By Tom LaMarre
The PGA Tour’s West Coast Swing rolls into Arizona this week for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and on Sunday the tournament again will give sports fans a run-up to the Super Bowl.
Last year, Rickie Fowler had a Super Sunday, overcoming a triple bogey on the 11th hole with two late birdies to shoot 2-over-par 74 and claim his fifth victory on the circuit by two strokes over Branden Grace of South Africa on the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale.
The tournament, managed by The Thunderbirds, is called “The Greatest Show on Grass,” and “The People’s Open” and is most famous for the par-3, 16th hole, where 25,000 noisy fans in a stadium-like setting known as “The Coliseum” surround the golfers from the moment they emerge from a tunnel in back of the tee.
“It’s like playing in a big pinball machine,” said Tom Weiskopf, who oversaw redesign of the Stadium Course six years ago.
Golfers who hit the green are cheered loudly by the masses, but those who miss the green are booed good-naturedly.
Tiger Woods made a hole in one on the raucous 16th in 1997 and he egged-on the alcohol-fueled crowd, many from nearby Arizona State, with the “raise the roof” sign.
Woods was involved in another famous incident on the Stadium Course in 1999, when several fans came out of the gallery to move a large rock that blocked his shot to the green after he hit an errant tee shot on the par-5 13th hole.
However, two years later, a fan who heckling Woods was wrestled to the ground by security guards and then arrested when a gun was discovered in his backpack, and another fan lobbed an orange onto a green while Tiger was putting.
Woods has played the tournament only once since and won’t be there again this week.
Phil Mickelson once lived in the area after attending Arizona State and won the tournament in 1996, 2005 and 2013—when he set the course record of 11-under-par 60—but he won’t be there either, because this week he is playing in the Saudi International on the European Tour.
However, the tournament will again have a strong field including Fowler, Jon Rahm of Spain, Justin Thomas, Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, Gary Woodland, Tony Finau, Bryson DeChambeau, Matt Kuchar, two-time Phoenix champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Kevin Na, Cameron Smith of Australia, Sungjae Im of South Korea, Jordan Spieth, Byeong Hun An of South Korea, Branden Grace of South Africa, Brant Snedeker and J.B. Holmes, another two-time champion at TPC Scottsdale.
“We take tremendous pride in the strength of our field each year, and (it is) true again for 2020,” Tournament Chairman Tim Woods said. “Each and every year we try to improve upon the previous year, and this year is no different.
“Everyone is aware of our iconic 16th hole and the various popular hospitality venues throughout the course, but our focus the last couple of years has been to enhance the overall experience for our general admission guests, something we are doing again for 2020.
“Of course, we’re absolutely thrilled to have our defending champion in the 2020 field, he’s a great champion and friend of our tournament. “Rickie is one of the most popular players in the world, and has become a definite fan favorite here in Scottsdale.”
It figures to be another Super Sunday, even before the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs take the field for Super Bowl LIV in Miami.
BEST BETS
- Justin Thomas, United States – The FedEx Cup leader after victories in the CJ Cup and Sentry TOC, plus a for fourth in the Safeway Open, the fourth-ranked Thomas is coming off a missed cut in the Sony Open in Hawaii. It’s his sixth start at TPC Scottsdale and he recorded his best result by finishing third last year after tying for 17th twice.
- Jon Rahm, Spain – The local favorite in Phoenix, having played nearby at Arizona State, the third-ranked Rahm is coming off a runner-up finish in the Farmers after he took a one-stroke lead to the final round, and a tie for 10th in the Sentry TOC to start his season. He tied for fifth in 2015 at TPC Scottsdale and also tied for 10th last season.
- Rickie Fowler, United States – The defending champion in Phoenix, Fowler will try to bounce back from a missed cut last week in the Farmers Insurance Open after he tied for fifth in the Sentry TOC and tied for 10th in The American Express. Making his 12th start at TPC Scottsdale, where he was second in 2010 and 2016, and tied for fourth in 2017.
- Hideki Matsuyama, Japan – Two of his five PGA Tour victories came in the Phoenix Open, winning back-to-back in 2016 and 2017. This is his seventh start at TPC Scottsdale and he also tied for second in 2015, tied for fourth in 2014 and tied for 15th last year. Matsuyama was second in Zozo Championship and tied for fourth in CJ Cup this season.
- Xander Schauffele, United States – The ninth-ranked Schauffele missed the cut in the Farmers, his hometown event, but he has runner-up finishes this season in the WGC-HSBC Champions and the Sentry TOC, plus a tie for 10th in the Zozo. He will make his third start in Phoenix after tying for 17th in 2018, and tying for 10th last season.
- Sungjae Im, South Korea – The 2019 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year tied for seventh in his first start in the Phoenix Open last year, one of his seven top-10 finishes. Im has started strong again this season, finishing solo second at Sanderson Farms, tying for third in the Zozo and tying for 10th in The American Express among six results in the top 25.
- Branden Grace, South Africa – In his first start at TPC Scottsdale, Grace finished solo second, two strokes behind Rickie Fowler last season. He makes his first start in the U.S. this season after winning the South African Open, tying for third in the Alfred Dunhill Championship and tying for 17th in Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on the Euro Tour.
- Tony Finau, United States – After finishing fifth in the Hong Kong Open two weeks ago, Finau made the long flight back and tied for sixth in the Farmers Insurance Open after tying for 14th earlier this year in The American Express. No. 13 in the World, he tied for 22nd in first Phoenix start in 2015, but has missed the cut the last four years.
- Gary Woodland, United States – The reigning U.S. Open champion claimed one of his four PGA Tour victories by beating Chez Reavie in a playoff at Phoenix in 2018. He tied for seventh in his title defense, and also tied for fifth in 2011. Woodland tied for third in CJ Cup, was fifth in the Zozo and tied for seventh in the Sentry TOC this season.
- Matt Kuchar, United States – Kooch comes home to play at TPC Scottsdale after claiming the 16th victory of his pro career in the Singapore Open by three strokes over Justin Rose. He makes his 11th start in Phoenix and has placed in the top 10 three straight times—tying for ninth in 2017, tying for fifth in 2018 and tying for fourth last year.
OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH: J.B. Holmes, United States; Webb Simpson, United States; Bryson DeChambeau, United States; Corey Conners, Canada; Russell Knox, Scotland; Cameron Smith, Australia; Jordan Spieth, United States; Bubba Watson, United States; Brandt Snedeker, United States; Byeong Hun An, South Korea.
SLEEPERS
- Collin Morikawa, United States – The 2019 Barracuda winner finished T-21 at Farmers, his fifth top-25, including a T-7 at Sentry TOC and a T-10 in the Safeway Open.
- Sung Kang, South Korea – Finished T-16 in Farmers despite a closing 74 after a T-25 at Sentry TOC and a T-17 in the Zozo Championship in Japan. T-12 in 2017 in Phoenix.
- Tom Hoge, United States – Was fifth in the Farmers, his second straight top 10 after an early T-2 at Greenbrier. In the hunt in 2019 at Phoenix, but a closing 76 left him T-44.
- Max Homa, United States – Still under a bit under radar despite winning 2019 Wells Fargo, was T-9 in the Farmers after a T-25 in the Sony TOC. T-26 at Phoenix last year.
- Viktor Hovland, Norway – The 2018 U.S. Amateur champion makes first start of the new year after opening the season with a T-10 in a Military Tribute at the Greenbrier.
For first-round tee times, visit https://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html
