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2025 Mexico Open: Preview, Props & Best Bets

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MEXICO OPEN AT VIDANTAWORLD

Location: Vallarta, Mexico (Feb. 20–23)
Course: Vidanta Vallarta Golf Course (Par 71, 7,436 Yards)
Purse: $7M (Winner: $1.26M)
Defending Champion: Jake Knapp
FedEx Cup Leader: Ludvig Aberg

This is one of six national opens this season that award FedExCup points, and the first of two Aon Swing 5 events for 2025. The top five players after this week and the Cognizant Classic (who are not otherwise qualified) will earn entry into the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the year’s fourth signature event.

Vidanta Vallarta was designed by Greg Norman and is notable for Tony Finau’s 72-hole tournament record of 260, set in 2023. Jon Rahm holds the 18-hole scoring record of 61, achieved in the same event.

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HOW TO FOLLOW

  • TV Coverage
    • Thursday–Friday: 4–7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)
    • Saturday: 1–3 p.m. ET (GC), 3–6 p.m. ET (NBC)
    • Sunday: 1–3 p.m. ET (GC), 3–6 p.m. ET (NBC)
  • Streaming (ESPN+)
    • Thursday–Friday: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.
    • Saturday–Sunday: 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
  • Social Media: @MexicoOpenGolf

PROP PICKS

Erik van Rooyen to Make the Cut (-230 at DraftKings)

The South African has been inconsistent lately (missing three of his past four cuts), but all came in stiffer U.S. fields. He was T8 here a year ago and followed it up with a T2 at the Cognizant Classic. Despite being the fifth-most popular pick to miss the cut, we like his track record in lower-tier fields.

Michael Kim Top-20 Finish (+163 at BetRivers)

Kim is coming off a T2 at the Phoenix Open and a T13 at the Genesis. Now at a career-best 80th in the OWGR, he also placed top 20 in three of his final four FedEx Fall events.

Patrick Fishburn to Beat Jesper Svensson (-125 at DraftKings)

Both have struggled lately, but Fishburn posted four top-15 finishes in a five-event span late last summer. After opening 2025 with a T7 in Honolulu, he’s missed his past three cuts. In a weaker field, this is a prime matchup for him to get back on track.

2025 Prop Pick Record: 6-10-1

BEST BETS

Akshay Bhatia (+1400 at DraftKings)

Fresh off a T9 at the Genesis, Bhatia hasn’t missed a cut in four starts this year. He’s drawn 16% of the total money wagered for the outright winner, the highest in the field.

Rasmus Hojgaard (+1800)

After four consecutive finishes of T22 or better worldwide, Hojgaard missed his first cut since October at the Genesis. A bounce-back is likely in a weaker field.

Kurt Kitayama (+2200)

A four-time winner worldwide, Kitayama has played well against modest fields, including a T5 at the Zozo and a T9 at the Shriners last fall. His odds opened at +2000 but have drifted slightly.

Patrick Rodgers (+2200)

He held the 54-hole lead at the Genesis. Rodgers is also the only player to finish top-10 in each of the Mexico Open’s first three editions, making him a course-horse favorite.

Stephan Jaeger (+2500)

He had a T3 in Honolulu but hasn’t cracked the top 40 in three starts since. Still, Jaeger is pulling in 5% of the money and 4% of the bets, showing decent public confidence.

Jake Knapp (+4000)

The defending champion is making his seventh start of 2025 and sixth in a row. Knapp finished T17 at the Genesis and has the most total bets at 9%, second only to Bhatia in money handle (12%).

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NOTES

  • The season’s first seven PGA Tour events have produced winners from seven different countries.
  • This tournament is part of the Aon Swing 5 for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The top five players in combined FedEx Cup points from this week and the Cognizant Classic (who aren’t already exempt) earn spots in that signature event.
  • Vidanta Vallarta was designed by Greg Norman, a former LIV Golf CEO and current board member.
  • Scoring Records: Tony Finau shot 260 here in 2023; Jon Rahm set the 18-hole record of 61.
  • Notable Amateurs: 17-year-old Blades Brown makes his second start this season. San Diego State senior Justin Hastings (Cayman Islands) makes just his second Tour start, having previously missed the cut at the 2024 Puerto Rico Open.
  • Mexican Contingent: Five players from Mexico will tee it up this week: Alvaro Ortiz, Santiago de la Fuente, Jose Cristobal Islas, Gerardo Gomez, and Jose Antonio Safa.

With FedEx Cup positioning and a coveted invitation to future signature events at stake, the Mexico Open at VidantaWorld is poised to offer compelling drama on a challenging Norman-designed course.