WM Phoenix Open
The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Arizona
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Chalk
My thoughts on the top players for betting purposes:
Scottie Scheffler (+260): If he’s in the field, he has my attention. At less than 3-1, I’m hesitant, but this field does not have the depth of Pebble Beach. Without the pressure to win three in a row, I’d be shocked if he finished outside the top 10.
Justin Thomas (+1400): Play him in the “without Scheffler” market. Desert dog and course horse, just not on the level of Scheffler. Who is? Also a winner at Waialae CC.
Hideki Matsuyama (+1600): A two-time winner like Scheffler, the Japanese star is the only player in the top three with a win this year. Nobody has accused Matsuyama or Scheffler of being lights-out putters but they are both winners here twice.
Sam Burns (+2500): A super putter, he’ll enjoy the large targets approaching the greens. The largest greens on TOUR at Kapalua produced at T8 cash in January.
Sungjae Im (+2500): The Korean’s history at the event matches his early 2025 results, top finishes and head-scratchers.
Tom Kim (+2800): Hit the ball, already! Eight rounds here produced four rounds in the 70s and four rounds in the 60s.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,261. |
| Par: | 71 (35-36). |
| Greens: | Poa annua; 7,100 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | 12 feet. |
| Rough: | Overseeded Rye and Poa annua around two inches. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 67/3/6 |
| Architect(s): | Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish (1986); Tom Weiskopf (2014 renovation). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Nick Taylor (-21)* |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Scheffler (2023, 2022); Hideki Matsuyama (2017, 2016). |
| Course Record: | 60; Nick Taylor, Round 1 (2024). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record (post-2014 renovation) | 21-under; Nick Taylor & Charley Hoffman (2024). |
| Fact of the Week: | Taylor became the fourth international winner this century. |
| Fact of the Week II: | Only two players have won on debut this century. |
Notes:
- Field of 132.
- THE CUT returns this week. The top 65 and ties advance to the final two rounds.
- The OWGR is represented by 28 of the top 50.
- $9.2 million – $1.656 million – 500 FedExCup points – Sentry, PLAYERS, and Masters ticket punched.
Recent Winners
2025 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| The Sentry | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Nick Taylor |
| The American Express | Sepp Straka |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Harris English |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Rory McIlroy |
2024 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| The Sentry | Chris Kirk |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Grayson Murray (Rest in Peace) |
| The American Express | Nick Dunlap (a) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Matthieu Pavon (rookie) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Wyndham Clark (54 holes) |
| WM Phoenix Open | Nick Taylor |
| The Genesis Invitational | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Jake Knapp (rookie) |
| Cognizant Classic | Austin Eckroat (first time) |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Scottie Scheffler |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Peter Malnati |
| Texas Children’s Houston Open | Stephan Jaeger (first time) |
| Valero Texas Open | Akshay Bhatia |
| 88th Masters Tournament | Scottie Scheffler (3) |
| RBC Heritage | Scottie Scheffler (4) |
| Zurich Classic | Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry |
| THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson | Taylor Pendrith (first time) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Rory McIlroy (2) |
| 106th PGA Championship | Xander Schauffele |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Davis Riley |
| RBC Canadian Open | Robert MacIntyre (first time) |
| The 49th Memorial Tournament | Scottie Scheffler (5) |
| 124th United States Open | Bryson DeChambeau |
| Travelers Championship | Scottie Scheffler (6) |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | Cam Davis |
| John Deere Classic | Davis Thompson (first time) |
| Genesis Scottish Open | Robert MacIntyre (2) |
| 152nd Open Championship | Xander Schauffele (2) |
| 3M Open | Jhonattan Vegas |
| 2024 Paris Olympics | Scottie Scheffler (7) |
| 3M Open | Jhonattan Vegas |
| Wyndham Championship | Aaron Rai (first time) |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | Hideki Matsuyama (2) |
| BMW Championship | Keegan Bradley |
| The TOUR Championship | Scottie Scheffler (8) |
| FedEx Cup Fall | |
| Procore Championship | Patton Kizzire |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Kevin Yu (first time) |
| Black Desert Championship | Matt McCarty (first time) |
| Shriners Children’s Open | JT Poston |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Nico Echavarria |
| World Wide Technology Champ | Austin Eckroat (2) |
| Butterfield Bermuda Champ | Rafa Campos (first time) |
| The RSM Classic | Maverick McNealy (first time) |
Recent Winners – WM Phoenix Open
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2024 | Nick Taylor (-21) | Held off Charley Hoffman to become the sixth winner in the last nine to need extra holes. |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler (-19) | Tied the tournament scoring record defending his title. Won by two shots over Nick Taylor. Third place was five back. |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler (-16) | Defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff to win for the first time on TOUR. |
| 2021 | Brooks Koepka (-19) | Matched the tournament scoring mark holding off KH Lee and Xander Schauffele by a shot. |
| 2020 | Webb Simpson (-17) | Defeated Tony Finau in a playoff. |
| 2019 | Rickie Fowler (-19) | Tied the tournament scoring record by defending his title. Won by two shots over Nick Taylor. Third place was five back. |
| 2018 | Gary Woodland (-18) | Defeated Chez Reavie in a playoff; Circled 26 birdies. |
| 2017 | Hideki Matsuyama (-17) | Successfully defended his title knocking out Simpson in a playoff. |
| 2016 | Hideki Matsuyama (-14) | Won in his third attempt defeating Fowler in a playoff. |
| 2105 | Brooks Koepka (-15) | Won on his debut and won for the first time on TOUR. |
Notables
- The highest winning total since 2015 is 15-under-par.
- Eight of the last 10 winners have ranked T6 or better in Ball-Striking.
- Taylor and Matsuyama join Aaron Baddeley (2007) and Vijay Singh (2003) as the only international winners this century.
- Only two players won on debut this century, including 23-year-old J.B. Holmes (not entered) in 2006 and none since 2015.
- Holmes and Matsuyama are the youngest winners at 23.
- Kenny Perry (not entered) is the oldest winner at 48 in 2009.
- Tom Weiskopf designs feature on TOUR at TPC Craig Ranch, where K.H. Lee (+27000) has won twice, and Black Desert, where Matt McCarty (+30000) won in the fall of 2024.
- Every winner in the last decade ranked T11 or better in Greens in Regulation.
Players to consider for Top 10, Top 20, or Top 40 action:
After a DISASTER last week, let’s try and rebound, eh?
Sepp Straka (+4000): In the fight most of the weekend at Pebble Beach, he’s already a winner this season in the desert.
Sahith Theegala (+4000): This will be the week he gets the train back on the tracks. T3 on debut and solo fifth last year.
Rasmus Hojgaard (+5000): T22 last week to break the jet lag. Shit-fire hot across the world since last year.
Nick Taylor (+6000): Even as the defending champion, he knows he’s not the star of the show. And he’s fine with that.
Luke Clanton (+6000): If he makes the cut, he gets his PGA TOUR card.
Si Woo Kim (+5500): Trending at the event.
Sam Stevens (+7000): Stick a top 10 ticket here.
Lee Hodges (+10000): Look up his recent form and remember he has big targets to aim for this week.
Taylor Moore (+10000): Rounding into form and a solid performer in the desert.
Eric Cole (+12500): Too big of a number to pass up for a top 10, top 20.
KH Lee (+22500): Twice a winner at TPC Craig Ranch, a Tom Weiskopf design.
One and Done – Spotter’s Game
1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).
1 use per year.
With EIGHT Signature Events spread out throughout the season, player management becomes a major issue. These events do NOT include the four majors or THE PLAYERS Championship. These events do NOT include the FedExCup Playoffs. This game ends with the BMW Championship.
LAST WEEK – AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
MY CHOICE: Ludvig Aberg – WD
For the second week in a row, my selection withdrew.
This time, he played a round and THEN quit, leaving me no recourse.
Did I mention it was a no-cut event?
My backup choices were shit as well.
I guess I was distracted being there.
| Event | Selection | Place | Earnings |
| The Sentry | Sungjae Im | 3rd | $1,360,000 |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Russell Henley | T10 | 195,025 |
| The American Express | Adam Hadwin | MC | |
| Farmers Insurance | Jason Day | T32 | 52,080 |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Ludvig Aberg | WD |
THIS WEEK – WM Phoenix Open
The shitshow in the desert of Scottsdale has paid off veterans and young, up-and-comers alike.
Although disappointed with my last three weeks, this game will be won and lost with THE PLAYERS, four majors, and the first two events of the FedExCup Playoffs.
It’s not time to panic, yet.
MY CHOICE: Rasmus Hojgaard
Right.
Take the new guy on some of the friendlier greens on TOUR to putt. I have no qualms about the way he hits it or his current form. Also, I’m not burning Scheffler or Matsuyama with this purse.
You do you.
Others to consider:
Sam Burns, Tom Kim, Sepp Straka, Kurt Kitayama, Lee Hodges
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