WGC-Mexico Championship
Mexico City, Mexico
Playing out of the final threesome, second- and third-round leader and World No. 3 Dustin Johnson painted a 5-under-par 35-31=66 in Sunday’s final round at Club de Golf Chapultepec for a 72-hole tally of 21-under 263, good for a five-shot victory over runner-up, first-round leader and playing competitor Rory McIlroy, who shot 67.
Englishmen Paul Casey (65) and Ian Poulter (68), along with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (68), shared 3rd place, 10 adrift.
The 34-year-old, a pre-tourney 10/1 outright, bags his 20th PGA TOUR title in 246 events, first since the 2018 RBC Canadian Open 11 starts ago, where he was a 54-hole quad-leader, shot 6-under 66 and won by three over South Koreans Whee Kim and Byeong Hun An.
Of his 20 wins, this was his fourth straight as a 54-hole leader/co-leader and his 11th overall from the three-quarter perch.
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FUN FACT: DJ’s last four wins have been by 5, 3, 6 and 8 shots, respectively. #Blowout
FUN FACT: DJ is the 38th player to hit the 20-win milestone. Just 4 percent of all TOUR players (ever) have reached 20 wins. He’s reached prolific-winner status.
The Coastal Carolina product bags his fourth victory outside the U.S., joining the 2018 Canadian Open, and WGC wins in Mexico (2017) and China (2014).
He claims his sixth WGC title in 36 WGC events, first since winning the 2017 Match Play at Austin CC as the 1-seed (which at the time, was his third victory in a row), and overall, records his 14th top 10.
WGC Form (last 10): 1-30-59-7-3-2-1-1-17-35
DJ preceded the 2017 Match Play with a one-shot, come-from-behind win here in the inaugural edition in Mexico City, and preceded that with a five-shot win at the Genesis Open (as 54-hole leader by five), which moved him to World No. 1 for the first time.
With the win, Johnson extends his run to 12 straight seasons with at least one win – the longest active streak on TOUR – and has won every year season joining the TOUR in 2008.
After opening with 64-67, both rounds bogey-free, he led by two over fellow Jupiter, Florida, resident McIlroy and Matt Kuchar, and increased the margin to four (over McIlroy) after a third-round 66.
DJ landed eight (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation, losing 2.598 strokes around-the-green but gaining 1.667 off-the-tee and 2.104 on approach. He went out in level-par (1 birdie, 1 bogey), now leading McIlroy (1 birdie, 2 bogeys) by five, and came home in 5-under, ticking five more circles at 10, 11 and a hat-trick at 14-16.
DJ recorded 1.643 putts per GIR and 2.939 SG: Putting (28 total putts), ending the week with one eagle and 22 birdies against just one bogey and one double bogey-6 (in R2).
Final Leaderboard (pre-tourney odds outright):
1- (-21, 263) Dustin Johnson (10/1)
2- (-16, 268) Rory McIlroy (11/1)
3- (-11, 273) Paul Casey (33/1)
3- (-11, 273) Ian Poulter (55/1)
3- (-11, 273) Kiradech Aphibarnrat (150/1)
Notes:
· Repeat top-10 finishers from last year (4): Dustin Johnson (1-7-1); Kiradech Aphibarnrat (3-5); Sergio Garcia (6-7); Justin Thomas (9-2-5).
This was his 11th playing of this event and sixth top 10, fifth in his last six. The South Carolina native and also won the 2015 edition (WGC-Cadillac) at Trump National Doral, so he’s got a nice odd-year run of W’s going in the tourney (2019, 2017, 2015).
Starts: 11
Top 25s: 8
Top 10s: 6
Top 3s: 4
Wins: 3
WGC-Mexico Form: 1-7-1
FUN FACT: In his 10 prior starts, DJ ranked (a distant) 2nd in all-time earnings to seven-time past champion Tiger Woods, $4.33 million in arrears. Woods, making his first appearance in the event since 2014 (Doral), finished T10, 13 adrift. DJ still ranks 2nd but is a tad closer now:
Before (2nd): $5.12M: $511,850/avg.
After (2nd): $6.86M: $623,955/avg.
He improves to 5-for-5 on the season with three top 25s and three top 10s, checking in off a T9 at last week’s weather-plagued Genesis (73-66-69-69).
Season Form: 1-9-45-4-30
Notes:
· Previous best this season: 4th at the no-cut Sentry TOC.
· Thru 17 events this season, including this week’s opposite-field Puerto Rico Open, Johnson is just the second winner to check-in off a top-10 finish in their previous start, joining Xander Schauffele (Sentry TOC).
Strength of Field:
With a Strength of Field rating of 720 (up 41 from last year), Johnson banks 72.00 world-ranking points and nudges one spot to 2nd in the Official World Golf Ranking, 0.0064 average points behind Justin Rose (idle).
OWGR: 2nd (up 1)
FedExCup: 8th (up 52)
Note: DJ is not in the published field at this week’s Honda Classic – which last season was played BEFORE Mexico – joining several notable area residents who are also taking a pass, including Woods and McIlroy.
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DJ’s 20 wins:
Starts: 246
Cuts Made: 201 (81.7%)
WD: 8 (3.2%)
Top 25s: 133 (54.0%)
Top 10s: 92 (37.3%)
Top 3s: 40 (16.2%)
Wins: 20 (8.1%)
Dating to his first (and lone) major championship victory at the 2016 U.S. Open (Oakmont, PA), Johnson has now won 11 times in his last 53 starts for a win percentage of 20.7% during that span.
Breakdown of Johnson’s 20 TOUR wins:
· 19 stroke play
· 11 as 54-hole leader/co-leader (three of these, tourney reduced to 54 holes)
Courses:
· Par 73: 2 wins
· Par 72: 7 wins
· Par 71: 6 wins
· Par 70: 5 wins
Wins by Season:
2019: 1
2018: 3
2017: 4
2016: 3 (Player of the Year)
2015: 1
2014: 1
2013: 1
2012: 1
2011: 1
2010: 2
2009: 1
2008: 1 (rookie season)
How Johnson Won the Tournament:
Ranked 1st (or T1) in: SG: Putting, Total Bogeys, Birdie to Bogey Ratio, Par-4 Scoring, GIR
Ranked 2nd (or T2) in: SG: Approach, SG: Tee-to-Green, Total Birdies, Birdie or Better, Scrambling, All-Around
Note: See “Strokes Gained Leaders Stats” at the bottom, along with his full stats.
Johnson’s Position by Round:
R1: 2 (1 back)
R2: 1 (leader by 2)
R3: 1 (leader by 4)
Note: DJ is the first 54-hole leader/co-leader to win this WGC event since Patrick Reed in 2014 (Trump Nat’l Doral).
Leader/co-leaders by Round:
R1: Rory McIlroy (finished 2nd): 3-for-12 as 18-hole leader/co-leader
R2: Dustin Johnson (Won): 9-for-17 as 36-hole leader/co-leader
R3: Dustin Johnson (Won): 11-for-19 as 54-hole leader/co-leader
FUN FACT: The last five times – and eight of his last nine – that DJ was a 36-hole leader/co-leader, he was also the 54-hole leader/co-leader, so when he gets out front at the midpoint, his tendency is to stay there.
FUN FACT: This was DJ’s fourth 54-hole lead/co-lead in WGCs and improves to 2-for-4 converting.
Runner-Up:
Rory McIlroy: The 29-year-old, making his second appearance in Mexico (T7/2017), records his seventh runner-up in 154 events, first since T2 at the 2018 Open Championship (Carnoustie).
Overall, it’s his 26th top-3 finish:
Wins: 14
2nd: 7
3rd: 5
WGC-Mexico Form: 2-7
Season Form: 2-4-5-4-54
OWGR: 6th (up 2)
FEC: 14th (up 22)
Overall, McIlroy records his 22nd top 10 in 35 WGC’s, which is second-most all-time to Woods’ 34 (in 45).
WGC Form (last 12): 2-54-36-6-30-7-5-4-4-3-11-1
Field Scoring Average:
This was the 20th playing of this WGC event, third straight as the Mexico Championship, and third straight at Club de Golf Chapultepec.
Par 71 (35-36)
7,345 yards
Cumulative scoring averages:
R1: 71.75
R2: 71.22
R3: 70.35
R4: 70.11
Total: 70.86
DJ: 64-67-66-66
SG: Total: 20.432
Note: DJ’s 20.432 SG: Total is the largest of the season, previously 17.213 by Sanderson Farms winner Cameron Champ, and the first to hit the ’20-mark’ since Francesco Molinari’s 20.508 at the 2018 Quicken Loans National. DJ also won last season’s FedEx St. Jude by 20.781.
Low Rounds:
R1: 63: Rory McIlroy
R2: 65: Tommy Fleetwood, Phil Mickelson
R3: 64: Patrick Reed, Byeong Hun An
R4: 62: Justin Thomas
Notes:
· McIlroy also shot 8-under 63 in R2 at last week’s Genesis. With four straight top 5s on the season, he’s doing everything but win.
· Thomas’ 62 matched his own course record, shot in R3 last year when finishing P2.
Bogey-free Rounds:
R1: (1): Dustin Johnson (64)
R2: (3): Phil Mickelson (65); Dustin Johnson (67); Patrick Cantlay (67)
R3: (1): Kevin Na (66)
R4: (1): Alexander Bjork (67)
Multiple Bogey-free Rounds (1 player): Dustin Johnson (x2)
DJ’s Key Moments on Sunday:
Began:
1st (4 clear of McIlroy)
Hole 2:
DJ: par-saver from 17’8”
McIlroy: birdie-3 from 18 inches: DJ by 3
Hole 3:
DJ: bogey-4 (failed sand save)
McIlroy: par-3: DJ by 2
Hole 4:
DJ: par-4
McIlroy: bogey-5 (missed par-saver from 5’7”): DJ by 3
Hole 6:
DJ: birdie-4 (from 8’10”)
McIlroy: bogey-6; errant drive led to punch out; hit third in the water (penalty); SAVED bogey from 9’1”: DJ by 5 (over McIlroy and Casey, who was 6-under thru 11 holes)
OUT:
DJ: even-par 35 (1 birdie, 1 bogey)
McIlroy: 1-over 36 (1 birdie, 2 bogeys)
AT THE TURN:
DJ by 5
Hole 10:
DJ: birdie-3 (4’0”)
McIlroy: par-4: DJ by 6
Note: Nobody got any closer than 4 shots (McIlroy after his fourth straight birdie at 17) the rest of the way. Casey, who was within 5 at one point, played his final seven holes in level-par (1 birdie, 1 bogey).
IN:
McIlroy: 5-under 31 (6 birdies, 1 bogey)
DJ: 5-under 31 (5 birdies, NO bogeys): DJ wins by 5
Spotlight:
Kiradech Aphibarnrat: The first-time member though not a rookie ties a career best in 47 TOUR starts (T3, 2014 CIMB), and records his fourth top 10 in 16 WGC’s, fourth straight, all doubling as top 5s. #TakesNotes
TOUR Rookies &/or First-Timers:
Rookies: 0
Top-10 finishes: N/A
WGC-Mexico debuts: 17
Top-10 finishes: 1
Best finish(es): T6
Cameron Smith (69-67-68-70)
WGC Form: 6-54-5-23-64
Note: This was the Aussie’s first stroke-play top 10 in five WGC’s. The other, a T5, came at last season’s Match Play – in his MP debut – as the 46-seed (3-1-1 record).
Season Form: 6-49-15-9-22-54-7-22
Season Starts: 8
Made Cuts: 8
Top 25s: 6
Top 10s: 3
Season Leaders in Top-10 Finishes:
4: Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Marc Leishman, Charles Howell III, Scott Piercy
Consecutive Top 10s on TOUR:
4: Rory McIlroy (2-4-5-4)
3: Justin Thomas (9-2-3)
2: Dustin Johnson (1-9)
2: Si Woo Kim (3-4)
2: Michael Thompson (7-10)
2: Jason Day (4-5)
Consecutive Top-10 Streak Ended at:
5: Jon Rahm (45-9-10-5-6-8)
2: Gary Woodland (17-7-9)
DJ’s Weekly Stats (ranking of 72 players):
Eagles: 1 (T5)
Birdies: 22 (2nd)
Bogeys: 1 (1st)
Double Bogeys: 1 (T15)
Birdie or Better: 31.94% (2nd)
Birdie to Bogey Ratio: 11.50 (1st)
Par-3 Scoring: 2.94 (T5)
Par-4 Scoring: 3.70 (1st)
Par-5 Scoring: 4.42 (T4)
Driving Distance (all drives): 316.0 yards (11th)
Driving Accuracy: 34/56 (T25) at 60.71%
GIR: 58/72 (1st) at 80.56%
Proximity: 33’10” (T8)
Putts per GIR: 1.724 (12th)
Total Putts: 115 (T13)
Putts by Round: 27-33-27-28
Scrambling: 12/14 (2nd) at 85.71%
All-Around: (2nd)
Leaders in Strokes Gained Stats:
SG: Off-the-Tee
1. Jon Rahm (7.684)
2. Justin Thomas (7.014)
3. Rory McIlroy (6.441)
4. Brooks Koepka (5.994)
5. Bubba Watson (5.896)
7. Dustin Johnson (5.317)
SG: Approach-the-Green
1. Tiger Woods (8.302)
2. Dustin Johnson (7.907)
3. David Lipsky (7.661)
4. Kevin Na (7.148)
5. Sergio Garcia (7.124)
SG: Around-the-Green
1. Charles Howell III (5.794)
2. Byeong Hun An (5.435)
3. Cameron Smith (4.589)
4. HaoTong Li (4.139)
5. Tiger Woods (3.884)
52. Dustin Johnson (-1.259)
SG: Putting
1. Dustin Johnson (8.465)
2. Jake McLeod (7.893)
3. Ian Poulter (7.336)
4. Cameron Smith (6.411)
5. Charles Howell III (6.164)
SG: Tee-to-Green
1. Rory McIlroy (12.644)
2. Dustin Johnson (11.968)
3. Justin Thomas (11.348)
4. Keegan Bradley (8.904)
5. Kiradech Aphibarnrat (8.192)
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Season Winners (17):
6 winners were in their 20s (Martin Trainer: 27; won opposite-field PR Open)
8 were in their 30s (Dustin Johnson age: 34)
3 were in their 40s
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It’s been 25 events since the last pre-tourney fave/co-fave won on TOUR.
Most Recent:
Dustin Johnson (11/2) at the 2018 Canadian Open.
Justin Thomas: the 25-year-old, a playoff loser here last year, was a 9/1 fave outright and back-doored a 9th-place finish (12 adrift) on 9-under 275 (66-73-74-62), up 28 places in R4.
Note: DJ checked in off a back-door 9th at last week’s Genesis before winning this week.
It’s Thomas’ third straight top 10 of the season, arriving off solo 2nd at the Genesis (as a 36-hole co-leader and 54-hole leader), his third straight top 10 at the WGC-Mexico, and his fourth straight overall WGC top 10.
WGC-Mexico Form: 9-2-5-35
Season Form: 9-2-3-16-3-36-5
WGC Form: 9-4-2-1-39-5
