Points and Payouts: Nick Taylor earns $1.58M, 500 FedExCup Points at WM Phoenix Open

If you’re not focusing on the possibilities deep on the board of outrights early in the week, then you’re off to a fruitless 2024, for yet another longshot captured victory on the PGA TOUR. This time it was Nick Taylor at the WM Phoenix Open. He was +10000 pre-tournament to prevail at BetMGM.

Oh, and naturally, the outcome required a playoff on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale as Taylor defeated Charley Hoffman (+30000) with a birdie conversion from 9½ feet on the second hole of sudden death. Only the par-4 18th hole was used in the playoff. The duo halved birdies the first time through and Taylor had birdied it on the last hole of regulation to force overtime. It was the sixth sudden-death playoff since 2016, which is the same year as Hoffman’s most recent of four PGA TOUR wins (Valero Texas Open).

Taylor pockets 500 FedExCup points and $1,584,000 as he matches Hoffman in career victories. It’s the native of Canada's first TOUR title since his epic playoff win at the RBC Canadian Open in 2023. He was +6600 to end the drought of a Canuck claiming the national open.

Although Taylor and Hoffman equaled 72-hole scores of 21-under 263 to force the playoff, they truly were the most deserving still standing at the end of a wild and disjointed week of unusual weather in the Valley of what was some sun.

Taylor opened with a course-record-tying 60 in the cold of the opening round, while the 47-year-old Hoffman, who is a WM ambassador, followed his field-low 64 in the third round with another in the finale. Hoffman’s last top 10 on the PGA TOUR was a T10 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in the summer of 2022. He got into the field of this tournament because he’s burning a career earnings exemption this season.

Tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler (+500) was chasing his third consecutive victory in the tournament, but a series of gaffes with the putter late on Sunday extinguished the three-peat. He was on fire early in the round and signed for a 5-under 66, but that merely lifted him into a share of third place with Sam Burns (+1600).

Sahith Theegala held the outright lead at the midpoint and shared it with Taylor through three rounds, but settled for a solo fifth another stroke back. The 26-year-old was +3300 to win pre-tournament.

And in his first PGA TOUR start since September of 2020 due to extended recovery from multiple injuries suffered in an automobile crash, Bud Cauley (+40000) finished 65th.

NOTE: Points and Payouts cites pre-tournament odds to win at BetMGM for all golfers who made the cut. For live odds, visit BetMGM.

The PGA TOUR is committed to protecting our fans. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, the National Council on Problem Gambling operates a confidential toll-free hotline that you can reach by phone or text at 1-800-522-4700.