Arguably the most popular event of the PGA Tour regular season, raucous scenes and wild drama are expected at TPC Scottsdale this week with the staging of the iconic Waste Management Phoenix Open.
Key Stats/Skill Set Required
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- GIR
- Ball Striking
- Proximity
- Birdie or Better
- Strokes Gained: Tee To Green
- Driving Distance
- Par 4 Scoring
Ball striking is absolutely key in the Waste Management Phoenix Open with TPC Scottsdale a second-shot course.
An ability to go low is critical and distance off the tee is far more important than accuracy.
Key Correlation Courses/Tournaments
- Bay Hill Club and Lodge
- Torrey Pines
- PGA West – Stadium Course
BEST BET
JUSTIN THOMAS
JT is back!
After a very disappointing 2023, the two-time major winner seems to have got his game back to a place where he can contend regularly after falling out of the Top 25 in the OWGR rankings.
A T-3 at The American Express and a T-6 at Pebble Beach to kick off the season after three Top five finishes to end last year suggest his foot is on the till.
He has a tremendous record in Phoenix with Top 17 finishes in six straight including three Top fours.
He leads the Tour in Ball Striking and Strokes Gained: Tee To Green while he ranks second in GIR, sixth in Proximity, seventh in Par 4 Scoring and ninth in Driving Distance.
Love him this week.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
BEST VALUE
BYEONG-HUN AN
Benny An is right in the mix this week with the charismatic South Korean holding a good record and a great profile for this week.
An has played Phoenix five times and posted four Top 25 finishes including two Top 10s.
He has started the season on fire, leading the Tour in Par 4 Scoring while he ranks third in Birdie or Better and 11th in Driving Distance.
In the last nine months his true strokes gained number has gone north at a sharp trajectory and with four Top 4 finishes in his last eight starts he has the form to contend here.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
JT POSTON
JT Poston is one of the most underrated golfers on the planet and with 13 straight rounds with a positive true strokes gained number he is a player well and truly on the up.
Since the John Deere Classic last year he has played 13 tournaments with 11 Top 25 finishes including seven Top 9 postings.
He ranks Top 11 in Par 4 Scoring, GIR and Birdie or Better this year and has finished Top 11 in the last two American Express tournaments.
Big hope this week
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
BEST ROUGHIES
COREY CONNERS
Canadian Corey Conners is one of the best ball strikers on Tour and finds a course that will suit this week.
Conners ranks second in Ball Striking on Tour this year while he ranks fourth in GIR. Finished Top 21 in the last two Arnold Palmer Invitationals and Bay Hill is the most comparable course to TPC Scottsdale on Tour.
Doesn’t win out of turn but is a great Top 5 play.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOUT
Consistent South African Christian Bezuidenhout has been playing some super golf since October with four Top 10s in his eight tournaments including a very nice second at The American Express.
He is an elite approach game specialist with no real weaknesses in his game and looks a very strong chance.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
TOP ENGLISH
MATT FITZPATRICK
Seven Englishmen play Phoenix this week but favourite Matt Fitzpatrick looks very hard to beat.
The US Open winner ranks ninth in Birdie or Better and 15th in Ball Striking while his record at the Arnold Palmer is outstanding with Top 14 finishes at his last two.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
FIRST ROUND LEADER
DANIEL BERGER
Berger is an elite-level talent who is on the comeback trail from injury.
He has played just twice since the 2022 US Open but did well enough at The American Express, finishing T-39.
When it comes to first rounds, Berger ranks fourth in Strokes Gained: Approach and fifth in Ball Striking.
Big price but has the ability to put a good 18 together.
Bet Now: Waste Management Open
