DFS Preview: Thorbjørn Olesen one to watch in PGA TOUR return in Mexico

The first international destination of the 2024 season takes the PGA TOUR south of the border to Puerto Vallarta for the Mexico Open at Vidanta. Located on the west coast of Mexico, Vidanta Vallarta plays host to the Mexico Open for the third consecutive year.

Playing to 7,456 yards and par 71, the resort layout will welcome a field of 132 players, including defending champ Tony Finau.

The top 65 players and ties will play the final two rounds after the 36-hole cut.

Here’s a look at the players that I have an eye on for crafting DFS lineups with DraftKings, including a couple who may have a steep price attached to their name:

Top of the board

Finau ($12,000) stands head and shoulders above the group this week. Last year’s winner finished T2 on debut in 2022 and has put together eight rounds at 40-under par. Collecting T6 at Torrey Pines, another track where he found annually in the top 10, is the highlight of his four-event season to this point. Looking for his seventh win on TOUR, it's either hook up the wagon or use anybody else. In a field that contains just four players in the Official World Golf Ranking top 50, I’m on board.

Thorbjørn Olesen ($10,300) might not be the Dane on the top of the minds of most investors this week – but maybe he should be. The winner two weeks ago at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship on the DP World Tour continues a fantastic run of form stretching back to last fall. Posting 26th or better in eight consecutive starts worldwide, a resort course in Mexico should not slow him down. The former Ryder Cup player makes his first PGA TOUR start since the 2022 Genesis Scottish Open.

Over (or under) valued

The last time Erik van Rooyen ($9,500) teed it up in Mexico, he posted 27-under to win at Los Cabos at El Cardonal last fall. With the forecast this week nearly perfect, I would assume another four rounds in the mid-20s will be required again this week. With multiple wins on TOUR already, the South African can just focus on piling up more birdies.

Stephan Jaeger ($9,800) backed up his T3 at the Farmers Insurance Open, his best finish on TOUR, with T71 at Pebble Beach. The German is a consistent, cut-making machine but I need par-breakers and lots of them this week. Put him back in play next week at demanding PGA National.

Brandon Wu ($9,100) has an incredible record here and on Paspalum. Tied for second with Finau during the inaugural event, the Stanford grad ran third here last year. A podium finish (T3) on Paspalum at the Puerto Rico Open in 2022 suggests he’s more than comfortable on this grass.

Picking up T6 at WM Phoenix Open, Maverick McNealy ($8,100) returned to the top 10 for the first time since returning from a shoulder injury last fall. The lights-out putter will have plenty of room to work it off the tee and into the greens this week. With Paspalum running at slightly over 11 feet, his flat stick should be racking up feet of putts.

Makers or breakers

Posting T10 and 10th in two visits, Patrick Rodgers ($9,700) shines as a course horse this week. After collecting T14, T24, and T9 in his first three events of 2024, he claimed 79th at Pebble Beach and missed the cut at Riveria last week. There’s no time this week to make amends for rounds at par or worse.

Justin Suh ($8,300) picked up his best career payday in Los Cabos last fall with T4. With more big putting surfaces and resort fairways on the docket this week, I’m leaning into another super putter to come through. Cashing T22 in Scottsdale last time out was his best result of 2024.

If there’s one surface Harry Hall ($6,800) excels on, it’s Paspalum. Last season, he racked up T7 (Puerto Rico Open) and T13 (Corales Puntacana) before cashing T10 here.

Ryan Palmer ($6,400) has no problems giving it a ride in the breeze or racking up birdies. The Texan ran hot last fall as he picked up T5 in Los Cabos and followed by T8 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. One of the last players into the field, he should take advantage of the opportunity.

The lineup

Here’s a look at how I will look to craft a six-player roster this week while staying under the $50,000 salary cap:

• Tony Finau ($12,000)
• Justin Suh ($8,300)
• Maverick McNealy ($8,100)
• Jhonattan Vegas ($7,600)
• Carson Young ($7,400)
• Ryan Palmer ($6,400)

Good luck!

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