This article is part of our Yahoo PGA DFS Picks series.
WM Phoenix Open
Scottsdale, Arizona
TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) - Par 71 - 7,261 yards
Field - 132 entrants
Purse - $9.2M
The Preview
Although it may have fallen out of the Signature Event rotation last year, the WM Phoenix Open remains "The Greatest Show on Grass," and I'll certainly be making the short trip down the street again to join in on the local ruckus. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is not overly challenging, but it tends to honor elite all-around games like a tougher track would, and a handful of risk-reward opportunities throughout the par-71 layout bring even more excitement to the table.
Approach play is still paramount, but power off the tee lends quite an advantage here in the total driving equation as well, as caddies are constantly ripping off bulky headcovers on most of the par-4s and par-5s. Meanwhile, these winter-season putting surfaces contain a smooth poa trivialis strain, for which the pros commonly express their admiration. Nonetheless, a perfect weather forecast calls for mid-70s temps, sunny skies and favorable scoring conditions as another champion is set to be crowned ahead of the Big Game on Sunday afternoon.
Recent Champions
2024 - Nick Taylor
2023 - Scottie Scheffler
2022 - Scottie Scheffler
2021 - Brooks Koepka
2020 - Webb Simpson
2019 - Rickie Fowler
2018 - Gary Woodland
2017 - Hideki Matsuyama
2016 - Hideki Matsuyama
2015 - Brooks Koepka
Key Stats to Victory
SG: Approach
Proximity: 125-200 yards
Total Driving
Birdie or Better percentage
Yahoo Value Picks
Based on $200 salary cap
Cream of the Crop
Scottie Scheffler - $45
The No. 1 player in the world paced the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in SG: Approach en route to a top-10 finish in his return from late-December hand surgery, instilling confidence from the market as Scheffler can now be found shorter than 3/1 to win outright at TPC Scottsdale this week. He's a collective 69-under-par throughout the past four editions of the WM Phoenix Open, highlighted by back-to-back wins here in 2022 and 2023. Scheffler's Yahoo salary should really be closer to $55 than $45.
Sam Burns - $42
Not only is Burns one of the better drivers of the golf ball in this field, but he's also gained an average of 3.2 strokes putting per event throughout his last 10 measured starts, and he's coming off a T22 effort at Pebble Beach where he ranked sixth in SG: Off-the-Tee and T12 in GIR percentage. He placed T3-T6 in his last two WMPO outings, finding success with the flat stick on these pure greens.
Tom Kim - $38
Kim rebounded from a couple lousy performances at the Sony Open in Hawaii and The American Express by finding himself in contention Sunday at Pebble before ultimately finishing T7, racking up 25 total birdies across 72 holes at the AT&T Pro-Am in the process. Kim's added distance off the tee becomes even more beneficial at TPC Scottsdale, and he's sure to embrace the electric atmosphere. He should not be priced below names like Billy Horschel ($39) and defending champ Nick Taylor ($42).
Glue Guys
Rasmus Hojgaard - $32
Making his WM Phoenix Open debut as the No. 41 player in the OWGR, Hojgaard has placed top-25 in five of his last six international starts, including a runner-up finish at the DP World Tour Championship in November. He just ranked top-10 among the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am field in each of SG: Around-the-Green, driving distance and GIR percentage. However, TPC Scottsdale should be an even better course fit for Hojgaard as a ball striker, and I think he's one of the more intriguing GPP options this week.
Tom Hoge - $28
Gaining more than 15 total strokes with his irons throughout his first four starts of the 2025 season, we know Hoge's game is all about throwing darts at pins, relying on average driving/putting performances to return value with the much stronger approach play. He hit the second-most fairways in regulation at the AT&T Pro-Am last week, and he's notched three top-25s across his past five WMPO appearances.
Si Woo Kim - $27
After struggling in this event from his 2016 WMPO debut through 2020, Kim has now made the cut in four consecutive trips to TPC Scottsdale while placing T26 or better in three straight. He's gained strokes off the tee in all five of his 2025 outings thus far, most recently tying for 12th at Pebble Beach where he fired a final-round 67, hitting 15 of 18 greens in regulation and gaining over 1.7 strokes putting this past Sunday. Additionally, he's a sneaky No. 2 in SG: Par-5 over his last 24 measured rounds.
Bargain Bin
Andrew Novak - $25
Novak is picking up steam with a T13-3 run at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Farmers Insurance Open, but he's even more popular this week given the T8 in his WMPO debut here last year when he gained 5.2 strokes on approach and another 3.2 strokes with the flat stick. Over his last 24 rounds, Novak ranks top-4 in both SG: Par-5 and Prox: 150-175, while putting remains a strength as well.
Keith Mitchell - $23
A fan favorite among the boisterous crowd, Mitchell owns three top-20 results throughout his last five WMPO showings, and he's quietly opened his 2025 campaign with three straight top-35s from the Sony Open in Hawaii through the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he ranked T12 in GIR percentage. Although Mitchell's greatest attribute typically is his driving ability, he's also sixth in SG: Par-3 over his last 50 rounds.
Luke Clanton - $23
The Florida State Seminole is second to none in both SG: Off-the-Tee and Opportunities Gained over his last 24 rounds, providing immense upside from a DFS scoring perspective as TPC Scottsdale can cede birdie and eagle chances in bunches to a player like Clanton. The $23 salary is a misprice as he should be in the low-to-mid $30s, so expect some ownership on Clanton in this spot. Also of note, he needs to make the cut this week in order to earn a PGA Tour card and say adios to his amateur career.
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