World Wide Technologies Championship 2026

The PGA Tour heads to Los Cabos, Mexico, this week for the 20th edition of the World Wide Technology Championship, with El Cardonal at Diamante once again providing the setting. Designed by Tiger Woods and opened in 2014, El Cardonal is a par-72 layout measuring 7,452 yards. The course is quite different from many traditional PGA Tour venues, featuring extremely generous fairways, large putting surfaces and very little conventional rough. All playing surfaces are covered in paspalum grass, making this a particularly interesting test for players who have performed well on similar coastal courses. Although there is plenty of room off the tee, players still need to find the correct angles into the greens, with positioning and putting likely to be more important than sheer driving distance. 

The tournament has a long history, beginning in 2007 as the Mayakoba Golf Classic before eventually becoming the World Wide Technology Championship. It spent its first 16 editions at El Camaleón in Playa del Carmen before moving to El Cardonal in 2023. Erik van Rooyen claimed the first title at the new venue in 2023 with a score of 27 under par, before Austin Eckroat won in 2024 at 24 under. Ben Griffin produced a spectacular performance last year, shooting 29 under par to secure the title after a closing round of 63. Previous champions also include Viktor Hovland, who won back-to-back editions in 2020 and 2021, Russell Henley and Matt Kuchar. World Wide Technology. 

Scoring has been particularly low since the tournament moved to El Cardonal, with all three winners finishing between 24 and 29 under par. I would expect another week where birdie-making is absolutely essential, and players who can combine strong approach play with a reliable putter should have a significant advantage. Strokes Gained: Putting, Greens in Regulation, Birdie or Better percentage and par-five scoring are all statistics worth paying close attention to. The generous fairways should also encourage players to be aggressive, although finding the right positions on these large greens will be important. Recent form at the Mexico Open could prove particularly useful, given the similarities in playing surfaces and course conditions. 

This year's field is headed by defending champion Ben Griffin, alongside Tony Finau, Ryan Gerard, Jackson Koivun and a number of previous winners, including Austin Eckroat and Erik van Rooyen. With the FedExCup Fall season approaching its conclusion, there is also plenty at stake for players looking to secure their position on Tour for 2027. Overall, I expect another entertaining week in Mexico, with a winning score likely to land somewhere around 24 to 28 under par. This is a venue where hot putting can make a huge difference, and I wouldn't be surprised to see an outsider feature prominently on Sunday. 

Ben Kohles 1.5pts ew 30/1 (10 places Boyles)

Ben Kohles returns to El Cardonal looking to build on an excellent run of form, having recorded four consecutive top-20 finishes, including a T13 at the Bank of Utah Championship and T17 finishes at both the Baycurrent Classic and Butterfield Bermuda Championship. His only previous appearance at this venue resulted in a T63 last year, but he arrives a considerably stronger player, having climbed from 248th to 93rd in the world rankings. He has also made 16 consecutive cuts across the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, with 15 of those finishes inside the top 30. 

The statistics make particularly impressive reading. Kohles leads the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 0.832 strokes per round, and also tops the rankings for Greens in Regulation at 74.14%. He ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Total (+1.316), 41st Off the Tee (+0.274) and 58th in Strokes Gained: Putting (+0.138). More importantly for this week's birdie-fest, he averages 4.45 birdies per round, ranking third on Tour. Against this week's field, he is first in approach and third in birdie average, making him one of the standout statistical profiles in the tournament. 

El Cardonal looks an excellent opportunity for Kohles to take advantage of his outstanding iron play. His driving distance is a modest 295.7 yards, but he ranks first on Tour for driving accuracy at 79.35%, so he should have no difficulty finding the generous fairways. His putting is perhaps the only slight concern, although he has gained strokes on the greens across his last five starts. Given his current consistency, exceptional approach numbers and ability to make birdies, I think Kohles has all the ingredients to be a serious contender this week. His previous course performance is a minor negative, but I'm happy to overlook that given the improvement in his game. He's firmly on my shortlist.

Jackson Suber 1.5pts ew 30/1 (10 places bet365)

Jackson Suber arrives in Mexico looking to build on an encouraging record at El Cardonal, having finished T11 here last year at 22 under par. He closed with an excellent 63 on Sunday, suggesting the course is one where he can thrive. His recent form has been a little mixed, with a T34 at last week's Mexico Open following a T41 at the Baycurrent Classic and T40 at the Bank of Utah Championship. However, he did finish T15 at the Biltmore Championship and T6 at the John Deere Classic earlier in the season, demonstrating that there is plenty of potential when his game clicks. 

His statistical profile makes particularly interesting reading, especially his approach play. Suber ranks 13th on Tour in Strokes Gained: Approach (+0.550) and eighth in Greens in Regulation at 71.14%. He also ranks fifth in proximity to the hole, averaging 33 feet 7 inches, and fourth in approach shots from beyond 200 yards. Within this week's field, he ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach and is tied third for birdies per round, averaging 4.30. His putting is the obvious concern, losing 0.265 strokes per round on the greens this season, although his recent approach numbers have been particularly strong, gaining 0.632 strokes per round across his last five starts. 

There is certainly plenty to like about Suber this week, particularly given his previous success at El Cardonal and the strength of his iron play. This is a venue where players need to take advantage of scoring opportunities, and his ability to consistently find greens should give him plenty of chances. The putter remains the biggest question mark, but if he can produce an improved performance on the greens, I think he has every chance of building on last year's T11 finish. He's another player whose statistical profile makes him a very interesting contender this week.

Trace Crowe 1pt ew 50/1 (10 places Powers)

Trace Crowe arrives in Mexico in arguably the best form of his PGA Tour career, having put together an excellent run of results during the FedExCup Fall Series. The American recorded a third-place finish at the Bank of Utah Championship, followed by T34 in Bermuda and an impressive T11 at last week's Mexico Open, where he closed with a superb 63. He also finished T24 at the Biltmore Championship, meaning he has now recorded three top-25 finishes in his last four starts. His only previous appearance at El Cardonal came in 2024, when he withdrew after three rounds, so there isn't much course history to go on. 

Crowe's recent statistical trends are particularly encouraging. He is gaining 0.355 strokes per round on approach for the season, increasing to an impressive 0.897 over his last five starts. Over his last 16 rounds, he ranks third among PGA Tour players for Strokes Gained: Approach (+1.15) and 18th for Strokes Gained: Putting (+0.88). He also averages 4.47 birdies per round, putting him among the more prolific scorers in this week's field. His overall putting numbers have been positive too, gaining 0.162 strokes per round this season, while his 311.9-yard driving average should give him plenty of opportunities to attack the generous fairways. 

There is plenty to like about Crowe heading into the week, particularly given how well he has been striking the ball recently. His third-place finish in Utah demonstrated his ability to compete in low-scoring conditions, while last week's performance in Mexico suggests his confidence is growing at just the right time. El Cardonal should provide another excellent opportunity to take advantage of his improving iron play and putting. With three top-25 finishes in his last four starts and some excellent recent strokes gained numbers, I think Crowe is a very interesting outsider who could make a serious impression this week.

Ben Silverman 1pt ew 66/1 (10 places Boyles)

Ben Silverman heads to Mexico in encouraging form, having produced two excellent results over the last fortnight. The Canadian finished third at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship before following that up with a T19 at last week's Mexico Open, where he continued to show signs of consistency. He also has some positive course history to draw upon, having finished T21 at El Cardonal last year at 18 under par, including a closing round of 64. With two top-five finishes already this season, Silverman looks to be finding some form at an important stage of the campaign. 

Statistically, Silverman has some respectable numbers without necessarily standing out among the leading players in this week's field. He is gaining 0.208 strokes per round on approach and 0.184 strokes putting, with both figures positive for the season. More encouragingly, his approach play has improved considerably over his last five starts, gaining 0.532 strokes per round in that category. He averages 3.94 birdies per round, which leaves him outside the leading group in this week's field, particularly when compared with some of the more prolific scorers. His recent putting has been less convincing, losing 0.287 strokes per round over his last five appearances. 

There is certainly an argument for Silverman this week, particularly given his previous T21 finish here and the improvement in his approach play recently. His third-place finish in Bermuda demonstrated that he remains capable of competing, while last week's T19 suggests that form is holding up nicely. He doesn't quite have the standout statistical profile of some of the other players we've identified, but his course experience and recent results make him an interesting addition to the shortlist. If he can rediscover his putting touch, I wouldn't be surprised to see him feature on the leaderboard again.

Abu Dhabi Championship 2026

The DP World Tour heads to the UAE this week for the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship, the first of two season-ending playoff events on the Race to Dubai. Yas Links hosts the tournament for the fifth time, with the Kyle Phillips-designed layout providing a challenging coastal test. The course is a par 72 measuring 7,468 yards, with eight holes running alongside the Arabian Gulf. Its links-style characteristics, firm fairways and undulating greens place an emphasis on controlling ball flight, finding the correct positions and producing a strong short game. Wind can be a significant factor, although calmer conditions would make this a much more generous scoring test. 

This is the 21st edition of the Abu Dhabi Championship, although Yas Links has only hosted since 2022. Victor Perez won the inaugural edition at the venue before Thomas Pieters, Victor Perez and then Aaron Rai claimed subsequent titles? More recently, Aaron Rai defeated Tommy Fleetwood in a playoff last year after both finished on 23 under par. Fleetwood will be looking to add to his two previous victories in 2017 and 2018, while Rory McIlroy returns having finished runner-up here on four occasions. 

The field is particularly strong, with McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood and defending champion Rai among those competing. With 1,500 Race to Dubai points available, there is plenty at stake as players battle to qualify for next week's season finale in Dubai. I expect a fascinating week, with strong approach play, scrambling and putting likely to be crucial around Yas Links. A winning score somewhere around 20 under par or better wouldn't surprise me, particularly if the weather remains favourable. 

Daniel Hillier 2pts ew 14/1 (10 places Powers)

Daniel Hillier arrives at Yas Links in excellent form and will be looking to continue what has been a very impressive season. The New Zealander currently sits seventh in the Race to Dubai standings following a runner-up finish at the DP World India Championship and another second place at the British Masters. He also finished T11 at the Genesis Championship in Korea last time out, giving him plenty of momentum heading into the opening event of the playoffs. At just 28, Hillier has established himself as one of the more consistent performers on the DP World Tour this season. 

Yas Links should suit his game particularly well, and he has some excellent course form to draw upon, having finished fifth here last year at 22 under par. He gained an impressive 1.9 strokes per round putting during that performance and has also been one of the better drivers in this week's field, ranking fifth for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee over the last 12 months. His length off the tee should be an advantage on a course where several holes offer opportunities to attack, while his recent ball-striking has been encouraging. 

With two runner-up finishes and a further top-11 result in his last three starts, Hillier is arriving at exactly the right time. His previous success at Yas Links is another major positive, particularly given the low-scoring nature of the November editions. He has the game to compete with the stronger names in the field and could be an interesting contender for another big finish as he looks to strengthen his position in the Race to Dubai.

Martin Courva 1pt ew 33/1 (10 places bet365)

Martin Couvra heads to Abu Dhabi following an excellent performance at the Genesis Championship, where he finished runner-up after another encouraging run of results in recent weeks. The Frenchman also recorded T11 at the Spanish Open and T20 at the French Open, demonstrating some welcome consistency heading into the DP World Tour Play-Offs. Now 27th in the Race to Dubai standings, he has enjoyed an impressive second season on Tour following his breakthrough victory at the Turkish Airlines Open last year. 

Couvra finished T23 on his only previous visit to Yas Links last year, gaining 0.57 strokes per round against the field. His statistical profile is particularly interesting, ranking 18th in this week's field for Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (+0.24) and 17th for overall Strokes Gained (+0.27). He is also gaining 0.06 strokes per round on approach and 0.02 around the greens, although putting has been a slight weakness at -0.05. His driving is arguably his biggest strength, averaging around 308 yards, which should be useful on a course where length can provide opportunities to attack.

With a runner-up finish last time out, a previous top-25 at Yas Links and some encouraging all-round strokes gained numbers, Couvra is an interesting contender this week. He still has room for improvement with the putter, but his recent performances suggest his game is moving in the right direction. At just 23, he has plenty of upside and could be worth keeping an eye on in what is a very competitive Abu Dhabi field.