Scottie Scheffler poised to defend title

WM Phoenix Open R3

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler carded a 68 on moving day to take a two-shot lead into the final day of the WM Phoenix Open.

“I didn’t hit it as well today as I hoped to. But still got around in 3-under. Kept the ball in play for the most part. Just kept plugging along. Only one bogey was good today.

“Something I talked about at the beginning of the week was I felt like I’ve been on the outside looking in on Sundays. To be in the final group with a two-shot lead, I believe, is definitely a position I want to be in. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

Should the American win on Sunday, he would return to World No. 1, provided Rory McIlroy finishes outside of solo third. He could also do it with a runner-up finish if McIlroy finishes T36 or worse. The Northern Irishman currently lies in T28 at 3-under.

Canadian Nick Taylor closed with a 67 and shares second place at 11-under with Spain’s Jon Rahm who birdied three of his last six holes for a 68 including a 40-foot putt for birdie at the 16th.

“To be even par through 11 was challenging,” said Rahm. “I had to dig deep to make a few putts and keep the round going. The few birdie putts that I had I didn’t really take advantage of. I had plenty of them. In that stretch of 2, 3 and 4 I wish I would have gotten a couple more than I did. At least an easier 2-putt on 3.

“Had a putt on 6. Had a putt on 7. Had a putt on 9. At least I made the par putts, right. But, yeah, after that I got a couple fortunate bounces.

“On 14 I got a little lucky and was able to make a birdie from a really, really one of the worse swings of the day. So I can’t really say much.

“One thing to learn from Seve is that there’s thousands of ways to post a score. He had more than others. But I’m glad that I was able to pull through with an under par, in the 60s, round today.”

Rahm could move to No. 1 with a victory if McIlroy finishes worse than solo second or with a runner-up finish if McIlroy finishes worse than 47th and Scheffler doesn’t win.

American Jordan Spieth (69) moved into a share of fourth place at 10-under alongside Canadian Adam Hadwin (71).

Pos.PlayerTo ParR1R2R3Total
1Scottie Scheffler-13686468200
T2Nick Taylor-11666967202
T2Jon Rahm-11686668202
T4Jordan Spieth-10716369203
T4Adam Hadwin-10666671203
T6Tyrrell Hatton-9706767204
T6Sungjae Im-9706767204
T6Rickie Fowler-9716667204
T6Jason Day-9657168204
T6Xander Schauffele-9676770204
T11Charley Hoffman-8687166205
T11Sam Burns-8707164205
T11Tony Finau-8706867205
T11Jhonattan Vegas-8716668205
T11Wyndham Clark-8686770205
T16Dylan Frittelli-7746567206
T16Taylor Moore-7697067206
T16Justin Thomas-7716867206
T16Sam Ryder-7696869206
T20Keegan Bradley-5697168208
T20Si Woo Kim-5726967208
T20Scott Stallings-5667369208
T20Adam Schenk-5706771208
T20Seamus Power-5717166208
T25Chesson Hadley-4707168209
T25Max Homa-4696971209
T25Hideki Matsuyama-4746867209
T28Jason Dufner-3716970210
T28Rory McIlroy-3736770210
T28Matt Kuchar-3726771210
T28Billy Horschel-3726969210
T28James Hahn-3706872210
T28Tom Kim-3716673210
T28Sahith Theegala-3727068210
T28Webb Simpson-3707268210
T28Adam Long-3717168210
T28Taylor Pendrith-3736968210
T38Ryan Palmer-2736771211
T38Justin Lower-2716971211
T38Aaron Rai-2707071211
T38Zach Johnson-2697171211
T38Viktor Hovland-2707071211
T38Hayden Buckley-2706972211
T38Kevin Tway-2716773211
T38Kelly Kraft-2707170211
T38Lucas Glover-2717070211
T38Patrick Rodgers-2736870211
T48K.H. Lee-1736871212
T48Kurt Kitayama-1756770212
T50Trey MullinaxPar697173213
T50Danny LeePar736773213
T50Lucas HerbertPar716973213
T50Nate LashleyPar717072213
T50Joel DahmenPar736872213
T50Beau HosslerPar746871213
T50Corey ConnersPar707271213
T57Brian Harman+1717073214
T57Matt Fitzpatrick+1707173214
T57Brandon Wu+1727072214
T57Greyson Sigg+1736972214
T61Erik van Rooyen+2726974215
T61Jim Herman+2686978215
T61Keith Mitchell+2717173215
64Gary Woodland+3726975216
T65Stewart Cink+4697276217
T65Cameron Young+4736975217
CUTRyan Moore+17172-143
CUTDavid Lipsky+17568-143
CUTAaron Wise+17370-143
CUTLuke List+17370-143
CUTChris Kirk+17271-143
CUTAndrew Putnam+17370-143
CUTAlex Noren+17469-143
CUTDoug Ghim+17469-143
CUTTommy Fleetwood+17271-143
CUTGarrick Higgo+17370-143
CUTPatrick Cantlay+17370-143
CUTTyler Duncan+17271-143
CUTRichy Werenski+17172-143
CUTKramer Hickok+27272-144
CUTBrendan Steele+27173-144
CUTTroy Merritt+27074-144
CUTChez Reavie+27470-144
CUTMartin Laird+27569-144
CUTLee Hodges+27272-144
CUTMatt Wallace+27371-144
CUTRicky Barnes+27371-144
CUTRussell Knox+37372-145
CUTRussell Henley+37867-145
CUTTom Hoge+37174-145
CUTMatthias Schwab+37471-145
CUTDoc Redman+37372-145
CUTStephan Jaeger+37669-145
CUTCollin Morikawa+37372-145
CUTMackenzie Hughes+37471-145
CUTMichael Thompson+47670-146
CUTDalton Ward+47373-146
CUTKevin Streelman+47472-146
CUTTaylor Montgomery+47571-146
CUTRobert Streb+47175-146
CUTPeter Malnati+47373-146
CUTMatthew NeSmith+47967-146
CUTDavis Riley+57374-147
CUTPatton Kizzire+57176-147
CUTJ.J. Spaun+57869-147
CUTAdam Svensson+57572-147
CUTJ.T. Poston+57770-147
CUTDavis Thompson+57473-147
CUTRory Sabbatini+57869-147
CUTBrendon Todd+57572-147
CUTDenny McCarthy+57572-147
CUTMax McGreevy+67177-148
CUTAustin Smotherman+67573-148
CUTEmiliano Grillo+67672-148
CUTChad Ramey+67870-148
CUTCallum Tarren+67375-148
CUTMark Hubbard+77475-149
CUTChristiaan Bezuidenhout+77673-149
CUTJ.B. Holmes+77475-149
CUTBrian Gay+77673-149
CUTBrett White+77574-149
CUTNick Watney+77574-149
CUTKevin Kisner+87476-150
CUTAndre Metzger+87773-150
CUTShane Lowry+97576-151
CUTAndrew Landry+97279-151
CUTHarris English+97279-151
CUTFrancesco Molinari+107577-152
CUTJimmy Walker+118073-153
CUTMichael Hopper+127678-154
CUTRyan Brehm+127678-154
CUTCameron Champ+127876-154
W/DScott Piercy-73--73
W/DMaverick McNealy-76--76
Updated: February 12, 2023
WM Phoenix Open 2023
Date: 9th February - 12th February, 2023
Location: TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course), Scottsdale, Arizona
Purse: $20,000,000