WM Phoenix Open 2023 standings, scores: Xander Schauffele, Max Homa, Jon Rahm draw in windy Scottsdale
The first round of the WM Phoenix Open 2023 will move to Friday as the match was delayed by more than an hour due to frost to start the first round on Thursday and darkness brought the match to a halt for the rest of the day. With the entire afternoon wave still needing to complete their first rounds after the game was halted, Canadian Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin ended the day at the top of the leaderboard with under-5.
Xander Schauffele sits behind at 4th under 4 as he continues to thrive against the desert scene. Keeping a low average at TPC Scottsdale among those who have played 20 rounds, Schauffele is poised to correct his mistakes over the years. While the trio were able to score respectable scores in chilly and windy morning conditions, they ended up short-lived.
Playing 1.65 strokes above par in the morning, TPC Scottsdale is prone to a few more birdies later in the day and keeps the average closer to par during the afternoon wave. Keegan Bradley, Max Homa and Jon Rahm are among many who could take advantage of friendlier winds and will try to stay motivated as they head into Friday morning with red numbers.
Leaders
T1. Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor (-5)
While the Canadian flag is next to their names, both of them are from Scottsdale, Arizona, transplant and are putting their local knowledge to good use. Although Taylor led the field in tee shots to green on Thursday, it’s actually Hadwin that has the more enduring power on this ranking. A regular player in the desert, Hadwin has shown a downward trend as shown in his 59 six years ago at La Quinta Country Club in Palm Springs, California.
“Canadian golf has been in a great place for a while now, Corey [Conners] and Mackenzie [Hughes] Kind of like being in the lead,” Hadwin said. “This year we also have Adam Svensson winning, along with Mackenzie. It’s a great group to be a part of. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get 6 under because I saw Nick there and I wanted to get past him tonight. But yes, it’s fun. What a great group to be a part of and we share a lot of laughs together.”
other candidates
T3. Xander Schauffele, Jason Day, Jim Herman (-4)
T6. Max Homa, Jon Rahm, Keegan Bradley, Charley Hoffman, Scott Stallings, Taylor Moore, Wyndham Clark, Chesson Hadley (-3)
Schauffele should probably have a pair of WM Phoenix Open titles on his cape as he surrenders to late leads over the past two years. Unable to cross the finish line, the 29-year-old once again positioned him favorably for contention. With the battle between the two raging at the pinnacle of world golf, it’s sometimes easy to forget how consistently excellent Schauffele has been.
“It was hard,” Schauffele said of the windy conditions. “They moved a peg there on the 15th. It was the front left peg and it was blowing 30 from left to right, so they moved that peg to the right. There were a few really hard pegs. I I’d say there’s no great way to set up a path that’s going to increase when you’ve got a bunch of headwinds going through all these holes. I think it’s going to be fine.”
What happened to Rory McIlroy?
Round 1 of the world number 1 stands out with doping. Signing for 2 to 73, McIlroy hit four bogeys in front of two birdies and hit the field both on tee and on approach. A rarity for a driver of his caliber, this has not been lost on the Northern Irish. Thursday marked McIlroy’s fifth round of his career at TPC Scottsdale as he once chose to skip the event.
“I wouldn’t say it’s too good a golf course for me,” McIlroy said. “I struggled with tees here. I felt like all the bunkers on the fairway were right in my landing zone. But it was a challenge, and again, like I was trying. Well, look, it’s not an event I’ve played often in history, but I feel like I’m a good enough player to figure it out and compete and win on anything. any golf course.”
Any drama on the 16th?
Several tees near the bottom of the cup on the noisiest par-3 16th hole. Tony Finau, Kevin Kisner and Sungjae Im all have the physical looks to hit an ace, but unfortunately, the fans at the stadium hole would have to wait another day to be able to hit a Hole-in-one.
2023 WM Phoenix Open updated odds and picks
Odds via Caesars Sportsbook
- Jon Rahm: 3-1
- Xander Schauffele: 6-1
- Homa max: 9-1
- Scottie Scheffler: 11-1
- Jason’s Day: 11-1
- Keegan Bradley: 18-1
- Adam Hadwin: 20-1
- Viktor Hovland: 22-1
- Tony Finau: 22-1
- Tom Kim: 28-1
- Wyndham Clark: 35-1
- Sungjae Im: 40-1
- Justin Thomas: 45-1
- Matt Fitzpatrick: 50-1
- Nick Taylor: 50-1
Scheffler has been relatively watched this week with Rahm and McIlroy in the field. The defending champion will face a 6-foot side putt on the 12th to start his Friday, and if he converts, he’ll still be 1 under and just four strokes above speed. With a 13-17 birdie still ahead, don’t be surprised if Scheffler signs something around 3 under in Round 1. 11-1, this could be the last chance to win it. 2 in the world by double digit odds.
Joe Musso, Rick Gehman and Kyle Porter analyze Thursday’s action live from the WM Phoenix Open. Follow and listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts And Spotify.
