Round 4 - Gary Woodland beats Chez Reavie in playoff

February 04, 2018

Gary Woodland birdied three of the last four holes of regulation then beat Chez Reavie with a par at the first playoff hole on Sunday to win the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.

Woodland had nine birdies in his seven-under par 64 at TPC Scottsdale and was in the clubhouse with the lead on 18-under par 266.

But Reavie closed with back-to-back birdies to force sudden death.

They returned to the par-four 18th where Woodland was in a fairway bunker and Reavie in the fairway off the tee.

Reavie's second shot missed the green, and his chip left him a tough putt for par while Woodland blasted out of the bunker to the edge of the green and putted to within two feet.

Reavie, who drained a 21-footer at 18 in regulation to force the playoff, missed his par-saving attempt.

That left Woodland to tap in for his third US PGA Tour title, and his first since 2013.

"It's been a long five years, but it's been coming," Woodland said. "I made some putts early, gave me some confidence and really hit the ball well coming down the stretch."

Woodland, 33, started the day three shots behind 54-hole leader Rickie Fowler.

He raced up the leaderboard with five birdies on the front nine.

He sandwiched a birdie at 13 between two bogeys, but birdied 15, 16 and 17 to seize the lead.

After holing his last putt, Woodland collected his baby son, Jaxson, from his wife, Gabby.

The couple had been expecting twins but lost one of the children in a tough 2017 for the family.

"I'm really happy -- one to be holding him and also to be where I'm at," Woodland said. "He's a miracle, and I'm just happy to be here right now."

Brendan Steele and Ollie Schniederjans shared third place on 269. Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson, an Arizona fan favorite, carded a 69 to head a group of four on 270.

World number seven Fowler faded with a 73 to finish with a share of 11th in a group that also included world number two Jon Rahm of Spain.

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Round 3 - Fowler edges ahead in Arizona

February 03, 2018

Rickie Fowler birdied his last three holes to seize a one-stroke lead over world number two Jon Rahm and two others Saturday at the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open.

Fowler, who shared the overnight lead with Bryson DeChambeau rolled a nine-foot birdie putt into the heart of the cup at the 18th hole of TPC Scottsdale to move atop the jammed leaderboard, firing a four-under 67 for 14-under 199.

Rahm, chasing Dustin Johnson's world number one ranking, carded a six-under par 65 and was joined on 200 by DeChambeau, who signed for a 68 and Chez Reavie, who carded a 67.

Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson carded a 66 to head a group on 201. He was tied with reigning Rookie of the Year Xander Schauffele (66) and Daniel Berger (68).

Six more players were just three off the pace on 202.

World number seven Fowler, whose history of strong showings in Phoenix include a runner-up finish in 2010 and a playoff loss to Hideki Matsuyama in 2016, was rewarded for his patience with a sizzling finish to the day.

"It was a grind," said Fowler, who was one-over for the day after a bogey at the fourth before his first birdie of the day at the eighth -- where he was in a fairway bunker.

"Just a little off in certain areas, (I) just tried to kind of piece things together," Fowler said. "We took advantage of the last few holes, but that is the biggest scoring opportunity on the golf course."

Not everyone could capitalize.

DeChambeau, seeking his second tour victory, was 14-under after three straight birdies at 13, 14, and 15, but he gave a stroke back at 17 where he was in the water off the tee.

Rahm, seeking a fifth worldwide title in the last year and his second US tour victory in three weeks, was two-under through nine and responded to a bogey at the 10th with birdies at 11, 13, 15 and 16.

"It's going to take a lot of birdies," Rahm said of what will be required to win on Sunday.

He said he'd try to shut out thoughts of the number one ranking, which he admitted got to him in a disappointing finish at Torrey Pines last week.

"I'm trying to focus on right here, right now, more than focusing on the win," he said.

Mickelson, who also played college golf in Arizona and is a three-time Phoenix Open winner, is another fan favorite at the always raucous tournament.

The 47-year-old is seeking his 43rd PGA Tour title, and his first title since the 2013 British Open.

"To have a crowd like this behind you, you really feel that energy," said Mickelson, who said he's also benefitting from off-season work with the driver.

"For me to not give away shots off the tee the way I have in the past has been very beneficial," said Mickelson, who had five birdies without a bogey, finishing birdie-birdie.

Justin Thomas, the 2017 PGA Tour Player of the Year, got off to a dream start with six birdies to open his round.

But it devolved into a nightmare that included three bogeys, a triple-bogey and a double-bogey and his even par 71 left him eight strokes adrift.

“Shocked. Speechless," Thomas said. "That pretty much sums it up.”

Round 2 - Fowler & DeChambeau take Phoenix lead

February 02, 2018

Rickie Fowler survived late miscues to share the lead at the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open alongside Bryson DeChambeau on Friday, as two-time defending champion Hideki Matsuyama withdrew injured.

Fowler, ranked seventh in the world, got off to a blazing start at TPC Scottsdale with four birdies in his first six holes. He finished with seven birdies in his five-under 66 for 10-under 132.

He pushed his lead to as many as two strokes before a bogey at 17, and DeChambeau capped his 66 with back-to-back birdies at 17 and 18 to join Fowler in the clubhouse on 10-under.

"I just feel like I'm comfortable on this golf course, I've had quite a few rounds here and there's been a lot of good ones," said Fowler, adding that his plan for Saturday was to "just keep the gas pedal down."

Daniel Berger and Chez Reavie both signed for 65s to lie one stroke back on 133.

Scott Stallings carded a 65 to join a trio on 134 that also included Chesson Hadley and Chris Kirk, who both carded 68.

Matsuyama's bid for a rare three-peat was over before the round began as Japan's world number five withdrew prior to hitting a shot Friday with a left writ injury.

"The pain in my left thumb area started on 13th hole yesterday," Matsuyama said. "I did some treatment last night, but the pain was still there this morning when I practised. I decided that it was not worth forcing myself to continue to play and worsen the injury, so I was disappointed that I had to withdraw."

Former world number one Jordan Spieth also exited before the weekend, missing the cut by a stroke after a frustrating two days amid the raucous crowds of the Phoenix Open, where the atmosphere resembles that of a football match more than a staid golf event.

Spieth struggled to get any putts to drop as he posted rounds of one-over 72 and one-under 70 to lie one shot outside the projected cut line.

Spieth hadn't missed a cut since the Byron Nelson in May, a run of 15 straight cuts made worldwide.

Fowler, whose history of strong showings in Phoenix include a runner-up finish to Hunter Mahan in 2010 and a playoff loss to Matsuyama in 2016, couldn't maintain early his torrid pace on the back nine, following a birdie at the 10th with a bogey at 11.

He got back on track with bridies at 13 and 15, before a bogey at 17, where a "funky little chip" led to a disappointing dropped shot.

"I still made some good swings," Fowler said of his inward run. "Funky little chip on 17 where we were in good position to make birdie -- so a little unfortunate to make bogey. Other than that, I feel like (it was) a solid day.

"We're in a good spot going into the weekend," he added.

A big group on 135 included world number two Jon Rahm of Spain and five-time major-winner Phil Mickelson, an Arizona favorite who birdied his last four holes en route to a 65 that left him just three back.

Round 1 - Bill Haas takes 2-shot lead in Arizona

February 01, 2018

Bill Haas fired an eagle and five birdies to seize a two-stroke lead at the US PGA Tour Phoenix Open on Thursday, with plenty of big names within striking distance.

Haas sparkled before the raucous crowds at TPC Scottsdale, teeing off on the 10th hole and making the turn five-under.

He rolled in a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-five 15th, and gave himself a three-footer for birdie at the par-three 16th -- delighting the massive gallery at the "stadium" hole.

Haas said salvaging a par after two bad shots at 11 steadied him. He rolled in a 13-footer for birdie at 12 and birdied the par-five 13th despite hitting into a native area off the tee.

"The holes where the last few weeks I've been missing all those putts, I made them today," said Haas, who won the most recent of his six PGA Tour titles at the 2015 CareerBuilder Challenge.

Two birdies coming in gave him a seven-under par who teed off at the 10th hole, surged to a seven-under par 64.

He was two strokes in front of Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, Bryson DeChambeau, Chesson Hadley and Chris Kirk.

World number two Jon Rahm of Spain headed a group on 67, alongside two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, Brian Gay, Vaughn Taylor and Gary Woodland.

Two-time defending champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan got his three-peat bid off to a quiet start with a 69, while Jordan Spieth settled for a one-over par 72.

Fowler, who lost to Matsuyama in a playoff two years ago, teed off in chilly early morning weather but warmed up with an eagle at the par-five 15th, where he fired a five-wood to within two feet.

"I knew going out early this morning when it was cold the first few holes on the back nine can jump up and get you if you're not careful," Fowler said. "I feel like I eased into the round nicely -- hit a great little five-wood into the par-five 15th and made eagle there, kind of got things going."

Fowler is coming off a missed cut at Torrey Pines last weekend, but said he thought his game was not far off.

"Last week was a little hiccup, just made a few too many mistakes," he said.

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