This article is part of our FanDuel PGA DFS Picks series.
Waste Management Phoenix Open
Course: TPC Scottsdale (7,266 yards, par 71)
Purse: $7,300,000
Winner: $1,314,000 and 500 FedExCup points
Tournament Preview
The Phoenix Open is the best-attended event in the sport of golf, annually seeing upwards of 500,000 people throughout the four days. It has earned the nickname "The Greatest Show on Grass" and is known for its rowdy atmosphere around the par-3 16th hole. It is another star-studded field that includes Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Webb Simpson, Xander Schauffele, and Bryson DeChambeau, as well as former Champion's Rickie Fowler, Hideki Matsuyama, and Gary Woodland. The back-nine at TPC Scottsdale is one of the most exciting closing stretches of the year that features two reachable par-5's at 13 and 15, the stadium enclosed par-3 16th, and the drivable par-4 17th. The weather will be ripe for scoring with no threat of rain and very minimal winds.
Recent Champions
2019 – Rickie Fowler
2018 – Gary Woodland
2017 – Hideki Matsuyama
2016 – Hideki Matsuyama
2015 – Brooks Koepka
2014 – Kevin Stadler
2013 – Phil Mickelson
2012 – Kyle Stanley
2011 – Mark Wilson
2010 – Hunter Mahan
Key Stats to Victory
SG: Approach
SG: Putting
Birdie Average
SG: Off-the-tee
Champion's Profile
TPC Scottsdale is a big change from last week at Torrey Pines. It is much friendlier to players of all lengths and the fairways are a lot more forgiving. The rough is also much less penal and the putts will actually hold their lines on the greens. All that combined with the perfect weather and we should expect a number around 20-under-par to win this week. This will be similar to the courses at The American Express where the name of the game is going to maximizing birdie opportunities. The two biggest things you will have to do is hit your irons close and make a bunch of putts. All three par-5's should be reachable by most every player in the field, so eagles should be abundant as well.
FanDuel Value Picks
The Chalk
Jon Rahm, ($12,100)
Rahm did not come out of the gates strong this past Sunday when he held the 54-hole lead, but an unbelievable finish almost got him into a playoff. Instead he got his fourth runner-up in his last 15 starts worldwide. In that stretch he also owns three wins and just one finish worse than T13. The Arizona State product hasn't finished worse than T16 at the WMPO in four starts.
Webb Simpson, ($11,700)
TPC Scottsdale has been good to Simpson throughout his career. He lost in a playoff here back in 2017, which is one of six career top-20's. Simpson is playing the best golf of his career and hasn't finished outside the top-30 in 16 straight starts. Included in that stretch are four top-three finishes. He currently ranks first in SG: Total, birdie average, and scoring average this season.
Hideki Matsuyama, ($11,300)
If you're doing a one-and-done league you can put Hideki Matsuyama's name in ink next to the WMPO every year. He has gone T4-T2-1st-1st-T15 in his career at TPC Scottsdale outside of having to withdraw after one round in 2018 due to a wrist injury. Even more incredible, Matsuyama has broken 70 in all but one round here. He also has started strong this season making six-of-seven cuts with two top-three's and five top-25s.
Brandt Snedeker, ($10,400)
Brandt Snedeker on the West coast is like Brooks Koepka in the majors, they always produce. He closed with a four-under 68 last Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open to notch his sixth top-three finish at Torrey Pines. TPC Scottsdale suits his game even better from tee-to-green, likely the reason why he has only missed one cut in 12 attempts here. Snedeker also owns four career top-10's, including a runner-up in 2013 at 24-under-par.
Longer Shots with Value
Byeong-Hun An, ($9,600)
TPC Scottsdale has easily been An's best track in the U.S. Over the last three years he has gone 6th-T23-T20. If you take out his final rounds, An's scoring average at the WMPO is an incredible 67.11. The 28-year-old also owns four finishes inside the top-15 in nine starts this season.
Brendan Steele, ($9,500)
Steele has been a really solid ball striker throughout his career, in fact last season he was third on Tour in the ball-striking stat. That is a reason why he has played so well at TPC Scottsdale in the past. Steele has made eight of his last nine cuts with three top-six finishes in that stretch at the WMPO.
Tom Hoge, ($9,000)
Trending under the radar this week is Tom Hoge. The past three weeks he has gone T12-T6-5th. He also ranks ninth in SG: Approach, 31st in SG: Putting, and 13th in SG: Total this season. Hoge is also 10th in scrambling and sixth in one-putt percentage. He's a great iron player and putter who isn't going to give strokes away when he does miss greens.
Chesson Hadley, ($8,000)
Hadley has made three of four career cuts at the WMPO, including a T5 in 2018 and a T20 last year. Iron play has really always been his strength, and that has continued this season. Hadley currently ranks 15th in SG: Approach and 29th in GIR percentage. He will have no shortages of birdie opportunities at TPC Scottsdale. Hadley is averaging 4.54 birdies per round this year which ranks 17th-best on Tour. There's not a whole lot of other options down this far that you can feel confident about.
Strategy Tips for this week
Based on Standard $60K Salary Cap
There is a bevy of strong options this week who have a lot of good course history. Recent form is nice, but I'm looking for as many horses for courses as I can get into a lineup this week. Other players I did not mention above that fall into this category include Rickie Fowler, Gary Woodland, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar, and Martin Laird. I'd also look for players who played well two weeks ago at The American Express, as the conditions will be very similar. Of those players, this week I also like Scottie Scheffler, Ryan Moore, Sebastian Cappelen, Sungjae Im, and Andrew Putnam.
