Horses for Courses: World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba

Viktor Hovland hopes to join an elite club as the two-time defending champion at World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba looks to make it three consecutive victories at El Camaleon Golf Course at Mayakoba in Mexico this week.

RELATED: Expert Picks | Sleeper Picks

The PGA TOUR has visited the Greg Norman design since 2007 although the event was originally played in late winter in February or March before being moved to autumn for the 2013 edition. Hovland won this event in early November last year and in the first week of December in calendar 2020.

El Camaleon sits at Par-71 (36-35) and plays from 7,034 yards for the first time. An increase of 17 yards on the par-5 seventh is the only difference. It changes its colors as the tract navigates through mangroves, quarries and coastline over the 18 holes yet scoring can be found in each segment. The nines play almost evenly and scoring opportunities are abundant.

Sea Isle I Paspalum covers the entire property and runs smooth and true on the greens. Keeping the ball out of the canals and mangroves is the key. The rough is barely two inches so recovery shots are more than possible.

Of the three hardest holes, two greet the players at 16 and 18. The three par-5s interchange annually as the easiest on the course. Of the four par-3s, three play 155 yards or less.

The worst winning total here in the last six years is 19-under par. Of the nine champions in the autumn, six have posted 20-under or better. The "worst" was 17-under by Charley Hoffman in calendar 2014 (season 2015).

Mother Nature will have her say as thunderstorms and rain are in the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday but the final 54 holes should be spared. There have been plenty of rounds with preferred lies in closely mown areas over the years. That will NOT hurt scoring either!

To get the full picture be sure to read Rob Bolton's Power Rankings, Adam Stanley's The First Look and of course Statistically Speaking.

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Horses for Courses High Five

-Players listed only if they are in the field for 2022-

Viktor Hovland (Win: +1100; Top 10: +100; Top 20: -200)

Tournament record holder last year on 23-under after winning on 20-under in season 2021. Led field in Birdies (28 and 25) last two seasons. Matched tournament record in margin of victory (four shots). MC twice before winning twice. Scoring average 67.17. Low rounds of 62 and 63 in third rounds of his two victories.

Brendon Todd (Win: +4000; Top 10: +300; Top 20: +140)

Began his run here with MC-T49-MC before winning in 2019-20 season. Last three years is 49-under with all 12 rounds in 60s. Defended with T8 in 2020-21 before T11 last year.

Harris English (Win: +8000; Top 10: +550; Top 20: +250)

Followed win in 2013/14 season with five visits of T37 or worse (three MC). Then cashed solo fifth in 2020 and T5 in 2021. Of last eight rounds, four are 66 or better for an aggregate of 33-under. Best is 62 from second round in victory effort. Played in final group with Todd in 2020.

Danny Lee (Win: +20000; Top 10: +1400; Top 20: +600)

Streak is four straight and six of eight career with no worse than T26. Last year's T7 included 64 to close. T26 in 2020 included 18-hole lead after a 62. Almost ran down Matt Kuchar in 2019 with 65 in final round but fell one short of a playoff.

Aaron Wise (Win: +2000; Top 10: +170; Top 20: -125)

Blitzed home Sunday with 63 in 2020/21 only to see Hovland birdie the last to win. Opened with 63 last year but two rounds of 70 couldn't keep up (T15) with the pack. T10 in 2019 in his third try also included a 63! Is 48-under in three of his last four here.

Odds sourced on Tuesday, November 1st at 2 p.m. ET.For live odds visit betmgm.

Pipped at the Post

Emiliano Grillo (Win: +3300; Top 10: +320; Top 20: +150): Led by four at halfway point and by one after 54 holes in 2021 before 72 led to T8. A T10 on debut in 2017 and T9 in 2018. Cashed T15 or better in four of five before MC last year.

Billy Horschel (Win: +1800; Top 10: +160; Top 20: -145): Fifth consecutive season playing. Last four T33 or better with T5 (2021) and T8 (2020) the highlights. Of those 16 rounds, seven are 66 or better.

Adam Long (Win: +8000; Top 10: +550; Top 20: +250): First visit posted all four rounds in 60s, including opening 63, for T2. Following season (T3) with a 63-67 weekend. Last year posted T22 with four more rounds in the red. Scoring average 67.00 over 12 rounds with a 70 the worst.

Scottie Scheffler (Win: +900; Top 10: -120; Top 20: -250): Third trip for the former world No. 1. Sat two back a year ago after 36 holes thanks to a second round 64. Cashed fourth after 70-66 weekend (-17). Led field in GIR and didn't make a bogey. Sadly, he had two doubles. T18 on debut in 2020 with four rounds of 70 or better.

Russell Knox (Win: +10000; Top 10: +650; Top 20: +300): Top 10 in all-time money here with eight of nine starts T37 or better. Streak of eight straight busted last year as 69-70 (-3) wasn't good enough to make cut! Halcyon days were three straight top 10s from 2016-2018 as he rattled off T2-3rd-T9.

Matt Kuchar (Win: +5000; Top 10: +350; Top 20: +170): Returned in 2019 for his fourth start and played his first 54 holes in 20-under. Closed with 69 to set the tournament scoring record at the time. T14 in defense included a 73-62 weekend. Steadied the ship last year with T22 with all four rounds in the 60s. Never missed in six tries stretching back to 2007.

Bookies Bonus

Patton Kizzire(Top 20: +800): Cuts made(6/6); 2017 champion.

JJ Spaun(Top 20: +220): Cuts made (6/6); T3 2019.

Joel Dahmen(Top 20: +220): Cuts made (5/5); T6 2020.

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