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Waste Management Phoenix Open: PGA Tour Golf Odds and Predictions

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This tournament is always held on Super Bowl Weekend and it truly is an experience in person unlike any other event on the PGA Tour. Most tournaments try to maintain a sense of order and quiet to cater to the players. Not at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. It’s more like attending an NFL or NHL game on some holes and why it’s nicknamed “The Greatest Show on Grass.” The atmosphere around the par 3 16th is an absolute zoo, and usually this is the most-attended event on Tour.

Waste Management Phoenix Open Background

This tournament generally draws a strong field because many players live in the Phoenix area and/or went to college golf powerhouse Arizona State University.  The event debuted in 1932 as the Arizona Open. In 1987, it moved to its current home at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course, a par 71 around 7,260 yards. The 18-hole record is a 60 and the 72-hole mark is a 256, last by Phil Mickelson in 2013. This is Lefty’s adopted hometown and he went to Arizona State, but he’s not playing this year in a surprise.

A total of 14 players have won here at least twice, and four have three times including Mickelson and Arnold Palmer. Tiger Woods never has but doesn’t play here much and isn’t this year again. Americans have won the tournament the vast majority of times.

Waste Management Phoenix Open Betting Favourites

Spain’s Jon Rahm, who starred at Arizona State, is the +603 favourite. Rahm finished runner-up Sunday by a shot to Aussie Marc Leishman at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego. Rahm’s best finish in this tournament is fifth, and he hasn’t been worse than 16th.

Justin Thomas is +800. He has a win already this year in Hawaii and a best result of third here a year ago. Webb Simpson is +1100 with Rickie Fowler +1200 and Hideki Matsuyama +1400. Fowler is the defending champion, finishing at 17-under 267 and two ahead of Branden Grace. Fowler also has been runner-up twice at this event. Matsuyama was the last repeat winner of the Waste Management Open in 2017. He comes off a T45 Sunday. Simpson lost in a playoff to Matsuyama three years ago.

Canadian Golfer Odds

Canada’s George Knudson won this event in 1968, beating out Julius Boros, Sam Carmichael and Jack Montgomery by three shots each. It was one of Knudson’s eight career wins. He actually would again one week later in Arizona at the Tucson Open Invitational. That has been gone for years. Graham DeLaet was part of a playoff in 2014; he and Bubba Watson lost to Kevin Stadler.

Adam Hadwin finished T44 last year, while Nick Taylor and Mackenzie Hughes missed the cut. Hadwin is +8300 this week, Taylor +14800 and Hughes +31700. Corey Conners is +6000 in his tournament debut.

Waste Management Phoenix Open Predictions

Take Fowler and Chez Reavie (fourth and second past two trips here) for Top 10s, but the winner is Matt Kuchar at +2200. He hasn’t been worse than ninth his past three visits but has yet to win it.