Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm can lead the European challenge

Sky Sports Golf, 5pm Thursday

The WGC-Mexico Championship is a high-class gathering which has thrown up some mouthwatering threeballs, with Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy and Bubba Watson forming the 5.39pm group at Club de Golf Chapultepec.

Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas soon follow, with later combinations of Rickie Fowler, Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed, and Tiger Woods, Bryson DeChambeau and local hero Abraham Ancer for punters to feast upon.

McIlroy and Rahm are worthy of support in two 'tops' markets – the Northern Irishman should take all the beating in the top Great Britain and Ireland betting, while the Spaniard can justify favouritism in the top continental European market.

McIlroy could take great heart from his final three rounds in the Genesis Open last week.

He fired a second-round 63 and followed up with a pair of 69s, looking more assured than usual with putter in hand. His five-five finish, which meant a share of fourth place, was disappointing, but overall the Riviera trip provided encouragement for the weeks to come.

McIlroy has competed only once before in the Mexico Championship, finishing seventh in 2017, and he returns in fine fettle. He has played in only three events this year and has posted a top-five finish in all of them – the signs are positive as his annual Grand Slam hunt looms on the horizon at Augusta.

His top GB&I rivals in Mexico – headed by Paul Casey and Tommy Fleetwood – appear far less likely to challenge and McIlroy can boss the 14-runner market.

Rahm has been equally consistent this year – five appearances all yielding a top-ten finish – and he relishes Chapultepec. The cocksure youngster gave Dustin Johnson most to worry about in the 2017 Mexico Championship and Rahm finished 20th last year.

A strong title challenge from Rahm would come as no surprise and he looks a far greater threat to the trophy than Sergio Garcia, Francesco Molinari and the rest of this 11-runner section.

Jordan Spieth appears to have serious problems – wild from tee to green, then awful over short putts – and a series of recent weekend collapses have sent him to Mexico with self-confidence levels potentially at an all-time low. Gary Woodland seems a bargain at 10-11 with Betway to defeat Spieth over 72 holes.

Woodland, an unlucky second in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the start of the year, has been in magnificent ball-striking form. He has finished ninth at Torrey Pines and seventh at TPC Scottsdale in his two latest starts and self-belief is growing as he consistently banks healthy cheques, cementing his position in the top 30 of the world rankings.

Henrik Stenson looks the pick of the first-round threeball options (6.03pm). Matt Kuchar seems certain to get a rough ride from the galleries because of his infamous underpaying of his Mexican caddie in the Mayakoba Classic, while Fleetwood has been short of his best as he adjusts to some new equipment.

Recommendations
R McIlroy top GB&I
2pts 9-4 general
J Rahm top Continental
2pts 2-1 general
G Woodland to beat J Spieth
2pts 10-11 Betway
H Stenson to win threeball
1pt 9-4 general

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