2023 World Wide Technology Championship: Predictions For El Cardonal

The PGA Tour returns to Mexico for the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship.

After a one-week hiatus, the PGA Tour kicks back into gear and heads south of the border for the World Wide Technology Championship.

With just two events remaining on the FedEx Cup Fall schedule after this week, players are jostling to earn both signature event places and tour cards as the current season draws to a close.

There is an air of excitement about this week’s event as the PGA prepares to play on a Tiger Woods-designed course for the very first time. The World Wide Technology Championship will be played at Woods’ El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas on Mexico’s southwestern coast.

The tournament, which was the first PGA Tour event to be played outside of the United States and Canada at the time, changes venue this week for the first time after 16 years at El Camaleon Mayakoba.

Tiger Woods’ El Cardonal is a Par 72 layout that will play to over 7,400 yards this week. The resort course features massive fairways and greens with the commonly used Paspalum grass throughout. Depending on the strength of winds coming in off the coast, this year’s World Wide Technology Championship could see some very low scores.

Russell Henley, who won this event last year at El Camaleon, won’t be back to defend his title this week.

Previous winners of the World Wide Technology Championship

*All contested at El Camaleon

• 2022: Russell Henley (-23)
• 2021: Viktor Hovland (-23)
• 2020: Viktor Hovland (-20)
• 2019: Brendon Todd (-20)
• 2018: Matt Kuchar (-22)
• 2017: Patton Kizzire (-19)

While last year’s winner won’t be returning to Mexico this week, the 2023 edition of the World Wide Technology Championship will still see some big names teeing it up at El Cardonal.

The field of 132 players is headlined by Ludvig Aberg, who was part of the victorious European Ryder Cup team, Cameron Young, who returns to action for the first time since the BMW Championship in August, and Sahith Theegala, winner of the Fortinet Championship to kick off the FedEx Cup Fall swing in September.

The aforementioned three lead the way atop oddsboards this week. Here is how the rest of the favorites for the 2023 World Wide Technology Championship shake out.

2023 World Wide Technology Championship Favorites

Note: All listed odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. For more betting content for all sports check out Betsided.

• Ludvig Aberg (+900)
• Cameron Young (+1100)
• Sahith Theegala (+1600)
• Stephan Jaeger (+2500)
• Beau Hossler (+2800)
• Lucas Glover (+3000)
• Emiliano Grillo (+3000)
• Thomas Detry (+3500)
• J.J. Spaun (+3500)
• Akshay Bhatia (+3500)
• Adam Svensson (+3500)

Pick to Top 20:  Harry Hall (+360)

Harry Hall comes into this week’s World Wide Technology Championship following finishes of T26 (Shriners Children’s Open) and T21 (ZOZO Championship) in his last two starts.

The Englishman has played well at locales with similar surfaces previously, including a tie for 10th at the Mexico Open at Vidanta in April. Additional highlights include finishes of T13 at Corales and T7 at the Puerto Rico Open earlier this year. Both underline his comfort levels when it comes to coastal layouts featuring Paspalum.

The ability to make putts and convert birdie opportunities this week figures to be crucial in a likely birdie fest. Both are areas Hall excels in; ranking 4th in SG: Putting this season and 25th in Birdie Average.

Pick to Top 20:  Justin Suh (+200)

Since the Wyndham Championship in August, Justin Suh has strung together some solid results on both the DP World and PGA Tours. The talented 26-year-old has made four starts since teeing it up at Sedgefield prior to the FedEx Cup Playoffs and has finished T30th or better in three of them.

Suh heads to Mexico following a T10 finish at the ZOZO Championship in his most recent start, a result that could have been even better if not for a final round of 74 in Japan.

The University of Southern California star is lethal with the putter, ranking 9th on the PGA Tour for the season. That, and the form he has demonstrated recently, should serve him well at El Cardonal.

Pick to Win:  Cameron Champ (+4500)

A probable putting contest at a new locale presents a great opportunity to fade the top of the board and take a chance on someone with longer odds. Cameron Champ seemingly checks all of the boxes this week.

Champ comes into this week’s World Wide Technology Championship following a rough outing in Japan at the ZOZO Championship in his last start but prior to that had been playing some exceptional golf this fall.

The three-time PGA Tour winner earned finishes of T9 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and T18 at the Shriners Children’s Open in his two starts prior. Now, with three events remaining in the FedEx Cup Fall, Cameron heads to Mexico looking to climb his way inside of the Top 125 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings.

His length off the tee (3rd in Driving Distance this season) should give him an advantage this week with El Cardonal’s massive fairways.

Additionally, Champ has excelled at the Mexico Open at Vidanta in two previous starts, a locale that could share some similarities with El Cardonal.

He has finished Top 10 in both of his previous starts at the Mexico Open. Combine his skillset and recent form and Champ could be trending toward a fourth win out on tour real soon.