Mayakoba Golf Classic: Can Native Mexican Win on Home Soil?
By Tim Letcher
The Mayakoba Golf Classic has never had a winner from its native Mexico. That could change this week with Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer in the field.
The Mayakoba Golf Classic tees off on Thursday at El Camaleon Golf Club in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. And the locals have a legitimate chance to see one of their countrymen win the event this year.
It’s never happened in the 13 years that the Mayakoba Classic has been played. However, it almost happened last season when Carlos Ortiz finished second to Brendon Todd.
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Ortiz may be the best chance for a native Mexican to win this week. He comes into the event playing well. The Guadalajara, Mexico, native, won for the first time on the PGA Tour by claiming the title at the Houston Open in early November. That followed a tie for 35th at the Zozo Championship and a tie for 48th at the CJ Cup.
The 29-year-old Ortiz played in 22 events on tour last season and registered three top 10 finishes. In addition to his runner-up at the Mayakoba, Ortiz tied for fourth in both the Houston Open and the Sanderson Farms Championship last season.
If Ortiz is unable to win this week, perhaps one of his fellow countrymen can. The other solid candidate to pull off the feat would be Abraham Ancer.
Ancer was born in McAllen, Texas, but was raised in Reynosa, Mexico. He has dual American and Mexican citizenship.
The 2021 season is off to a fast start for Ancer. He has played in five events, including two majors, and has made the cut in all five.
His season started with a tie for 56th at the U.S. Open. He was in decent shape there through 36 holes, but shot 79-76 on the weekend to fall off the pace.
Ancer’s best finish so far this fall was a fourth-place showing at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He shot 66-66-65-67 that week in Las Vegas.
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Since then, Ancer has tied for 28th at the CJ Cup, tied for 35th at the Zozo Championship and tied for 13th at the Masters. If not for a 76 on the final day at Augusta National, Ancer would have finished inside the top 10.
These two players face a field that includes Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka, among others, so it will be a challenge. But it would be appropriate, and frankly pretty cool, to have a native Mexican win in Mexico this week.