The FedEx Cup Fall series continues this week with the VidantaWorld Mexico Open at Vidanta Vallarta (par 71, 7,337 yards, paspalum greens). Since this event’s debut in 2022, every Mexico Open has been played at Vidanta Vallarta. At last year’s Mexico Open, Brian Campbell (-20) won by defeating Aldrich Potgieter in a playoff. There will be 120 players competing and a top-65 and ties cut this week.
Vidanta Vallarta was designed by Greg Norman and is a long track that features wide fairways, thin rough, large greens, 55 bunkers and water in play on 12 holes. Vidanta Vallarta is a driver-heavy course where efficient drivers have an advantage, as 3-of-4 winners here have finished the event top-12 in both SG OTT and driving distance. The greens at Vidanta Vallarta are big, but strong iron play is still crucial at this track, as each of the last three winners at this venue have finished the tournament top-eight in SG APP.
Vidanta Vallarta is a rare par 71 that presents nine par fours, five par threes and four par fives. With five par threes to attack, par three performance is far more important here than a normal week of golf, as 3-of-4 winners at Vidanta Vallarta have finished the event top-three in par three scoring, including Campbell last season, when he led his field in the category.
Let’s dive into three of my favorite DraftKings bargain plays for the VidantaWorld Mexico Open, all costing less than $7.5K.
Set your DraftKings fantasy golf lineups here: PGA TOUR $100K Sand Trap [$20K to 1st]
Top DraftKings DFS Bargain Plays for the VidantaWorld Mexico Open
Kihei Akina ($7,100)
Akina made some noise at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship this past week, finishing T-17 in his debut at Port Royal Golf Club. This comes after Akina finished T-9 at the Bank of Utah Championship earlier this month. If unfamiliar with Akina, he is a 20-year-old out of BYU who is currently the No. 8-ranked amateur in the world. The elite prospect has won twice at the college level in 2026 and he is 4-for-4 in made cuts on the PGA TOUR this season, with three of these finishes being top-20 results.
In his first start on the PGA TOUR this season, Akina finished T-16 at the Puerto Rico Open in March. This is a notable performance, as this event was played at the Grand Reserve Golf Club, which like Vidanta Vallarta, features paspalum greens. Akina should keep it rolling with a strong finish in his first attempt at Vidanta Vallarta and he is a terrific target at only $7,100 who may get overlooked.
Chan Kim ($7,000)
Kim has been great at Vidanta Vallarta, finishing T-8 and T-17 in his two starts at the track. Kim has shot in the 60s in 6-of-8 rounds at Vidanta Vallarta and he ranks 11th in this field in strokes gained per round at the par 71. Kim now travels back to Mexico fresh off a T-6 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship last week.
Kim posted two 7-under 64s at Port Royal Golf Club and this marked his 16th made cut in his last 20 starts between the PGA TOUR and the Korn Ferry Tour. Kim has shot under par in 12 of his past 15 rounds and he should easily outproduce his low salary with at least a top-30 finish this weekend.
Isaiah Salinda ($6,900)
Salinda is on the heels of a T-13 finish at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship this past week and he put on a show with his driver at Port Royal, leading the field in SG OTT. Salinda has now made eight of his past 10 cuts between the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour and he has carded six top-25 finishes over this time.
Salinda has collectively gained strokes on approach and off-the-tee in two of his three starts this fall and he now brings this form to Vidanta Vallarta, where he finished solo third in his first start at the course last year. This is Salinda’s best finish on the PGA TOUR and while we can’t expect him to contend again, Salinda finishing inside the top-25 is very realistic.
