THIS WEEK, THE PGA TOUR HEADS TO TPC SCOTTSDALE FOR THE WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN. HOME TO GOLF’S LOUDEST HOLE, WILL ANYONE DISCOVER THE SECRET TO UNLOCK THE INFAMOUS 16TH HOLE.
Hideki Matsuyama has dominated this event since 2014 and looks to join Arnold Palmer as the only player to win the event three times in-a-row.
The PGA Tour has already witnessed a feat such as this with Tiger Woods winning the Buick Invitational, now the Farmers Insurance Open, four consecutive times from 2004. Alongside Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic.
Phil Mickelson has won the Phoenix Open a record three-times, most recently in 2013 and has been on ‘#59 Watch’ lipping out for his own piece of history in the same year.
Should the Japanese man win, it would see his rise inside the world’s top-5 rankings continue and add to his impressive five PGA Tour victories, three of which came last season.
Designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish in 1986 TPC Scottsdale, first hosting the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 1987, is a modern take on desert golf. Bunkers and water hazards litter the course but waste areas aren’t so common on the Stadium course which was updated by Weiskopf in 2014.
Hosting a tough stretch home, on the back-nine, with an island green par-5, an exciting par-3 as well as final hole measuring over 430 yards, it’s a test that will provide drama and rewards.
A par 71, measuring over 7,266 yards, its hidden gem is the 162-yard sixteenth hole, or as it’s better known, ‘the loudest hole in golf’. Around 20,000 fans can be seated around the hole in a stadium-like atmosphere playing the character of Julius Ceasar, determining whether the pros’ shots are up to scratch.
To succeed around TPC Scottsdale, there’s a preferred build; solid off the tee, having more distance to the field is a plus and deadly iron-play with an attacking mind from the fairway.
A profile we’ve seen of late with, one of the most prolific ball-strikers on tour, Matsuyama winning the tournament twice in the last four renewals and big-hitting Brooks Koepka notching his first PGA Tour in the Arizona desert.
THE FIELD:
- 22 players of the top 30 in the FedEx Cup make up the 132-man field.
- There are 8 Major Champions. Including Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Zach Johnson.
- 5 of the world’s top-10 ranked players.
- 21 of the top-50 players in the world will tee it up.
- 6 of the past 18 champions are present. Including three-time champ Phil Mickelson and 2007 winner Aaron Baddeley.
In 2017, TPC Scottsdale yielded the 12th most birdies on the PGA Tour along with the 6th most eagles, giving it an average winning score this century of 18-under-par.
HOT PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Hideki Matsuyama
The world number five’s form at TPC Scottsdale is supreme. Matsuyama has only played this event over the last four seasons and finished 4th, 2nd, 1st, 1st.
He was tied for 12th last week and come off-the-back of a solo 4th at the Tournament of Champions and 5th in the Bahamas, at the Hero World Challenge.
It’s the Japanese player’s iron prowess that separates him from the field, having played sixteen rounds at the Phoenix Open he’s hit 221 greens-in-regulation out of 288 and carded a round of 68, or lower, in twelve of those.
Dialled in for the desert, Hideki ranked first in strokes gained at the 2017 edition of the event and fourth in 2016.
Firing a final-round 66 last year here and playoff victories against Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson show how much the 25-year-old has ground these wins out.
At a tournament where his highest round has been a 71, and his lowest a 63, it’s hard to look past the defending champion.
Justin Thomas
The reigning player of the year has won in six of his last 29 starts, but with limited Arizona appearances, Thomas has missed the cut here the past two years.
Gritting out his first major in 2017 the American is fearless and can run hot at any point of the week, he contended in Phoenix right to the end on his 2015 debut and with ranking 7th on tour for bounce backs should never be overlooked.
Having already won this season at the CJ Cup his build fits the profile of a champion at TPC Scottsdale, phenomenal ball-striking, averaging more than 300 yards in driving distance and a putting game on the rise could be deadly combination again.
Jordan Spieth
The three-time major champion enjoyed some solid form on the Hawaii swing seeing him finish 9th in Kapalua and inside the top-20 in Waialae. With the fallback success of a T3 finish in the Bahamas at the Hero World Challenge.
The Golden kid has finished inside the top-10 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open since the course re-design in 2015.
Last season the world number-three saw dizzy heights leading the par-4 scoring on tour and bogey avoidance, two stats which could prove fruitful come Sunday.
Locked into his own strategy and a meticulous game plan he ranked first for strokes gained tee-to-green in 2016-17.
Rickie Fowler
Painful to watch Fowler’s unravelling, on the drivable par-4 17th, during the 2016 edition of the Phoenix Open but he arguably should have triumphed instead of Hideki Matsuyama.
The American has a 4th and 2nd place finish over the last two years and is hard to not see contending, especially after looking for redemption from a missed cut at Torrey Pines.
Focus on the good and already he has notched a top-five finish this season, finishing T4 at the Tournament of Champions.
Amongst other impressive showings, he boats an immaculate short-game ranking 2nd for stroked gained: around-the-green and has carded 46 birdies during ten rounds this season, when he’s hot, he’s hot.
SLEEPERS:
Webb Simpson
The major champion could come through this year, after losing in a playoff to Matsuyama last year and claim his fifth PGA Tour victory.
He’s also inside the top-10 in Arizona, on the west coast swing, three times and is coming off a T4 at this season’s Sony Open.
Tony Finau
The 28-year-old ranks 9th in strokes gained: tee-to-green and placed T6 at Torrey Pines last week, alongside four top-10s in his last eight starts.
He has missed the cut in his last two Phoenix outings but has a proficient mix of raw-power out the blocks and subtle scoring, averaging 69 strokes a round and ranking 7th on tour.
Harvey’s pick:
Daniel Berger
A two-time winner on tour Berger has recorded two top-10’s at Phoenix in three starts, including in his very first season on tour by just his eighth start as a PGA Tour player.
The American has only featured twice this year but performed well in tournaments with solid fields. He finished T14th at the Sony Open, capping off this week with a closing 64, and also a T11 showing in Kapalua.
Graduating as part of ‘the class of 2011′, alongside Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, Berger is another future star who plays aggressive from the tee and can rely on good ball-striking.
Last season he ranked 12th in strokes-gained: approach shots and already this year sits 3rd for approaches from 175-200 yards. Just for my own indulgence, he ranks 1st for putts inside 4′ and 3’ which is a 100% conversion record.
PHEONIX OPEN RECORDS
- Phil Mickelson, 2013, holds the lowest 72-hole score: 256 (60-65-64-67)
- Lefty also holds the, most recent, lowest-18: 60 (2013, 2005)
- Chris DiMarco has shot the lowest nine-holes: 28 (2003)
- The largest margin of victory was Johnny Miller in 1975: 14 strokes
- JB Holmes, 2006, is the only PGA Tour rookie to get his first career win at the Phoenix Open
Phil Mickelson will tee it up for the 29th time at the Phoenix Open this week. Matching the heights of Gene Littler, Jerry Barber and Jim Ferrier.
Venue: TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona
Date: February 1-4
Forecast: 6-5mph winds. Zero chance of rain and clear and warm throughout.
Course: Par 71; 7,266 yards
Purse: $6,900,000
Defending Champion: Hideki Matsuyama (-17, Playoff)
