler, Callum Tarren |
| 8:02 a.m. | 1:07 p.m. | Kevin Streelman, George McNeill, Wyndham Clark |
| 8:13 a.m. | 1:18 p.m. | Sean O’Hair, Patrick Rodgers, Brandon Wu |
| 8:24 a.m. | 1:29 p.m. | Kyle Westmoreland, Ryan Gerard, Cristobal Del Solar |
| 8:35 a.m. | 1:40 p.m. | Harry Hall, Kevin Roy, Jose Toledo |
| 8:46 a.m. | 1:51 p.m. | Boo Weekley, Vincent Normann, Mateo Fernandez de Oliveira |
| Round 1: 1 tee | Round 2: 10 tee | Players |
| 11:50 a.m. | 6:45 a.m. | Jimmy Walker, Bill Haas, Greyson Sigg |
| 12:01 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. | William McGirt, Byeong Hun An, Andrew Novak |
| 12:12 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. | Andrew Putnam, James Hahn, Will Gordon |
| 12:23 p.m. (FG) | 7:18 a.m. (MG) | Nico Echavarria, Tony Finau, Camilo Villegas |
| 12:34 p.m. (MG) | 7:29 a.m. (FG) | Luke List, Cameron Champ, Brandon Matthews |
| 12:45 p.m. (FG) | 7:40 a.m. (FG) | Chez Reavie, Erik van Rooyen, Francesco Molinari |
| 12:56 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. | Brice Garnett, Arjun Atwal, Mathias Schwab |
| 1:07 p.m. | 8:02 a.m. | Patton Kizzire, Ben Martin, S.Y. Noh |
| 1:18 p.m. | 8:13 a.m. | Scott Piercy, Kyle Stanley, Aaron Baddeley |
| 1:29 p.m. | 8:24 a.m. | Austin Eckroat, Augusto Nunez, Zach Bauchou |
| 1:40 p.m. | 8:35 a.m. | Scott Harrington, Carl Yuan, Alejandro Tosti |
| 1:51 p.m. | 8:46 a.m. | Tano Goya, Nicolai Hojgaard, Roberto Lebrija |
| Round 1: 10 tee | Round 2: 1 tee | Players |
| 11:50 a.m. | 6:45 a.m. | Brian Stuard, Kelly Kraft, Joseph Bramlett |
| 12:01 p.m. | 6:56 a.m. | Chris Stroud, Ryan Moore, Lee Hodges |
| 12:12 p.m. | 7:07 a.m. | Dylan Frittelli, Adam Long, Geoff Ogilvy |
| 12:23 p.m. | 7:18 a.m. | Lanto Griffin, J.B. Holmes, Maverick McNealy |
| 12:34 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. | Kevin Tway, Brian Davis, David Lipsky |
| 12:45 p.m. | 7:40 a.m. | Ted Potter Jr., Ricky Barnes, Henrik Norlander |
| 12:56 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. | Satoshi Kodaira, Charley Hoffman, Richard S. Johnson |
| 1:07 p.m. | 8:02 a.m. | Kevin Chappell, Tyson Alexander, Kyle Reifers |
| 1:18 p.m. | 8:13 a.m. | Harrison Endycott, Brent Grant, Jose de Jesus Rodriguez |
| 1:29 p.m. | 8:24 a.m. | Aaron Rai, Michael Gligic, Alvaro Ortiz |
| 1:40 p.m. | 8:35 a.m. | Matti Schmid, Trevor Cone, Sebastian Vazquez |
| 1:51 p.m. | 8:46 a.m. | Derek Lamely, MJ Daffue, Omar Morales |
