At a Glance - Club de Golf Chapultepec, Mexico City, Mexico

• Club de Golf Chapultepec was designed initially by former U.S. Open winner Willie Smith, who died before finishing the job. His brother Alex Smith, a two-time U.S. Open champion, completed the design and the course was opened in 1921 

• Percy Clifford renovated the course in 1972 

• The club has hosted the Mexican Open 18 times, including the first seven years starting in 1944, and most recently in 2014 

• The club hosted a World Golf Championships event four times, with current LIV Golf players Dustin Johnson (2017, 2019), Phil Mickelson (2018) and Patrick Reed (2020) capturing those four titles 

• Another LIV Golf player, Bryson DeChambeau, finished runner-up to Reed by one stroke in 2020 

• World Golf Hall of Famer Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina won three of his record 229 professional wins at the club during the early 1950s 

• The tree-lined parkland course is built approximately 7,800 feet (1.36 miles) above sea level, forcing players to adjust their distance calculations 

• LIV Golf Mexico City will be played at par 71 instead of par 72 for the members, with the 529-yard ninth hole (normally the members’ eighth hole) playing to a par 4 instead of a par 5 

• The routing will be different from the club’s usual routing, with the members’ 18th hole being used as the first hole, and the par-3 17th being played as the 18th hole for LIV Golf Mexico City 

• The 18th is the shortest hole on the course at 151 yards, and the par-5 seventh is the longest at 625 yards

About the Course

This is Mexico’s answer to The Greenbrier. A club that dates back over 100 years and has been conquered by some of the greats of our game: Byman, Crenshaw, and a galaxy of LIV Golf stars.

When you come to Club de Golf Chapultepec, history waits around every dogleg. Now let’s take a trip back into the course’s amazing past - and see what miracles could happen when LIV Golf visits in April 25-27. 

What happened before we got here? 

It was the great Scot, Willie Smith, who first shaped the Chapultepec we know today. That name ring a bell? If so, it’s because Smith won the 1899 U.S. Open by an amazing 11 strokes, a record which stood until 2000. 

Smith moved to Mexico City in 1904 to work as a club pro. As word of his golfing prowess began to spread, he got asked to create a brand-new club in one of the city’s most desirable suburbs. Smith died before the work could be completed, but his project kept growing - and growing. 

Chapultepec became Mexico’s first pro tour venue back in 1944, and has hosted numerous tournaments since. Previous winners include our own Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson and Patrick Reed.  

How will it play? 

Think Valderrama, with altitude. The ball will seriously fly in these conditions, and many greens are driveable. 

However, the narrow tree-lined fairways impose a stiff penalty on any wayward tee shots, and the long uphill holes on the back nine should counteract the effect of the lighter air.  

Who will it favor? 

Lots of our guys have played here before, and they’ll have a major advantage on Day 1. They’ll know how to measure their shots and not get carried away with the prospect of nailing the green in one. 

As the players get the lie of the land, the less powerful drivers could come into play. This is a real thinking player’s course, where shot-shaping is crucial. 

Speaking of thinking players… Mexico’s own Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer should go into the event full of confidence, with plenty of local knowledge and a packed home crowd to cheer them on. 

What have they said? 

“It reminds me a little of Valderrama and obviously you've got the altitude so the ball goes a long way.” Graeme McDowell. 

“You can play Chapultepec in different ways - aggressive, maybe not so aggressive. The altitude makes it really interesting.” Abe Ancer, speaking to Claro Sports. 

How can I be there? 

If you want to see Mexico’s Abe Ancer and Carlos Ortiz defend home turf against Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and all the rest, click here to see our range of tickets and whospitality experiences.