World Wide Technology Championship Betting Preview: El Cardonal Looks Set Up For Low Scoring

William Hill’s golf betting market is led by Ryan Gerard and Ben Griffin, with the defending champion back in Mexico after setting the tournament scoring record at 29-under-par last year.

Gerard arrives as the most consistent player in the field this season, while Griffin brings course-winning proof and the confidence of knowing El Cardonal already suits his eye. That combination makes this a proper betting week rather than a guessing game.

Course Analysis

El Cardonal at Diamante is a par 72 that plays at 7,452 yards and was designed by Tiger Woods, with routing through dunes, sand and dry desert arroyos on the Pacific side of Cabo San Lucas. The course has four par 5s, four par 3s and 10 par 4s, and six of those par 4s measure 462 yards or longer.

That shape matters because the layout encourages birdie chances rather than survival golf. The winning score has already shown how far low this can go, and last year Griffin’s 29-under total underlined that the field usually needs to keep pressing rather than wait for mistakes.

Paspalum greens add another layer to the puzzle. Players who have handled this surface well in Mexico have often translated that comfort into scoring chances, especially when the putter gets hot and the long irons hold up. Course form matters here, but so does a willingness to attack when the chances appear.

Form Players

Ryan Gerard is the standout statistical profile in the field. He finished third in the FedEx Cup despite not winning on the PGA Tour in 2026, with two runner-up finishes, a third and five more top-five results, while banking well over $10 million in prize money.

He also added a third-place finish at the Tour Championship and fourth at the Baycurrent Classic.

Ben Griffin is the defending champion and one of only a few players this season to win multiple times, joining Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy in that bracket.

His win here came with a tournament record, and his final-round 63 was built on a run of huge birdie putts when the pressure was rising. That is exactly the kind of closing speed you want at a venue where the scoring can turn quickly.

Jackson Koivun is the wild card with star potential. The 21-year-old won the 3M Open in only his third PGA Tour start, closed with a 25-under, and later helped the United States win the Presidents Cup as an undefeated player.

He missed the cut on debut after turning professional, but the ceiling is obvious, and his profile makes him dangerous in a field without many superstars at the very top.

Seamus Power also deserves respect for how he has handled recent weeks. He has finished 21st or better in five of his last eight starts, including two top 10s, and he was runner-up in Bermuda before heading to Mexico.

He has previous positive results in this event and has shown he can handle the travel and the scoring pace in this part of the world.

Sami Valimaki is the best course-and-surface fit among the more obvious outsiders. He has already been a runner-up twice in Mexico, including once at this course, and he opened with a 61 and closed with a 64 here last year.

He has also won on paspalum greens before reaching the PGA Tour, which is a useful edge in a week where putting on the right surface can matter as much as tee-to-green power.

Best Bets

Take a look at our top tips for this week’s competition below, but firstly readers can check out our advice on how to bet on golf as we approach a key tournament.

Ben Griffin (14/1 each-way)

Griffin is the obvious starting point because course history and current ability line up neatly.

He has already won here, he knows what a winning total looks like at El Cardonal, and his game has shown enough firepower to live in the low-scoring zone again.

Ryan Gerard (12/1 each-way)

Gerard is the most complete season-long proposition in the field. His 2026 record is built on repeated high finishes rather than one hot week, and that kind of week-to-week reliability can be priceless in a 120-man event with a $6 million purse and 500 FedEx Cup points on offer.

He is not the flashiest name, but he has been too consistent to ignore.

Seamus Power (40/1 each-way)

Power looks well placed to turn another solid week into a big finish. His recent results are strong enough to trust, and he has already shown that he can settle into this event and make a run.

In a field where the top-end quality is thinner than usual, he looks like a sensible each-way angle rather than a speculative one.

Sami Valimaki (45/1 each-way)

Valimaki is the value play for players who want course history, surface comfort and enough recent form to justify the wager.

He has already shown he can score at El Cardonal, and his best results in Mexico have come on greens that suit his putting background. That is the sort of profile that can sneak into contention if the birdies start dropping early.

*Odds subject to change – prices accurate at the time of writing*