The first spherical of the 2023 WM Phoenix Open will leak into Friday as play was delayed by greater than an hour as a consequence of frost to begin Thursday’s first spherical and darkness inflicting play to be suspended to finish the day. With the whole afternoon wave nonetheless needing to finish their first rounds after play was suspended, it’s Canadians Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin swho completed the day at the high of the leaderboard at 5 below.
Xander Schauffele sits one again at 4 below as he continues to thrive in the desert setting. Holding the low scoring common at TPC Scottsdale amongst those that have performed 20 rounds, Schauffele is primed to rectify his errors of years previous. While this trio was in a position to submit respectable scores in the chilly, windy situations of the morning, they might in the end obtain the quick finish of the stick.
Playing 1.65 strokes over par in the morning, TPC Scottsdale was prone to some extra birdies later in the day and held a scoring common nearer to par throughout the afternoon wave. Keegan Bradley, Max Homa, and Jon Rahm had been amongst many in a position to benefit from the friendlier winds and can try and maintain the momentum rolling as they head into Friday morning in pink figures.
The leaders
T1. Adam Hadwin, Nick Taylor (-5)
While the Canadian flag sits subsequent to their names, the two of them are each Scottsdale, Arizona, transplants and are placing their native data to good use. Despite Taylor main the area in strokes gained tee to inexperienced Thursday, it’s truly Hadwin who could have extra endurance on this leaderboard. A participant to often pop up in the desert, Hadwin has proven the propensity to go low as showcased by his 59 six years in the past 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 leading the way,” Hadwin mentioned. “We had Adam Svensson winning this year, as well, along with Mackenzie. It’s a great group to be a part of. I’m really disappointed I didn’t get to 6-under because I saw Nick up there, and I wanted to hold it over him tonight. But yeah, it’s fun. It’s a great group to be a part of, and we share a lot of laughs together.”
Other contenders
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 in all probability ought to have a pair of WM Phoenix Open trophies on his mantle as he surrendered late leads every of the final two years. Unable to get throughout the end line, the 29-year-old has as soon as once more positioned him properly to contend. With the two-man battle at the moment happening at the high of the golf world, it’s generally simple to overlook simply how persistently good Schauffele has been.
“It was tricky,” Schauffele mentioned of the windy situations. “They moved one pin there on 15. It was a front left pin and it was blowing 30 left to right, so they moved that to the right. There were a few really hard ones. I’d say there’s no great way to set the course up when you have a bunch of crosswinds coming across all these holes. I thought it was all right.”
What occurred to Rory McIlroy?
The world No. 1’s first spherical featured a combined bag. Signing for a 2-over 73, McIlroy carded 4 bogeys in opposition to two birdies and bled strokes to the area each off the tee and on method. A rarity for a driver of his caliber, this was not misplaced on the Northern Irishman. Thursday marked McIlroy’s fifth spherical of his profession at TPC Scottsdale as he has traditionally chosen to skip this occasion.
“I wouldn’t say that this is a golf course that sets up terribly well for me,” McIlroy mentioned. “I struggle off the tee here. I feel like all the fairway bunkers are right in my landing zones. But it’s a challenge, and again, like I’m trying to embrace that challenge. Yeah, look, not an event I historically play, but I feel like I’m a good enough player to figure it out and contend and win on any golf course.”
Were there any dramatics on the sixteenth?
Quite a lot of tee pictures almost discovered the backside of the cup on the rowdy par-3 sixteenth. Tony Finau, Kevin Kisner and Sungjae Im all had real looking appears to jar an ace, however sadly, the followers at the stadium gap must wait one other day for a risk of a hole-in-one.
2023 WM Phoenix Open up to date odds and picks
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
- Jon Rahm: 3-1
- Xander Schauffele: 6-1
- Max Homa: 9-1
- Scottie Scheffler: 11-1
- Jason 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 gone comparatively below the radar this week with Rahm and McIlroy in the area. The defending champion will face a 6-foot par putt on the twelfth to start his Friday and may he convert, he’ll stay at 1 below and solely 4 strokes off the tempo. With birdie alternatives on Nos. 13-17 nonetheless in entrance of him, do not be shocked if Scheffler indicators for one thing round 3 below in Round 1. At 11-1, this could possibly be the final likelihood to get the world No. 2 at double-digit odds.
Joe Musso, Rick Gehman and Kyle Porter break down Thursday’s motion stay from the WM Phoenix Open. Follow & hearken to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.