SCOTTSDALE – The WM Phoenix Open is the 15th event of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season and second designated event, featuring 22 of the Top 25 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (37 of top 50), nine of the Top 10 players in the FedEx Cup standings (all but Justin Rose) and 11 of the 12 players that have won on Tour this season (all but Rose).
The field was expanded from the original size of 132 players to 134 to include the entire Top 125 category of the priority ranking. The last man in the field is Kelly Kraft, who finished No. 125 in the 2021-22 FedExCup Playoffs and Eligibility Points List.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler earned his first career PGA Tour victory at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open and went on to win the Jack Nicklaus Award as PGA Tour Player of the Year. Scheffler is the reigning champion of four PGA Tour events over the next nine weeks (WM Phoenix Open, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, Masters Tournament) and won those titles in a span of six starts during the 2021-22 season. Scheffler’s scoring average at the WM Phoenix Open is 67.80, tied with Xander Schauffele for the second-lowest among any player (minimum of 10 rounds) since the event moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987.
Rory McIlroy is making his second start of the season and first since winning THE CJ Cup in South Carolina. The last player to win each of his first two starts of the season was Tiger Woods in 2008.
McIlroy has won in each of his last two starts on the PGA Tour (2022 Tour Championship, 2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina). The last player to win in three consecutive starts was the LIV’s Dustin Johnson in 2016-17. McIlroy accomplished the feat during the 2013-14 season.
Waste Management Phoenix Open | Tournament Facts
COURSE: TPC Scottsdale, Arizona (Stadium Course)
YARDS/PAR: 7,261 yards/Par 71
ARCHITECTS: Tom Weiskopf \ Jay Morrish
PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000/$3,600,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 500