PGA TOURLeaderboardWatch + ListenNewsFedExCupSchedulePlayersStatsGolfbetSignature EventsComcast Business TOUR TOP 10Aon Better DecisionsDP World Tour Eligibility RankingsHow It WorksPGA TOUR TrainingTicketsShopPGA TOURPGA TOUR ChampionsKorn Ferry TourPGA TOUR AmericasLPGA TOURDP World TourPGA TOUR University
Archive

Horses for Courses: WM Phoenix Open

5 Min Read

Horses for Courses

Horses for Courses: WM Phoenix Open


    Written by Mike Glasscott @MikeGlasscott

    All-time greatest shots from WM Phoenix Open


    If you're wondering if crowds are "back" on TOUR, this week should answer that question LOUDLY!


    RELATED: The top 5 aces at TPC Scottsdale's 16th | The First Look


    TPC Scottsdale will host the 86th WM Phoenix Open as it has since 1987 with eager fans set to create an atmosphere like no other. The famous 16th hole will be rocking as always with what are historically some of the largest crowds of the year.

    Tom Weiskopf's 2014 redesign stretches to just 7,261 yards (Par-71) and has been dinged between 19-under and 17-under the last five editions. There have only been five winners in the seven events since the redesign as Hideki Matsuyama and Brooks Koepka have both won twice.

    Defending champion Koepka returns to lead the field of 132. Phil Mickelson (not entered) is the last player to post 60 (2013) and shares the course record. He also shares the tournament record of 256.

    Statistically we need eyes on precision players given six of the last seven winners ranked sixth or better in Ball-Striking and five of the last six were first or second in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green.

    Let's find some horses for courses!

    Horses for Courses

    Recent Winners
    entered this week
    (cuts made/events entered)
    Top 10sTop 25s2022 BET MGM ODDS
    Win, Top 10, Top 20
    2021: Brooks Koepka (4/4)22+3300; +250; +110
    2020: Webb Simpson (9/11)57+4000; +350; +160
    2019: Rickie Fowler (10/13)46+8000; +600; +260
    2018: Gary Woodland (9/12)34+8000; +700; +300
    2017: Hideki Matsuyama (7/8)46+1600; +150; -145
    2016: Hideki Matsuyama (7/8)46+1600; +150; -145
    2015: Brooks Koepka (4/4)22+3300; +250; +110
    Eye Catchers
    entered this week
    (cuts made/events entered)
    Top 10sTop 25s2022 BET MGM ODDS
    Win, Top 10, Top 20
    James Hahn (7/9)15+20000; +1400; +550
    Justin Thomas (5/7)25+1200; +140; -160
    Bubba Watson (13/15)610+4000; +300; +125
    Scott Piercy (10/12)47+20000; +1600; +700
    Daniel Berger (5/7)34+2500; +200; -110
    Billy Horschel (8/9)14+5000; +400; +170
    Chez Reavie (5/13)22+15000; +1100; +450
    Matt Kuchar (10/12)45+8000; +700; +300
    Brendan Steele (9/11)46+15000; +1100; +450
    Martin Laird (9/13)45+15000; +900; +400
    Brian Gay (15/19)26+50000; +3300; +1400
    Gaining Traction
    entered this week
    (cuts made/events entered)
    Top 10sTop 25s2022 BET MGM ODDS
    Win, Top 10, Top 20
    Xander Schauffele (4/4)24+2200; +200; -125
    KH Lee (1/2)11+12500; +900; +350
    Jordan Spieth (3/5)33+2000; +175; -135
    Carlos Ortiz (4/5)12+15000; +900; +350
    Matthew NeSmith (1/1)11+15000; +1100; +450
    Andrew Putnam (1/3)11+8000; +700; +300
    Scottie Scheffler (1/2)11+2500; +225; +100
    Nate Lashley (2/2)12+12500; +1000; +400
    Max Homa (3/3)11+6600; +550; +250
    Adam Long (1/3)11+25000; +1400; +600
    Branden Grace (2/2)22+12500; +1000; +400
    Hudson Swafford (1/4)11+15000; +900; +400
    Tony Finau (2/6)12+4000; +350; +140
    Jon Rahm (6/6)36+750; -150; -350
    Louis Oosthuizen (2/2)12+4000; +333; +140
    Russell Knox (4/6)13+8000; +750; +350
    Harold Varner III (4/6)12+5000; +400; +170
    Chesson Hadley (4/5)12+50000; +3000; +1200

    Odds sourced on Tuesday, February 8 at 1 p.m. ET. For live odds visit betmgm.

    Recent Event Winner Stats

    Year202120202019
    WinnerBrooks KoepkaWebb SimpsonRickie Fowler
    Score-19-17-17
    MOV1 (KH Lee, Schauffele)Playoff (Finau)2 (Branden Grace)
    Cut3-under1-under1-under
    Age303430
    Pre-Tournament Odds+4000+1400+2000
    All Drives7T3627
    AccuracyT27T3T3
    GIRT1T6T13
    Ball-Striking16T4
    ProximityT6T946
    Putting: Birdie or Better %14161
    SG: Off-the-Tee11193
    SG: Approach-the-Green2122
    SG: Around-the-Green324365
    SG: Putting18121
    SG: Tee-to-Green2219
    ScramblingT5014T6
    Bogey AvoidanceT9T9T4
    Par-3 ScoringT2T32T21
    Par-4 ScoringT1211
    Par-5 ScoringT4T55T10
    Par-BreakersT3T21

    Extra Credit (players entered this week only)

    2021

    Winner Brooks Koepka trailed by six after 54 holes before a 65 on Sunday claimed his second WMPO title. ... Koepka played the final six holes 15-under for the week. ... KH Lee (T2) T4 GIR and only five bogeys. ... Xander Schauffele (T2) shared the 54-hole lead after 64-65 in Rounds 2 and 3. ... Carlos Ortiz (T4) closed with the low round of the day (64) and led field in birdies (24). ... Jordan Spieth (T4) posted the low round of the week (61) and led field in SG: Approach the Green. ... Matthew NeSmith (T7) led after 18 holes with 63 and closed with 66 on debut. ... Andrew Putnam (T7) was bogey-free for the week! ... Scottie Scheffler (T7) holed almost 400 feet of putts (T2). ... James Hahn (10th) picked up his third T25 or better in his last four here. ... Louis Oosthuizen (T11) backed up his solo 3rd from 2017 after posting 63 in Round 3. ... Defending champ Webb Simpson (T42) opened with 73.

    2020

    Winner Webb Simpson birdied the final three holes, including the first playoff hole, to win for the 6th time on TOUR. ... Simpson played the final 54 holes 17-under (63-64-69). ... Tony Finau (P2) made just two bogeys all week and posted 62 on Saturday to lead after 54 holes. ... Nate Lashley (T3) followed with a T17 in 2021 and has posted all eight rounds in the red (67.75). ... Justin Thomas (T3) closed with 65 and has never cashed worse than T17 in five weekends here. ... Bubba Watson (T3) picked up his third podium and sixth top 10. ... Max Homa (T6) signed for his best finish in three trips. ... Scott Piercy (T6) sat three off the 54-hole lead. ... Adam Long (8th) MC the year before and the year after. ... Daniel Berger (T9) sat T1 Putting but MC the year before and the year after. ... Branden Grace (T9) backed up solo second in 2019 in just his second appearance. ... Billy Horschel (T9) is on a current streak of seven straight with this the best of the bunch. ... Jon Rahm (T9) has never MC in six tries but his best finish is T5 as a student at Arizona State in 2015. ... Hudson Swafford (T9) sat just two back after 54 holes before closing with 74. ... Defending champion Rickie Fowler cashed T37.

    2019

    Winner Rickie Fowler sat 20-under after 54 holes and closed for his fifth win on TOUR. ... First winner since 1983 to have a triple and double on the card in the final round. ... Lost a playoff in 2016 and finished second in 2010. ... Branden Grace (2nd) was one of just three players to post all four rounds in the 60s and did so on debut. ... Justin Thomas (3rd) was second in Proximity. ... Chez Reavie (T4) backed up his playoff loss in 2018 with another top five. ... Bubba Watson (T4) ranked T7 Fairways and T4 GIR. ... Matt Kuchar (T4) was 16-under after 54 holes and trailed by four! ... Defending champion Gary Woodland (T7) has MC-T40 the last two years. ... Russell Knox (T10) only squared five bogeys for the week. ... Jon Rahm (T10) to this day has 23 of 24 rounds in the red for a 68.17 scoring average. ... Xander Schauffele (T10) has never MC and his worst finish is T17. ... Harold Varner III (T10) shared the 18-hole lead with Fowler and Thomas after a 64.

    Notes

    • Two winners have defended since 1970 (Johnny Miller, Hideki Matsuyama).
    • Mickelson is the only wire-to-wire winner this century (no ties, sorry Rickie).
    • Only two 54-hole leaders have won since 2013.
    • Just three international winners since 2000, including ZERO Europeans.
    • JB Holmes (not entered), Kyle Stanley (2012) and Brooks Koepka (2015) are the only three first-time winners on TOUR since 2000.
    • Kenny Perry (48) is the oldest winner and Matsuyama and Holmes (both 23) are the youngest.
    • Wyndham Clark opened with 61 in 2020 to tie Spieth for the post renovation low round.
    • Matthew Wolff made his professional debut here in 2019.
    • Charles Howell III will make his 600th start this week and cashed 13 of 15 here. His last visit was T24 2016.
    • Matt Kuchar has cashed nine straight with four top 10s.
    • Brian Harman has cashed six straight, but none inside the top 20.

    Key stat leaders

    Top golfers in each statistic on the 2020-2021 PGA TOUR are listed only if they are scheduled to compete this week

    • Of the last seven winners, six are 6th or better Ball-Striking.
    • Of the last six winners, five finished 1st or 2nd Strokes-Gained: Tee to Green.
    • The last six winners were 1st, 2nd or 3rd Par-Breakers.
    • Rickie Fowler is the only winner since 2015 to be in the top 10 Strokes-Gained: Putting.

    Strokes-Gained: Tee to Green
    RankPlayer
    3Justin Thomas
    4Keegan Bradley
    5Daniel Berger
    6Russell Henley
    8Jon Rahm
    9Corey Conners
    11Matthew NeSmith
    12Emiliano Grillo
    14Viktor Hovland
    15Xander Schauffele
    16Charley Hoffman
    17Hideki Matsuyama
    18Kyle Stanley
    20Russell Knox
    More: https://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.02568.y2021.html
    Par-Breakers
    RankPlayer
    2Jon Rahm
    4Sam Burns
    6Justin Thomas
    7Scottie Scheffler
    8Webb Simpson
    9Viktor Hovland
    10Jordan Spieth
    11Xander Schauffele
    12Harris English
    14Cam Davis
    15Brooks Koepka
    17Patrick Cantlay
    17Patton Kizzire
    19Daniel Berger
    20Tony Finau
    More: https://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.105.y2021.html
    Ball-Striking
    RankPlayer
    1Jon Rahm
    4Keegan Bradley
    5Emiliano Grillo
    6Corey Conners
    7Martin Laird
    8Daniel Berger
    10Matthew NeSmith
    13Viktor Hovland
    14Doug Ghim
    15Patrick Cantlay
    15James Hahn
    17Henrik Norlander
    18Scottie Scheffler
    19Kevin Streelman
    20Hudson Swafford
    More: https://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.158.y2021.html