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Defending champion Hideki Matsuyama has one victory and two runners-up on TOUR this season.
• COURSE: TPC Scottsdale (Stadium), 7,266 yards, par 71. Now beginning its fourth decade as the PGA TOUR’s most raucous venue, the foothills northeast of Scottsdale now draw upward of half a million attendees in any given year. More than 20,000 pack the “Coliseum” surrounding the par-3 16th, an atmosphere that can be energizing or intimidating to those on the tee. Tiger Woods aced No. 16 in his first WM Phoenix Open in 1997, one of just eight recorded at the hole. That doesn’t count the robot that turned the trick at last year’s pro-am, drawing yet another beer shower. Andrew Magee made history in 2001 with his ace at No. 17 – the first on TOUR a par-4. The Tom Weiskopf/Jay Morrish design got $12 million in upgrades three summers ago.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• CHARITY: Thunderbirds Charities, which last year set an all-time high with $9.37 million raised for nearly 200 Arizona charities. In all, the tournament has generated some $110 million in charitable giving since the host organization was formed in 1937.
• FIELD WATCH: Sizzling Justin Thomas and defending champion Hideki Matsuyama, currently 1-2 in the FedExCup standings, highlight a lineup that features 11 of the top 25 in the world rankings. … Rickie Fowler, who broke down in tears after last year’s playoff loss to Matsuyama, also returns in hopes of a happier ending this time around. … Jordan Spieth, now No. 5 in the world, arrives to test himself in the Coliseum cauldron for the first time. Also making their first visits: Former U.S. Amateur champ Byeong Hun An and Andrew “Beef” Johnston. … Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson is set for his 28th start at TPC Scottsdale. The three-time WM Phoenix champion has not missed since 1991.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 256, Mark Calcavecchia (2001), Phil Mickelson (2013).
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Grant Waite (4th round, 1996), Mark Calcavecchia (2nd round, 2001), Phil Mickelson (2nd round, 2005, and 1st round, 2013).
• LAST YEAR: Hideki Matsuyama walked through the opening created by Rickie Fowler’s late stumble, taking advantage of two Fowler splashdowns to prevail in a four-hole playoff. Fowler, a winner two weeks earlier in Abu Dhabi, led by two with two holes left in regulation before seeing his drive at the short par-4 17th power through the green and into the water. That created a three-shot swing that forced Fowler to birdie No. 18 to force extra holes. Returning to No. 17 after three playoff holes, Fowler hooked a 3-wood into the lake just short of the green that allowed his Japanese foe to win with a par. It was Matsuyama’s second PGA TOUR triumph, joining his win at the 2014 Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide.
• STORYLINES: Thomas tees it up for the first time since becoming just the second man to complete the Hawaii double, sweeping both the SBS Tournament of Champions and Sony Open in Hawaii by a combined 10 shots. He played those eight rounds in 47-under par. … Mickelson, with “favorite son” status going back to his Arizona State days, seeks again to become Phoenix’s first four-time winner. Arnold Palmer, Gene Littler and Mark Calcavecchia also have won three in Phoenix. … Bubba Watson has four top-15 finishes in the past four editions, but still is seeking his first win in an area he called home early in his career. He finished one shot back in both 2014 and ’15.
• SHORT CHIPS: Last year’s TPC Scottsdale crowds of 618,365 easily surpassed the Arizona Cardinals’ 2016 home attendance (518,652) and beat those of all but six other NFL teams. … A Mickelson win also would break a tie with Johnny Miller for the most PGA TOUR wins in Arizona. Both have six – Mickelson also owns three wins at the old Nortel Open in Tucson; Miller won four times in Tucson and twice in Phoenix. … Toby Keith, Jake Owen and Blink 182 are among the concerts scheduled for the Open’s famed “Birds Nest” pavilion after play this week.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 3-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
• PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. ET (featured groups), 3-7 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured holes).
• PGA TOUR LIVE ON TWITTER: Thursday-Friday, 9-10:30 a.m. ET.
• RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m. ET. Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM).
For more on all the courses in the TPC network, visit TPC.com.
Play where the pros play. To book your tee time at TPC Scottsdale, visit TeeOff.com.
4 comments
The PGSF rolls into Phoenix, undoubtedly the loudest fan experience on tour.
Congratulations to last weeks winner , Bobcat
Bobcat expands his lead after a win at The Farmers Classic .
Good Luck This Week to everyone
