(Photo credit score: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images)
The largest occasion on the PGA Tour is definitely held at TPC Scottsdale, and “The People’s Open” on the WM Phoenix Open begins Thursday with a discipline that options World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Our golf specialists preview the occasion and supply their favourite prop picks together with finest bets to winthis week.
WM PHOENIX OPEN
WM Phoenix Open, Scottsdale, Ariz., Feb. 6-9
Course: TPC Scottsdale (Par 71, 7,261 Yards)
Purse: $9.2M (Winner: $1.656M)
Defending Champion: Nick Taylor
FedEx Cup chief: Sepp Straka
HOW TO FOLLOW
TV: Thursday-Friday: 4-8 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6:30 p.m. (CBS); Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS)
Streaming (ESPN): Thursday-Friday: 9:15 a.m.-8 p.m. ET; Saturday: 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Sunday: 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
X: @WMPhoenixOpen
PROP PICKS
–Hideki Matsuyama to Beat Justin Thomas (-110 at DraftKings): Sure, Matsuyama has trended backward with a T16, T32 and T48 in three occasions since profitable The Sentry. But he is additionally a two-time winner at TPC Scottsdale, the place Thomas has but to win in 10 earlier makes an attempt. He does have 4 consecutive top-10s within the occasion, however it is a course Matsuyama has a prolonged historical past of success at — together with a T2 in 2015 and a T4 the earlier 12 months.
–Sepp Straka Top 20 (175 at BetRivers): Straka held the 54-hole lead at Pebble Beach earlier than settling with a T7 after posting a 72 on Sunday. That adopted a win at The American Express and a T30 on the Sony Open, so Straka is taking part in some wonderful golf to start 2025.
–Hole-In-One During Tournament (Yes -115 at DraftKings): So a lot of the eye is positioned on the well-known sixteenth gap, the place there have been simply 11 hole-in-ones over 38 years, and none since Carlos Ortiz made one in 2022. So whereas the payout is not as engaging as 250 on the sixteenth gap seeing an ace particularly, we like the higher chance on one of many 4 par-3s on the course surrendering a hole-in-one.
2025 Prop Pick Record: 4-6-1
BEST BETS
–Scottie Scheffler (275 at DraftKings) received the occasion in 2022 and ’23 and has 4 consecutive top-10 finishes at TPC Scottsdale. Despite his standing because the heavy pre-tournament favourite, Scheffler leads all gamers within the discipline by a protracted methods with 23 % of the entire bets and 18 % of the cash backing him to win this week.
–Justin Thomas (1400) has a earlier finest occasion end of third in 2019 and is in search of his first win because the 2022 PGA Championship. After a solo second on the AmEx, Thomas completed T48 final week.
–Hideki Matsuyama (1600) can be a two-time occasion champion (2016-17) and received the season-opening The Sentry.
–Tom Kim (2800) is coming off a powerful displaying at Pebble Beach, the place he completed T70 regardless of scuffling to a final-round 70. Kim enjoys taking part in to a raucous crowd (recall the Presidents Cup), and he is second within the discipline with 7 % of the cash backing him to win.
–Nick Taylor (6000) beat Charley Hoffman in a playoff final 12 months after ending second to Scheffler in 2023. He additionally collected his fifth profession PGA Tour win on the Sony Open final month.
NOTES
–The discipline options 29 of the highest 50 gamers within the Official World Golf Ranking.
–This is the ultimate occasion for gamers not in any other case certified to earn spots through the Aon Swing 5 in subsequent week’s signature occasion at The Genesis Invitational.
–Jordan Spieth, who completed T6 right here every of the previous two years, makes his second consecutive begin following wrist surgical procedure.
–Florida State junior Luke Clanton will grow to be eligible for PGA Tour membership if he makes the reduce this week. He wants one level to achieve the required 20 within the PGA Tour University Accelerated program.
–Arizona State senior Jose Luis Ballester Barrio of Spain is within the discipline as a sponsor exemption. He’s at present No. 2 within the PGA Tour University rating. Another sponsor exemption, two-time Arizona state highschool champion Frankie Capan III, is in search of his fourth consecutive made reduce this season.
–Mark Calcavecchia (2001) and Phil Mickelson (2013) share the event scoring report of 256.
–Field Level Media