Mexico tournament becomes make-or-break moment as Tour card dreams hang in the balance.

The World Wide Technology Championship tees off Thursday at El Cardonal at Diamante in Cabo San Lucas, and while the postcard views might suggest a vacation vibe, this is anything but a getaway for most of the 120-player field—with just three events left in the FedEx Cup Fall and only the top 100 in points earning full status for 2026. The pressure cooker is officially on, and you can feel the desperation from California to the Baja Peninsula.

Tiger’s Design Gets Its Moment

El Cardonal is a par-72, 7,452-yard layout featuring 60-yard-wide fairways with zero rough, just 48 bunkers, and massive 8,300 square-foot greens—making it one of the more forgiving tracks on Tour. This is Tiger Woods’ design vision come to life, and it’s been hosting this event since 2023. The course played as the 36th easiest on Tour last year, which means birdies will be flying and anyone with a hot putter can make serious noise. It’s basically a shootout in paradise, which is exactly what guys fighting for their Tour lives need.

The Field: Stars, Sleepers, and Survivors

The tournament features seven of the top 60 players in the world, including U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun (No. 6), Ben Griffin (No. 12), Max Greyserman (No. 31), and Wyndham Clark (No. 33). Griffin is getting serious buzz from insiders as the class of this field, with one anonymous tour coach saying they’re “done doubting” him after he’s played like a top-10 player all year.

But the real storylines are further down the rankings. Players like David Lipsky (No. 100), Max McGreevy (96), and fan favorite Joel Dahmen (108) are all fighting to cement their status. Defending champion Austin Eckroat returns, as does 2023 winner Erik van Rooyen, but the smart money might be on the hot hands from the Korn Ferry Tour—guys like Johnny Keefer, who just became the first player since Scottie Scheffler to win both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors on that circuit.

The Expert Consensus: Who’s Got the Juice?

The betting picks are all over the map, which tells you everything about how wide open this tournament is. Favorites range from Garrick Higgo at +2200 (who’s been absolutely scorching with top-seven finishes in his last three starts) to Rico Hoey at +1900 (runner-up in his last outing) to Michael Brennan at +2700 (fresh off a win and riding a months-long heater).

The sleeper pick that keeps popping up? Justin Lower at +7500—he finished T2 at this course last year and just posted a T3 in Utah, suggesting he knows how to navigate this Paspalum grass layout. The guy’s a streaky player, and when he gets hot, he stays hot.

The Verdict: Griffin or Higgo Takes It

This tournament is set up for someone with a hot putter and solid iron play—length off the tee doesn’t matter nearly as much here. Ben Griffin fits that profile perfectly and has been too consistent to ignore, but don’t sleep on Garrick Higgo’s current form. The South African is peaking at the right time and already knows this course from his T6 finish here last year. In a field this desperate and this deep, expect fireworks all weekend long.