The Mexico Open at Vidanta takes place immediately after the Genesis Invitational and in the short run up to the Players Championship on the PGA Tour's schedule, but that does not make those involved any less keen to win it.
This tournament - which has previously been claimed by the likes of Lee Trevino, Ben Crenshaw, and Stewart Cink - has been a near permanent fixture in the upper echelons of men's pro golf since 1944 at a variety of top Mexican courses and is currently offering a plethora of perks to its champion.
But what do you get for clinching the Mexico Open, just as Tony Finau did in 2023? Keep reading to find out...
A Historic PGA Tour Title
Arguably the most prestigious circuit in the world of men's professional golf, any win on the PGA Tour will remain on your CV for life and is quite the accolade for every player who is lucky enough to tee it up there. But winning a national open is an extra-special achievement which is likely to ensure a unique place in the heart of its victor.
Although the competition has been in existence since before the end of World War II, this year's Mexico Open is just the third time it has been a PGA Tour event, with previous editions to 2022 landing on either the Korn Ferry Tour or PGA Tour Latinoamerica.
Two-Year PGA Tour Exemption
Winners of this event lock up their playing rights on the US-based circuit for at least the next two years, with an extra year added for each additional victory (maximum of five years), allowing said player to relax somewhat and know their immediate future is secure.
Players in the 2024 field who have qualified through recently winning a PGA Tour event include defending champion, Finau, big-hitting Cameron Champ, and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes.
Huge winner's check
While the total prize fund of $8.1 million if significantly lower than the $20 million available at Riviera Country Club last week, there is still an eye-catching reward on offer for the champion at $1.458 million. That is over half of the entire purse of $2.5m for the other big men’s tournament taking place this week, the Magical Kenya Open on the DP World Tour.
This year's Mexico Open also features $400,000 more than the 2023 edition, when Finau held off the challenge of Jon Rahm to win $1.386m. This week’s runner-up will have the consolation of an $882,900 payday, which is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Notable pile of FedEx Cup points
Although this week's event offers slightly less than the 700 FedEx Cup points available to Genesis Invitational winner, Hideki Matsuyama, 500 markers will still go a long way to helping the lucky golfer make a title charge at the end of the season.
Healthy chunk of OWGR points
A field rating of around 180 means there is a shade over 31 OWGR points on offer for the Mexico Open victor. That's more than double what is available on both the European Tour and the Asian Tour for equivalent events.
However, no matter what happens, the world's top-13 will remain unchanged, while back-to-back successes for Finau would shift him up to World No.14.
Tee Time At Two Majors (Including The Masters)
All tournaments on the PGA Tour that carry a full FedEx Cup points allocation also promise a Masters entry to their winners. Not only can Mexico Open winners tick off a bucket-list activity midway through April, should they not already be exempt via other means, but they will be eligible for a PGA Championship start as well. Two Majors for the price of one win!
Logistically speaking, while a success in Vidanta would not automatically lock up a spot at the Open Championship and the US Open, it could potentially catapult the winner an awful lot closer to the world's top-50 and make qualifying via that method a far easier prospect.
Place In The Players Championship
As if a tee time at at least two Major championships wasn't enough, a PGA Tour win prior to the Players Championship secures you a position among the field at the US-based circuit's flagship tournament at TPC Sawgrass, too.
The Players features one of the largest total prize purses in golf at $25 million while also offering 80 OWGR points, the largest share aside from the majors, for which winners earn 100. A five-year exemption on the PGA Tour can be earned via a victory at TPC Sawgrass, as can a three-year pass into all four Majors.
Spot At All Remaining 'Signature Events'
Although three have already taken place (The Sentry, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the Genesis Invitational), there are still five Signature Events left this season on the PGA Tour. That's five chances more to score extra FedEx Cup points, additional OWGR points, and - of course - a handful more dollars.
The next one is only a couple of weeks away during the 'Florida Swing' at the Arnold Palmer Invitational - a prestigious tournament won by several greats of the game.
