The 2019 PGA Tour continues this weekend with one of the highlights of the golfing calendar, the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The action gets underway Thursday night (AEDT) and continues throughout the weekend and we have a full preview and betting tips for the event below!
2019 Phoenix Open Betting Tips
Our best bet for the Farmers Insurance Open, Adam Scott, had a fantastic weekend. Scott finished in 2nd place, just two shots behind winner Justin Rose and at $67 to win and around $15 for a top five finish he was great value. We’ll be looking to find some more value this weekend as we take a look at the Phoenix Open below.
The Course
TPC Scottsdale has been the home of the Phoenix Open, formerly known as the FBR Open, since 1987. The Phoenix Open is famous for the crowds it attracts, particularly that in the 16th hole ‘Coliseum’ which resembles a frat house party atmosphere and is widely regarded as the loudest hole in all of golf.
TPC Scottsdale underwent a renovation in 2014 which included reshaping and relocation of greens which resulted in an all-round more pleasing aesthetic. The course is a 7,261-yard par 71 and the 72-hole record is shared by both Mark Calcavecchia and Phil Mickelson at –28. The Course doesn’t really favour any one type of player in particular but offers a tough challenge to a range of different golf styles and high risk-reward holes.
The Field
The Phoenix Open offers a fantastic $7,100,000 purse and as usual, has attracted a star-studded field. Gary Woodland will be back to defend his 2018 title at the Phoenix Open while Hideki Matsuyama will be looking to lift the trophy for the third time in four years after winning in 2016 and 2017.
Amongst some of the other top ranked players in the field list are Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler, Si Woo Kim, Webb Simpson, Bubba Watson, Xander Schauffele and Tony Finau. Phil Mickelson has won the title on three separate occasions and will be back this year after a fantastic performance at the Desert Classic a few weeks ago.
Tips
As we mentioned above, the course doesn’t favour any specific type of golfer, which is why it takes a solid all-round player to win the Phoenix Open, one that deals with pressure well. On that note, we are looking towards Justin Thomas this weekend. Thomas will be playing his first tournament since returning from Hawaii this weekend and is in some good form after a fairly successful stint on the island.
Thomas finished 3rd in the Sentry Tournament of Champions followed by a T16 finish in the Sony Open. He already boasts four top 20 finishes from five tournaments in the 2019 PGA Season and is one of the best all-round golfers in the world.
Thomas ranked 3rd overall in scoring avearge in the 2018 PGA Tour season and fourth in birdie average. He finished 1st in official prize money and 2nd in Fed Ex Cup points. He might be the second favourite for the Phoenix Open but at $11 we still think he is good value.
