On Thursday, April 28, the Mexico Open at Vidanta began, an event that is part of the PGA Tour, which will take place in this same venue for the next three years, and where 132 of the best golf exponents gathered.
The Mexican talent included the presence of Abraham Ancer, Carlos Ortiz, Armando Favela, Álvaro Ortiz, Manuel Inman, Isidro Benítez and Bobby Díaz. Among the new representatives of our country were Cristobal Islas, Santiago de la Fuente and Antonio Safa.
The winner of the Open was Jon Rham, the only participant in the Top 15 in the world. The Spaniard scored a 12-foot birdie on the par-5 14th hole to break a four-way tie for the lead. Tony Finau, Brando Wu and Kurt Kitayama tied for second place.
The venue was Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta, a complex that is part of Grupo Vidanta, a leader in tourist developments in Mexico and Latin America. The golf course is designed by Greg Norman, which has 18 holes with Paspalum playing surfaces from end to end and is 7,456 yards, par-73. The course runs along the Rio Ameca and every hole offers spectacular views of the Sierra Madre. This course is a new challenge for competitors, as it is extremely challenging from the championship tees, but at the same time friendly on the front tees with four experience options designed for each type of golfer.
Sponsored by Grupo Vidanta and Grupo Salinas, the accumulated purse was 3 million dollars in prizes, 500 FedEx Cup points and an invitation to the 2023 Masters.
The opening and start of activities began on April 26 with an opening ceremony attended by Benjamín Salinas Sada, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Grupo Salinas; Iván Chávez, Executive Vice President of Grupo Vidanta; Fernando Lemmen Meyer, President of the Mexican Golf Federation and John Norris, Senior Vice President of Tournament Business Affairs for the PGA Tour.
The alliance between Grupo Vidanta and Grupo Salinas for the promotion of the event and golf in general in Mexico, especially in Riviera Nayarit, will not only promote the sport, but will also attract economic benefits and a new type of tourism to the region.
