Waste Management Phoenix Open
January 30 – February 2, 2014
TPC of Scottsdale
Scottsdale, Ariz.
Par: 71 / Yardage:
Purse: $6.2 Million
with $1,116,000 to the winner
Defending Champion:
Phil Mickelson

Things you need to know for Sunday’s final round in Phoenix:
So who is leading?
- First and second round leader Bubba Watson was able to muster up a round of 68 and goes into the final round with a two shot lead over Kevin Stadler and three over Ryan Moore, Harris English and Hideki Matsuyama. Watson, who hasn’t won in almost 22 months since his Masters victory. This will be the first time Watson has gone into the final round with the lead, the last was back in June when he co-led with Graham Delaet and Charley Hoffman. He shot a final round 70 and finished 4th, two shots back. In that event he had the lead going into the 16th hole were he hit a poor tee shot on the par 3 into the water, made triple bogey which placed him out of the running.
How is Watson as a front-runner?
- Watson has a shaky record when leading or co-leading going into the final round. Along with the Travelers he has gone into the final round six times with the lead and only came through once, at the 2011 Zurich Classic. Watson shot a final round 69, the only time he has broken par with the lead. As you can see in this link, he shot a final round 70 at the 2013 Travelers to finish 4th, final round 74 to finish 2nd at the 2012 WGC-Cadillac, 74 at the 2011 Deutsche Bank, 72 at the 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational and 72 at the 2007 Shell Houston Open. Now if there is a ray of good news, last year in the final round of the WM Phoenix Open he shot 64 to finish 15th. In seven previous Phoenix Opens he has two top-ten finishes, the best in 2012 when he finished T5th.
Anyone make a big move in the third round?
- The biggest move was from Brendan Steele, who started the day T48th, his third round 62 was his career best round and moved him into a T6th, four shots back of Watson.
- Some other great rounds were shot by Ryan Moore, who had a bogey free 64 as he played the final nine in six under. 2010 champion Hunter Mahan shot 65, his round was impressive for it’s roller-coaster feel as he had ten birdies, two bogeys, a double bogey and only five pars
So what about Kevin Stadler?
- His third round 67 was impressive because he finished the round making birdie on five of his last six holes. For the week he has played the final six holes in ten under, something to look at on Sunday.
Anybody stand out statistically supreme?
- It’s remarkable but nobody stands out. Yes Watson leads in driving distance with a 337.4 average, but he is T19th in fairways hit, T16th in greens hit and 9th in strokes gained putting. The one thing that does stand out is his approach shot proximity to the hole, he averaged 28 feet, 11 inches to lead. Of the others close to the lead nothing else stands out.
So our we going to have another unusual winner?
- Just look at 2014, other than Webb Simpson, Dustin Johnson, Ryan Moore, Harris English and Zach Johnson the winners have been obscure including the last three Jimmy Walker at Sony, Partick Reed at Humana and Scott Stallings at Farmers. Now the PGA Tour seems to preach parody and with the leaderboard the way it is we can see this continue. Watch for players like Harris English, Hideki Matsuyama, Brendan Steele, Pat Perez, Greg Chalmers or even Graham DeLaet come through and win.
Below is a list of the top-18 players on the leader board going to 8 under showing how they have done of late to see who has played the best:
Of the top-18 on the leaderboard, who’s playing the best:
Player | Farmers Insurance | Qatar Masters | Humana Challenge | Abu Dhabi | Sony Open | Volvo Champions | Hyundai T of C | Nedbank Golf | OHL Classic Mayakoba | McGladrey Classic | WGC-HSBC Champions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patrick Reed (154.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T16 (22.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Harris English (148 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T33 (17) |
DNP | 4 (53.33) |
DNP | T11 (26) |
DNP | Win (44) |
T27 (7.67) |
DNP |
Pat Perez (145.33 pts) |
T2 (100) |
DNP | T58 (0) |
DNP | T8 (33.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T16 (11.33) |
T48 (0.67) |
DNP |
Graham Delaet (120 pts) |
T2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T6 (20) |
Matt Every (93.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T13 (37) |
DNP | T8 (33.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T36 (4.67) |
T7 (18.33) |
DNP |
Ryan Moore (54.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 10 (26.67) |
T7 (18.33) |
T23 (9) |
DNP | T50 (0.33) |
Matt Jones (50.33 pts) |
T43 (7) |
DNP | T13 (37) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T31 (6.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Bubba Watson (43.67 pts) |
T23 (27) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T8 (16.67) |
Chris Stroud (36.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T20 (20) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T3 (30) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Hideki Matsuyama (32.33 pts) |
T16 (34) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | WD (-1.67) |
Kevin Stadler (26 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T78 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T12 (12.67) |
T10 (13.33) |
DNP |
Brendan Steele (23.33 pts) |
T28 (22) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T16 (11.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Jason Kokrak (23.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T20 (20) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T10 (13.33) |
DNP |
Morgan Hoffmann (21 pts) |
T16 (34) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T65 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T49 (0.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
Nick Watney (6.33 pts) |
T59 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T31 (6.33) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot going into Waste Management Phoenix Open
Player | Farmers Insurance | Qatar Masters | Humana Challenge | Abu Dhabi | Sony Open | Volvo Champions | Hyundai T of C | Nedbank Golf | OHL Classic Mayakoba | McGladrey Classic | WGC-HSBC Champions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ricky Barnes (-5.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T38 (8) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
DNP | DNP |
Hunter Mahan (3 pts) |
T47 (3) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Greg Chalmers (3.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T51 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T60 (0) |
T10 (13.33) |
DNP |
Nick Watney (6.33 pts) |
T59 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T31 (6.33) |
Morgan Hoffmann (21 pts) |
T16 (34) |
DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T65 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T49 (0.33) |
CUT (-3.33) |
DNP |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who should win at Phoenix on Sunday
Best Bets:
Harris English
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T57 | T15 |
Goes into the final round 3 shots back -Think he has a 65 in him, he did it in his victory in Mexico in November. Also like that he is 8 under on the three par 5s and is a cool customer,
Hideki Matsuyama
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First time playing in this event |
More info:
Goes into the final round 3 shots back -This kid has a great future, look for him to be in the running, he has performed really well in Japan under pressure, don’t be surprise with him winning.
Ryan Moore
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 | 78 | T73 | T14 | T6 | CUT | CUT | T40 |
Goes into the final round 3 shots back – He is 34 under in his last seven rounds at TPC Scottsdale. In a good frame of mind, knows how to win in the desert with his Las Vegas victory in 2012, also won back in October in Asia.
Best of the rest:
Bubba Watson
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | T5 | T29 | T36 | T25 | CUT | T8 |
Leader by 2 shots – It’s his to win or lose, his record isn’t very good in the lead, think it’s going to be a nervy Saturday night and Sunday morning for him, sorry.
Hunter Mahan
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T16 | T29 | Win | T35 | CUT | T44 | T9 |
Goes into the final round 4 shots back -Watch him, yes he is four shots back but he can shot another 65 which will get him close.
Brendan Steele
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T6 | T5 | T53 |
Goes into the final round 4 shots back – May not win but he will be looking for a top-three which would get him into the top-100 of the world rankings.
Long shots that could come through:
Kevin Stadler
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T11 | T70 | CUT | T70 | WD |
Goes into the final round 2 shots back – Don’t see him winning, but he will be looking for a top-three finish which will improve on his 127th world ranking.
Pat Perez
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DQ | T19 | T22 | T24 | T48 | T43 | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT | CUT |
Goes into the final round 5 shots back – Playing well, if he could shot 65 could be close. That kind of round is in his wheel-house, he did it on Thursday.
Graham DeLaet
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T55 | CUT |
Goes into the final round 6 shots back -Has been knocking on the door of some good finishes, can see him quietly shooting 64 on Sunday.
Worst Bets:
Matt Jones
2013 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 | ’02 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T40 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
Goes into the final round 4 shots back – Started his decline with six bogeys on Saturday, can’t see him bouncing back.