PGA Tour Picks: Waste Management Phoenix Open Odds and Expert Betting Predictions
World No.1 Justin Rose put a hammerlock on that ranking Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open as he shot a final-round 3-under 69 to win the tournament by three over Aussie Adam Scott. Rose opened the event with a 63 on the easier North Course and then shot a 66 on the South on Friday and really wasn't ever much threatened.
Rose's 21-under 267 was tournament record and led to his 10th career PGA Tour win and first at Torrey Pines. In doing so, Rose joined Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia as the only Europeans to win double digit times on the PGA Tour since World War II. Tiger Woods also showed up on Sunday with a 5-under 67. That was Tiger's lowest score on a Sunday at Torrey Pines since a 2007 victory there. We won't see Tiger the next two weeks on Tour.
I did hit on Top 10s for Jon Rahm and Jason Day last week as they were both T5 at 14 under. Just missed on one for Tony Finau. My winning choice wasn't so good: Aussie Marc Leishman, who shot a first-round 68 but then didn't break 70 on the way to a T43.
If you are a golf fan but also like a bit of a raucous/soccer-like atmosphere, you must attend the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, where the PGA Tour visits on Super Bowl weekend per usual. It is one massive party - especially on No. 16. It's what I think golf should embrace more of instead of old white dudes complaining when there's the tiniest sound during their backswing. Come on! Highly recommend you go to this event if ever get the chance.
The field isn't as strong as usual as some big names are on the European Tour for the big-money Saudi Invitational. That includes Rose, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Garcia and Bryson DeChambeau.
This also is the end of an era as NBC golf analyst Johnny Miller is calling it quits after the third round. He has been in that role since 1990. Why after the third round? NBC wanted to honor him that day instead of Sunday when the tournament provides the dramatics (plus the Super Bowl obviously casts a bit of a shadow). That's also when new NBC analyst Paul Azinger takes over. You probably either loved or hated Miller as an analyst, really no in between. The World Golf Hall of Famer certainly was interesting. Miller was hoping to sign off at Pebble Beach, where he won the last of his PGA Tour titles, but CBS owns rights to that tournament. Phoenix worked out well as Miller won back-to-back titles there in 1974-75 and earned the nickname "Desert Fox."
TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course is a par 71 that can play up to 7,261 yards. The very loud par-3 16th is called the "Coliseum" with the stadium-type setting. The defending champion is Gary Woodland, who beat Chez Reavie on the first playoff hole. It was the third straight year the tournament went to a playoff. The duo finished regulation at 18 under.
Golf Odds: Waste Management Phoenix Open Favorites
Rahm is the +700 favorite, and why not considering he hasn't finished worse than T8 in his past five worldwide starts and has made the cut in each of his three trips here. His best result was a T5. Rahm is an Arizona State alum so he'll be a fan favorite here just like fellow Sun Devil Phil Mickelson, who plays the tournament for a record 30th time. Lefty has won it thrice and is +2200. No one has won this tournament four times.
Justin Thomas is +900 and Hideki Matsuyama +1400. Matsuyama won here in a 2016 playoff over Rickie Fowler and then beat Webb Simpson in a playoff the following year. Oh, and he was runner-up in 2015. Matsuyama might finally be getting over thumb surgery as he was T3 last week. Thomas has a best result of T17 here in four trips.
Xander Schauffele is +1400 with Woodland, Fowler and Simpson each at +1800. Schauffele was T17 in his debut here last year and has two wins already this season. Fowler has done everything but win here with two runners-up. He was in contention through 54 holes last year before fading slightly to T11. Simpson had that runner-up two years ago but was MC in 2018.
Golf Odds: Waste Management Phoenix Open
Keep riding Rahm for a Top 10 (-140) as well as Matsuyama (+115). Like Hideki at +250 for top rest of the world player and Fowler at +1600 as top American.
Head-to-head, take Daniel Berger (-115) over Byeong-Hun An (-115), Adam Hadwin (-125) over Reavie (-105), Rahm (-140) over Thomas (+110), and Matsuyama (-140) over Lefty (+110)
I'll probably through a few bucks on Fowler to win, but the best value appears to be Martin Laird way down at +7500. Not having a great season but is a Scottsdale resident and has made seven of the past eight cuts here with four Top 10s. He was T9 last year. You can also get Laird at +1000 for top European.
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