Probably Not: Will Date Change Boost The WGC Mexico City?
/The WGC Mexico City arrives Thursday and once again interrupts the Florida swing. With 45 of the world's top 50 and a guaranteed $50k payment (plus charter flights), no one should feel sorry for this event.
So should anyone be excited with a no-cut points and cash grab on a tight, tired-looking venue by modern standards but with robust support from its creators? Probably not, even as it's a WGC venturing outside of the U.S.
But a week after a lively Honda Classic that followed a strong West Coast swing, the event sits in a tough spot.
Rex Hoggard at GolfChannel.com makes a strong case that we should root for this event and with a likely spot between LA and Florida next year, theoretically it'll be a better fit. Theoretically...
The dramatic makeover of the Tour schedule beginning with the 2018-19 season will feature the WGC-Mexico Championship moving to the back end of the West Coast swing, but with fields in California and Arizona enjoying a renaissance in recent years, a post-Los Angeles date likely won't be a dramatic improvement over the event’s current date.
As the Tour schedule compacts to prepare for a pre-football season finale in 2019 and beyond, finding prime real-estate will be a challenge, but Mexico should be first in line for an upgrade, particularly with officials like Salinas talking in terms of a 20- or 30-year commitment.
The championship deserves better. Salinas deserves better. And the opportunity to truly grow the game on an international stage certainly deserves better.