How is that for a primary skilled victory? Brian Campbell overcame a one-stroke deficit Sunday at Vidanta Vallarta to win the 2025 Mexico Open, battling by means of two playoff holes to lastly topple 36- and 54-hole chief Aldrich Potgieter.
Starting the day simply off the tempo, Campbell signed for a final-round 70 to succeed in 20 underneath for the event and declare victory over the South African. The win represents not solely the primary of Campbell’s PGA Tour profession however the first of his skilled profession as he turns into the second straight first-time winner to reign supreme on the Mexico Open following within the footsteps of final yr’s champion Jake Knapp. Campebell can also be the second first-time winner in 2025 because of his first journey to the winner’s circle because the 2015 NCAA Noblesville Regional.
With the triumph, Campbell locks up his standing on the PGA Tour for the following two years and climbs greater than 150 spots within the FedEx Cup standings to thirteenth within the season-long race. He additionally secures invitation into the Masters and PGA Championship for the primary time in his profession in addition to the remaining signature occasions this season. If Campbell needs to, the 31-year-old can start his subsequent yr’s marketing campaign in Maui at The Sentry.
Campbell’s closing stroll round Vidanta Vallarta started in nervous style as he missed an in depth vary tickler for par and dropped a pair strokes off the lead. After a string of pars to settle his recreation, the previous Illinois standout fought again and kicked in birdies on Nos. 6-7 to get again into the event.
With Potgieter struggling across the greens and Aaron Rai making a cost up forward, Campbell saved his cool. Navigating the troublesome flip, Campbell clinched the lead on his personal for the primary time when he rolled in a 12-foot birdie on the par-3 thirteenth.
Rai’s run got here to a screeching halt whereas Isaiah Salinda made his presence recognized. The PGA Tour rookie posted the clubhouse lead at 19 underneath and waited as each Campbell and Potgieter got here to the par-5 finisher at that very quantity. Greenside in two, each gamers had been capable of get up-and-down to eradicate Salinda whereas organising a date for additional holes.
After exchanging pars on their second taking part in of No. 18, Potgieter discovered the green whereas Campbell discovered a tree situated out of bounds that miraculously kicked his ball again into play. Hitting a 3 wooden 70 yards wanting the inexperienced, Campbell clipped his third to perfection to arrange a 3-foot birdie putt that he was capable of brush in for his first win in his 187th Tour-sanctioned occasion.
“Oh my gosh, that bounce?!” Campbell mentioned. “I will take it.” Grade: A+
Listed here are the grades for the remainder of the notable names on the leaderboard on the 2025 Mexico Open.
2. Aldrich Potgieter: After sleeping on leads the final two nights, Potgieter hung robust Sunday. The youngest participant on the PGA Tour regarded prefer it at varied factors all through his closing spherical because the 20-year-old was nervy on method and much more so across the inexperienced. Regardless of hitting some turbulence, the South African used his distance to reap the benefits of all three par 5s on the again 9 to power a playoff. His short-game woes proved an excessive amount of to beat, however the upside stays clear as day. There are some areas the large hitter wants to wash up in his recreation, however he’ll chalk this one up within the expertise column and make his method again into rivalry sooner moderately than later. Grade: A
T6. Joel Dahmen (-17): Dahmen’s ball hanging consistency was lastly rewarded this week as his putter picked up the slack. Rating inside the highest 15 on the greens, he loved a stable weekend with a pair of 65s that scooted his identify up the leaderboard. Amid a yr the place PGA Tour playing cards will probably be tougher to acquire, final yr’s bubble boy is off to a stable begin with two top-10 finishes in his final three begins. Grade: A-
9. Akshay Bhatia (-15): It was refreshing to see a younger star like Bhatia play in a comparatively weak occasion given he has already locked up qualifying for signature occasions and main championships in 2025. The pre-tournament favourite acquitted himself properly and rolled the rock superbly persevering with an early-season development. His ball hanging held him again ever so barely, but when Bhatia continues to wield the broom stick in such a way — he entered the week No. 12 on the PGA Tour in strokes gained placing — his third profession victory must be proper across the nook. Grade: B+
T25. Patrick Rodgers (-11): Every week after squandering the fifth 54-hole lead of his profession, Rodgers jumped proper again on the horse. At a golf course the place he had completed inside the highest 10 in all thrice, the rhythmic proper hander performed himself onto the outskirts of rivalry because of an eagle on the par-4 seventh on Sunday. Getting inside a handful, Rodgers backtracked with 4 bogeys throughout the primary six holes of his again 9. He now has three top-25 finishes in his final three begins. Grade: B-
T25. Jake Knapp (-11): The defending champion was initially despatched packing early attributable to a guidelines violation on his final gap on Friday that dropped him on the incorrect facet of the cutline. The PGA Tour took one other take a look at the infraction and reversed it as Knapp hit his greenside bunker shot after which struck the sand together with his membership in frustration which is authorized. Knapp made good use of his weekend rounds hitting his driver properly on Saturday and his irons to perfection on Sunday. He is having hassle syncing up the entire bag in the intervening time, however the items seem like there. Grade: C+