After the disappointment of not getting to see a final round and Jason Day's chances last week, we take our place money and our enthusiasm over to Arizona for the Phoenix Waste Management Open, and 'that' Par 3 on the Stadium Course.
TPC Scottsdale has been the venue for this event for over 35 years now and the Stadium course is now iconic for the Par 3 16th, but for me the run of 15 (reachable par 5) 16 (absolute bedlam par 3 with a chance of a hole in one rounds 1, 2 and 4), 17 (driveable par 4) and 18 the hardest hole on the layout (par 4) make or break so many rounds each year, that despite some low scores, it is a genuinely interesting event. The lop sided nature of the event is down to Scottie Scheffler, who is 5/1 in places and looking for his 3rd win in a row here. Such short odds are of absolutely no interest to me, but the picks this week do come with a health warning, as the Scheff, loves it here. As usual this week will be all about his putting, I'm still unconvinced he is anything other than awful from 6 feet in, but given he is possibly the greatest Iron player that has ever lived (along with Tiger in 2006), he will get a lot of looks. That said, players will know, that if they shoot the lights out at this place he is very beatable, and stacked leaderboards and close finishes are a staple diet at this event.
A par 71 measuring 7266 yards, has 3 par 5s, 4 par 3s and the rest 4s, and this week some softer surfaces could make this a low scoring affair, but given the colder conditions this should level it out and the usual 17-19 under par will win, and quite possibly a play off.
4 selections this week and thanks to the fav some amazing prices. First up there is a price out there that is utterly staggering for last week's victor, off the back of a course record 60 at Pebble, 2023 US Open champion and world number 6, WYNDHAM CLARK. This guy lost his way a little after his stellar performance at LA Country Club last year (although he played well at East Lake), but there have been trending signs with him, and his iron play, that led to an absolute clinic last week. Driving and putting won't ever be an issue, but the way he fired his ball into those small greens at Pebble, blew me away, and I cannot work out what numbskull has done the markets here, he should be 10/1 2nd fav, he is actually 28/1, 8 places with Bet365 and was on offer yesterday at 35s!!!! 6pts e/w investment.
Next up, blog favourite, and a guy who was robbed in 2022, SAHITH THEEGALA. On the driveable par 4 in 2022, Sahith nailed his drive straight at the pin, yet the golfing gods conspired to kick the ball left, run his ball all the way across the green and into the water when a split second before that bounce the tournament looked at his mercy, as a rookie! He is playing well, he has got that out of his system after a poor showing here last year (39th), and he can go in again, with his imaginative shot making on approach and wand like putter. His odds again are juicier than a extra juicy, juiced up juicy fruit, and at 33/1 top 8 with bet365 I'm 5points e/w with him.
2 final picks at 2pts e/w investments, both at 80/1 8 places with Bet365 this week. Both blokes are excellent putters, great iron players and both are bang in form. CHRISTIAAN BEZUIDENHOOT is gaining almost 2 shots a round Strokes gained in approach this season on fields, and if he can cope with the nerves (he had a good 2nd 2 weeks ago to Tyler Duncan) has every chance here at big odds. Likewise blog favourite and no longer available at 300/1 and upwards MARK HUBBARD sits 12th on tour SG approach in 2024. To date he has results of 57th, 47th, 20th and 4th, so he is trending and in my opinion a class act that has to win on tour soon, like the huge odds we used to get, 80s and up won't be a thing for the future IMO.
A truly great time of year this for golf, and as it's Riv next week, I'm going straight from publishing this into the Genesis research for next week. Go well, and let's get a couple placed this week for my favourite tour event of the year next week.
TEWT
