/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62956752/914309342.jpg.0.jpg)
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.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13721017/913930594.jpg.jpg)
My Starting 4
Rickie Fowler (1st 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.
Like it or not, the untucked shirt is working for Rickie Fowler today.
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) January 25, 2019
He's climbing up the leaderboard at the Farmers Insurance Open.pic.twitter.com/OLWw1Rp6MC
Phil Mickelson (1st 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 (1st 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.
T-3 finish for Hideki Matsuyama. Looking to next week: Hideki has a scoring average of 67.4 at TPC Scottsdale, best of any player over the last decade (minimum 10 rounds).
— Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) January 27, 2019
Matt Kuchar (1st 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 18th in strokes gained approaching the green.
My Bench 2
Daniel Berger (1st 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 12th 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.
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/13721019/1025591646.jpg.jpg)
Brendan Steele (1st 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 51st place (42%)
Bench 2: Avg 74th place (60%)
Fun fact: This is the best attended event on the tour
Poll
Which of these players will do the best?
This poll is closed
-
17%
Rickie Folwer
-
16%
Phil Mickelson
-
53%
Hideki Matusyama
-
10%
Matt Kuchar
-
1%
Daniel Berger
-
1%
Branden Steele