Nationwide Tour returns to Mexico
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2008 Mexico Open | Preview | 31 Jan 2008
The Nationwide Tour heads north this week for the Mexico Open presented by Corona, which is being played at the Tres Marias Golf Club in historic Morelia in the south of Mexico.
The Jack Nicklaus designed layout, situated nearly 2000 metres above sea level, is also the home of the Corona Championship on the LPGA Tour, which was won last year by Italy’s Silvia Cavalleri.
It is only the second Nationwide Tour event to be played in Mexico after the Monterrey Open, which was last played in 2001. The amazing success of Lorena Ochoa has lifted the status of the game in Mexico and events such as this are an example of what she is doing for the game in either gender.
The tournament brings together many of those who competed in Panama last week including the winner, Scott Dunlap, who with another victory this week would be virtually assured of PGA Tour status in 2009.
Esteban Toledo is one of Mexico’s favourite golfing sons and has won this event previously in 2000 although it was not a Nationwide Tour event at that time. Toledo served notice that his form was good enough to contend again here when he recorded two consecutive rounds of 69 in Panama last week.
Also in the field is Carlos Franco who has his PGA Tour card but, unable to gain a start in Scottsdale, is here to continue his return to the level that enabled him to win four times on the PGA Tour and numerous times around the world.
Another ex-PGA Tour player of interest this week is 1996 PGA Champion Mark Brooks, whose PGA Tour career effectively came to a halt late last year when he failed to retain his status. He played the Bob Hope two weeks ago but will get only limited starts on the PGA Tour and appears likely to need a good season at this level to be back on the PGA Tour in 2009. Just as it should be, the PGA Tour gives no favours even for its champions.
The Australasian contingent is boosted by the return of David Lutterus, Michael Sim and Andrew Buckle to the list of those who played last week in Panama.
Lutterus has full PGA Tour status via the Tour Q-School last year but is unable to gain starts at events such as the FBR Open this week and will play here to get his game in shape for a PGA Tour start – perhaps in Mexico again – in three weeks time at the Mayakoba Championship.
Buckle also has partial PGA Tour status and is expected to get perhaps 15 starts in 2008 in addition to those events he opts to play on the Nationwide Tour.
Andrew Bonhomme, Steve Bowditch, Greg Chalmers, Kim Felton, Scott Gardiner, Jarrod Lyle, David McKenzie, Aron Price, Phil Tataurangi and Grant Waite are also lining up on Thursday.
