Waste Management Open: Expert Picks

Tournament Information

Waste Management Open
Date: Jan 31 – Feb 3
Course: TPC Scottsdale
Purse - $6.9MM ($1.2MM to the winner)
FedEx points – 500 to winner
2018 Winner: Gary Woodland (-18)

Course

TPC Scottsdale - Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish built this course in 1987. It is one of the most heavily attended tournaments of the year with over 20,000 capacity. The 72 par course has 72 bunkers, some are a little deep across vast desert terrain amidst the holes. Hole 16 has a coliseum affect as the stands surround the shot onto the green, it’s a raucous atmosphere, one only mirrored by the Ryder Cup.

Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images

My Starting 4

Rickie Fowler (1^st selection this year) – Should it come as any surprise that the face of the young movement does amazing at one of the most unconventional golf atmospheres? He just feeds off the applause and it shows with his top 15 finishes here each of the last three years. He has top 20 finishes in three of his first four tournaments this season.

Phil Mickelson (1^st selection this year) – If you watch him during the Ryder Cup, he is just like Rickie and Keegan Bradley, they live for this. He has top 20 finishes each of the last three years here. Phil has three tournaments participated in this season, each with a top 20 finish and the last two with top two finishes.

Hideki Matsuyama (1^st selection this year) – Back to back wins in 2016 and 2017 PLUS a top five finish last week at Farmers Insurance have him coming in with a good head of steam.

Matt Kuchar (1^st selection this year) — He comes into this tournament fresh off back to back top 10 results here in 2017 and 2018. His last four straight tournaments have all been top 20 finishes including a win at the Sony Open Hawaii. He’s 18^th in strokes gained approaching the green.

My Bench 2

Daniel Berger (1^st selection this year) – He has a good track record here with some consistent top 20 finishes recently. He has two tournaments to his name, a 12^th place finish and a missed cut, this is really a gut feeling that he’s going to come in with a top 20 finish at TPC Scottsdale.

Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Brendan Steele (1^st selection this year) – He caps off the third player (along with Rickie and Phil) with top 20 finishes each of the last three years at the Waste Management Open. I’m nervous about his recent track record with two missed cuts a handful of finishes in the 50’s and one top 15 finish.

2019 Stats

Starting 4: Avg 51^st place (42%)
Bench 2: Avg 74^th place (60%)

Fun fact: This is the best attended event on the tour