Mexico Open Leader Reveals Unique Mind Game That Inspired Fast Start

Matt Wallace has revealed the simple mind trick, suggested by his caddie at the start of the week, that has helped inspire his fast start to the Mexico Open.

Wallace produced a stellar six-under-par round on Friday to take a share of the lead at the halfway stage at Vidanta Vallarta, marking a timely return to form for the Englishman who has registered just one top-40 finish in his first five starts of 2024. 

In particular, the World No. 82 has struggled with his opening rounds this year, starting with a 73 and 75 in his last two tournaments at the Farmers Insurance Open and WM Phoenix Open respectively.

"We started tournaments pretty poorly this year and it's kind of been like, OK, we'll see how it goes to start the tournament on Thursday," Wallace explained. 

"We've found ourselves behind the 8 ball and then we've played really well on Fridays because we've been determined to get the score back."

Determined to rid Wallace of his poor Thursdays, caddie Jamie Lang suggested a simple mind game to inspire an aggressive approach right out of the traps. While officially starting on level par, both Wallace and his caddy instead pretended that they started the week over par and in need of birdies straight away. 

Having fired an opening-round 66 and now sitting at -11 at the halfway stage - his lowest total after two rounds this year - the mind game has clearly worked.

"Yesterday we [pretended to start at] 4 over and we managed to shoot 1 under, which was actually 5 under, and today it was 3 over," Wallace added.

"It's not nice standing on that 10th tee [feeling that you are] 3 over already. Then I bogeyed it, so I was 4 over so I had to get it back. That sort of determination and focus really helped."

Tied for the lead with Alvaro Ortiz, Jake Knapp and Sami Valimaki, Wallace revealed he will stick with his mind game heading into the weekend as he targets his second win on the PGA Tour.

"We'll see the pins and the wind conditions tomorrow [before deciding our starting score]. But it's just something to really focus me at the start of the day."