Out of the Rough: WM Phoenix Open (2026)

There are things that go together naturally. Peanut Butter and jelly. Salt and pepper. The WM Phoenix Open and Super Bowl weekend.

That’s right, the PGA Tour turns its attention to the fan favorite WM Phoenix Open this week at TPC Scottsdale.

This is an event like no other on the PGA Tour schedule as TPC Scottsdale has the ability to accommodate 350,000 fans.

In terms of U.S. sporting history, the 2018 playing on this event ranks third all-time in terms of attendance at 216,000 fans.

Due to this, the venue offers one of the most unique atmospheres in the sport. To sum it up, TPC Scottsdale offers an “arena-like” golfing atmosphere.

Golfers will have to deal with loud crowds throughout the week. Some golfers will feed off of the uproars and energy of the large crowds while others will falter due to the pressure.

If you have a buddy who isn’t the biggest golf fan, this is the week to introduce them and get them hooked! 

In all, it’s time for one of the biggest spectacles in all of sports - the WM Phoenix Open.

The Field

Although not a Signature Event, the WM Phoenix Open annually draws one of the best fields for the early portion of the PGA Tour schedule.

Two-time champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is back seeking his third-title at TPC Scottsdale. 

He’ll be joined by Xander Schauffele (No. 6,) J.J. Spaun (No. 7,) Ben Griffin (No. 8,) Harris English (No. 11,) Sepp Straka (No. 12,) Viktor Hovland (No. 14,) Hideki Matsuyama (No. 16,) Chris Gotterup (No. 17,) Collin Morikawa (No. 18,) Cameron Young (No. 20,) Maverick McNealy (No. 22) and Matt Fitzpatrick (No. 23) as those within the top-25 of the OWGR playing this week.

Brooks Koepka will be making his second PGA Tour start since returning to the tour via a re-introduction process from LIV Golf Tour. He played last week at the Farmers Insurance Open as well. Additionally, this is the site of his last PGA Tour victory, when he won this event in 2021.

Thomas Detry is the defending champion, winning the 2024 installment by seven strokes to claim his maiden PGA Tour title. However, he will not be back this season as he recently signed with LIV Golf.

Other former winners of this event teeing it up this week include Nick Taylor (2024,) Scheffler (2023 & 2022,) Koepka (2021 & 2015,) Webb Simpson (2020,) Rickie Fowler (2019,) Gary Woodland (2018) and Matsuyama (2017 & 2016,) 

The Course

TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course has been the host of this event since 1987 and plays as a Par 71 at roughly 7,200 yards in length.

Due to the elevation and the dryness of the Arizona desert causing firm conditions, TPC Scottsdale offers annually the longest average driving distance on Tour at 305 yards. This takes some of the advantage long bombers off-the-tee may have.

With the longer driving numbers comes a ball striking paradise. Approach shots beyond 200 yards are a rarity here and those within the 200-yard mark are the norm.

Water is in play early and often here however, making it important for golfers to find the fairways as well. The course does feature two-inch rough but in relation to what golfers have seen in the previous few events, it is not much of a deterrent at all.

There is surrounding desert cacti and other vegetation that can and will cause fits to those who miss the fairways however.

This event also features some of the easiest putting conditions that golfers will face on Tour. 

Of course, being an event of this nature, the finishing stretch features a series of risk-reward holes that can and has offered plenty of drama.

The tournament can be won and lost down the final stretch with the pressure of the arena atmosphere and thousands of fans staring down from the stadium-esque seating.

Golfers will have to deal with the unique crowd nature of this event. Some will feed off the atmosphere as some will crumble.

Course history is important here as there are just two courses on Tour that offer a bigger predictor of success than TPC Scottsdale; Augusta National and Waiʻalae Country Club.

Golfers with previous success at TPC Scottsdale are most likely to repeat more than all but two other courses as we listed above. We can contribute this to possibly the atmosphere the course offers opposed to the course itself.

The Weather

As of the time of writing this, there is a zero-percent chance of precipitation across all four days this week. Temperatures are also currently slated to be 78-degrees across all four days. Winds will begin the week at ten miles-per-hour on Thursday before dipping to six miles-per-hour on Friday. Winds will remain at six miles-per-hour across the weekend. In all, a perfect four days for golf!

Key Stats

• Ball Striking

• Strokes Gained: Approach (SG: APP)

• Strokes Gained: Off the Tee (SG: OTT)

• Scrambling

• Par 4 Average Scoring

• Birdie or Better Percentage

• Bogey Avoidance

• Strokes Gained: Putting (SG: PUTT)

• Proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards.

Betting Card

Viktor Hovland (+3500)

Hovland will be making his 2026 PGA Tour debut this week having spent some time on the DP World Tour prior. He most recently played the Hero Dubai Desert Classic where he placed T14th. In December, he played the Nedbank Golf Challenge where he finished T23rd as well. Hovland finished last season first on Tour in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards, second in SG: APP, 24th in birdie-or-better percentage, 57th in ball striking, 83rd in SG: OTT, 109th in par-four average scoring, 116th in SG: PUTT, 139th in bogey avoidance and 140th in scrambling. He last played this event in 2023 where he placed 42nd. Prior to that he missed the cut in both 2022 and 2020. I know the course history isn’t ideal, but we’re talking about arguably the best pure iron player in the world at 35/1. Couldn’t leave that behind.

Jake Knapp (+5500)

Knapp has been great to start his 2026 campaign. So far this season, Knapp placed 11th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and fifth last week at the Farmers Insurance Open. He’s also played this event each of the past two seasons, placing 44th last year and 28th in 2024. He finished last season seventh on Tour in birdie-or-better percentage, 14th in SG: PUTT, 16th in par-four average scoring, 35th in bogey avoidance, 39th in scrambling, 48th in SG: OTT, 75th in ball striking, 104th in SG: APP and 145th in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards. Knapp is one of those golfers that when he’s hot, he’s really hot. We’ll keep riding this train until the wheels fall off it appears. 

Keith Mitchell (+8000)

I don’t know what happened. I was constructing my betting card for this week and I must have blacked out and when I came too, Mitchell was on my card. Stats-wise, he measures up. He finished last season sixth on Tour in birdie-or-better percentage, tenth in par-four average scoring, 11th in ball striking, 13th in SG: OTT, 41st in scrambling, 50th in bogey avoidance, 65th in SG: APP, 106th in SG: PUTT and 121st in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards. He’s also had a good start to the season. He placed 11th last week at the Farmers Insurance Open, 44th at The American Express and 66th at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He’s also played this event and course a lot, with some good results. He placed 25th here a season ago, 17th in 2024, 42nd in 2023, tenth in 2022, missed the cut in 2021 and 16th in 2020. 

Sepp Straka (+9000)

This was my first click this week. Why? Because that’s a massive number next to Straka’s name. Now, I know he missed the cut in his only appearance so far this season at The American Express. Prior to that, the last time we saw him was when he placed third at the Hero World Challenge. However, he finished seventh on Tour a season ago in SG: APP, 16th in birdie-or-better percentage, 26th in bogey avoidance, 27th in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards, 37th in ball striking, 41st in SG: PUTT, 42nd in par-four average scoring, 52nd in SG: OTT and 96th in scrambling. He also placed 15th here a season ago. He also placed 66th in 2022 and missed the cut in both 2021 and 2020.

Davis Thompson (+12500)

Thompson has put back-to-back quality performances together at this golf course and event over the past two seasons. He placed 36th a season ago and 15th in 2024. He missed the cut in 2023 here. His season hasn’t been great to this point, placing 43rd last week at the Farmers Insurance Open and missing the cut at The American Express, although, on the number. He finished last season 11th on Tour in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards, 17th in SG: OTT, 24th in ball striking, 36th in birdie-or-better percentage, 42nd in par-four average scoring, 83rd in SG: APP, 113th in bogey avoidance, 127th in scrambling and 152nd in SG: PUTT. He’ll need to catch a hot putter to compete on any given week but as previously mentioned, this a course that bad putters can compete at. 

William Mouw (+40000)

Taking a chance on an elite ball striker with super high odds. Mouw finished last season ninth on Tour in ball striking, 27th in par-four average scoring, 40th in SG: OTT, 42nd in bogey avoidance, 48th in birdie-or-better percentage, 56th in SG: PUTT, 64th in scrambling, 88th in proximity to the hole from 150-200 yards and 150th in SG: APP. His 2026 campaign has been nothing short of pretty bad however. He placed 71st at the Sony Open in Hawaii and missed back-to-back cuts at The American Express and Farmers Insurance Open. He’ll be making his tournament debut this week. 

2025 Betting Card

• Sam Burns (+2800) - T49th

• Tom Kim (+4000) - T44th

• Matt Fitzpatrick (+6600) - MC

• Sam Stevens (+8000) - T44th

• Thomas Detry (+9000) - 1st

2024 Betting Card

• Justin Thomas (+1400) - T12th

• Byeong Hun An (+4500) - T66th

• Eric Cole (+5500) - T49th

• Akshay Bhatia (+7000) - MC

• Si Woo Kim (+7000) - T12th

• Kurt Kitayama (+11000) - T8th

• Kevin Yu (+17000) - MC