WM Phoenix Open PGA Tournament Preview & Prediction

After three weeks in California, the PGA Tour heads slightly east to Phoenix, for the biggest party in golf, the WM Phoenix Open.

Made famous by its rowdy 16th hole, the WM Phoenix Open shapes up to be the best field of the year to date, and one of the best non-major fields period, with 19 of the Top-20 eligible players in this week’s field, including the two hottest golfers in the world at the moment, Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm, who will square off in a tournament together for the first time this season.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Super Bowl is just down the road from the WM Phoenix Open, and will kick-off roughly an hour after the tournament wraps up on Sunday afternoon.

With a loaded field and one of the best atmosphere’s in golf, here are our golf betting picks for the WM Phoenix Open.

Waste Management Phoenix Open Betting Pick

ℹ️ The Pick:	Xander Schauffele (+1400)
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Why Bet On Xander Schauffele:

✅ Schauffele has played in this event five times, and in those five trips to the dessert, he’s finished in the Top-20 each time, and the last two years has been well inside the Top-5.

✅ This is a tournament that is typically won by a player who has experience at this event, and in five trips he’s never missed a cut, it’s his time to finally win this one.

✅ As if that wasn’t reason enough, he’s played well to open the 2023 season, placing 3rd and 13th in the two starts he’s finished, not counting a WD from the Tournament of Champions due to a back injury.

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Waste Management Phoenix Open Course Breakdown

TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course isn’t long by PGA Tour standards, just a tick over 7,200 yards, but is made tough by narrower than usual fairways, and some of the fastest, firmest greens the players will face outside of a major all season.

Typically the winning score will come in around -16, so there are birdies to be had, but it’s not a pitch and putt, and won’t be a contest of who can stick wedge the closest and just make putts all week.

The highlight of the week is the famed Par 3 16th hole, where a stadium-style grandstand surrounds the entire hole, and fans cheer or jeer players based on their shot. Last year the hole and the event grabbed headlines when players in the tournament were taking off their shirts, and after the hole was covered in empty beer bottles following a hole-in-one.

While 16 gets all the attention, it’s the 17th that’s the make-or-break hole for the week. It’s a drivable Par 4, but missing it right puts you in a bunker or an awkward pitch, while left is dead into a pond. 

There’s a lot of strategy that goes into this week’s course.

Other Golfers Who Can Win the WM Phoenix Open

Justin Thomas (+2200): Another golfer who has fared well at this event, finishing inside the Top-17 each of the eight previous times he’s played. 

Collin Morikawa (+1600): Enters the week in good form despite limited starts. He was second after the Tournament of Champions where he collapsed late, but rebounded two weeks ago at Torrey Pines to post a solo third finish.

Corey Conners (+7000): Our longshot pick for the week, Conners has a well-rounded game, is inside the Top-40 in the world, and hasn’t missed a cut in approaching nine months. He’ll hit plenty of greens this week, if putts fall, he’ll be in contention.

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