The 2026 Riviera Maya Open at Mayakoba takes place on the LPGA Tour from April 30-May 3 with Nelly Korda heading a world‑class field bidding for victory in Mexico.
Recently crowned The Chevron Championship winner, Korda’s has headed south to Playa del Carmen and the El Camaleon layout at Mayakoba for Mexico’s stop of the 2026 LPGA calendar.
The par‑71 coastal course is renowned for its tight fairways framed by jungle and mangroves, windy seaside stretches and a strategic design that has long made it one of Mexico’s most distinctive tournament venues.
World No.1 Korda leads the betting after another blistering run of form including her Chevron victory last week, with Japanese sisters Akie and Chisato Iwai also leading contenders.
With generous scoring chances on the par‑5s but plenty of trouble waiting for any wayward shots, El Camaleon demands both precision and nerve from anyone hoping to lift the trophy on Sunday.
Current Riviera Maya Open 2026 Betting Odds
| Player | Betting Odds |
|---|---|
| Nelly Korda | +190 (19/10) |
| Akie Iwai | +650 (13/2) |
| Chisato Iwai | +1200 (12/1) |
| Minami Katsu | +1600 (16/1) |
| Jin Hee Im | +1600 (16/1) |
Leading Riviera Maya Open Contenders
Nelly Korda
Nelly Korda arrives in Mexico as the standout favourite after cementing her status as the dominant force in the women’s game with a second Chevron Championship victory and another major‑season hot streak.
Her blend of length off the tee, towering iron shots and vastly improved putting makes her an obvious fit for El Camaleon’s mix of demanding approaches and scoreable short holes.
Korda’s recent results and confidence level mean she is likely to create more birdie chances than almost anyone in the field, particularly if the wind stays manageable over the four days.
If she brings anything close to her major‑championship form, she fully justifies her position at the top of the market and once again becomes the player everyone else has to chase.
Akie Iwai
Akie Iwai heads the chasing pack after a series of impressive performances on both the LPGA and Japanese tours, including a strong showing at the Chevron Championship that underlined her rise into the game’s upper tier.
Her sharp iron play and composed putting stroke have translated well to different styles of course, and she now arrives at Mayakoba with bookmakers rating her the most likely threat to Korda.
El Camaleon’s emphasis on accuracy into small, well‑defended greens should accentuate Iwai’s strengths, particularly if conditions become breezy along the coastal holes.
Should she find fairways regularly and maintain her recent touch on the greens, she has every chance of turning regular contention into a breakthrough LPGA title.
Chisato Iwai
Chisato Iwai, the defending champion at the Riviera Maya Open winner after a breakout victory in 2025, returns to Mexico with the confidence of knowing she has already solved the El Camaleon puzzle.
Her combination of steady driving and precise wedge play proved decisive here last year and has continued to make her a constant presence on leaderboards across global tours.
The course’s demand for positional play rather than sheer power plays directly into her strengths, allowing her to plot her way around and rely on her wedge and putter to generate birdies.
If she once again settles quickly into a rhythm on these greens, a successful title defence is a realistic possibility at double‑digit odds.
Minami Katsu
Minami Katsu arrives in Riviera Maya on the back of a strong major showing, having finished inside the top dozen at the Chevron Championship to continue her steady climb on the LPGA stage.
The Japanese star combines a solid long game with a tidy short‑game touch, making her well‑suited to a layout where getting up‑and‑down from tricky surrounds is often crucial.
Katsu’s ability to keep big numbers off the card and capitalise on the par‑5s should see her well placed if scoring stays bunched through the opening rounds.
At mid‑range odds, she shapes as a particularly attractive each‑way option for backers expecting the Chevron form to carry over onto another strategic test.
Jin Hee Im
Jin Hee Im completes the leading group of fancies after a consistent run that has included a good run at the Chevron Championship last week.
Her tee‑to‑green profile is one of the more balanced among the contenders, with no obvious weakness and a calm temperament that tends to hold up well under Sunday pressure.
Im’s ability to shape the ball both ways should help her negotiate El Camaleon’s doglegs and exposed coastal holes, where controlling trajectory is vital when the breeze picks up.
If she can find an extra gear with the putter, she has all the tools required to turn repeated top‑20 finishes into a genuine title challenge this week.
James is an avid golfer and reviews golf equipment and new gear for GolfReviewsGuide.com as well as providing the latest golf news. You will find him on a golf course wherever possible.