Posted in: Golf
The Waste Management Phoenix Open is historically held on Super Bowl weekend just north of the city of Phoenix in the well-to-do suburb of Scottsdale.
So, people actually play golf while the Super Bowl is going on?
They played the tournament from Wednesday through Saturday once when the big game was in town, but golf is important. For our sake and their’s, hopefully, the guys can avoid the 4th straight playoff and get to a screen in time for Gladys Knight to sing the anthem for at least 1:50 while wearing a dress.
There are several of the world’s best competing at the Phoenix Open. I would imagine that a lot of golfers would take this week off while they enjoyed the Super Bowl and more so the after parties.
The Phoenix Open is quite the party itself, actually.
“The Greatest Show on Grass” as it is sometimes called, this tournament is quite popular. One might think that 90% of the sporting world is hyper-focused on the final football game of the year, but there’s definitely some overlap as the Phoenix Open is the most attended tournament on the PGA Tour!
Many of us are going to attend at least one Super Bowl party for probably around 3 hours. Then, we make our way home in attempts to sleep off the buzz of the game and hopefully limp into work on Monday, the most called-out-of day of work for the whole year.
Next year, we should all reconsider our Super Bowl plans for a potential trip to the links of TPC Scottsdale.
Why?
Well, this tournament is a 4-day Super Bowl party!
It’s not unusual for drunken spectators to eventually laugh and yell over golfer’s taking their shots. I think the most of the athletes on Tour take it for what it is. This isn’t the high-class Masters, even though half of Scottsdale drives a Lambo.
There’s even a performance from a different band each night.
So, the mood on the course may be a bit laid back. That’s going to help some golfers and hurt some others.
Will it be the easy-going golfers who pull ahead this weekend or will it take a laser-like focus throughout the tournament to win?
I think it’s safe to say there are a few variables at play considering the timing of the tournament as well as the massive drunk crowd of spectators who could play a role in distracting some of the worlds best.
That’s why I want to stay away from trying to pick just winners.
One of our most
Here are some other trusted betting sites has several betting options available for this week’s Phoenix Open.
Let’s jump into the action!
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Wow, so it looks like the sportsbooks are thinking Jon Rahm deserves a January win as much as the other guy. He has had quite the month. It’s too bad that’s not how it works out, though.
I picked him to continue his outstanding play last week and he did with a 14 under par performance for the tournament finishing tied for 5th place.
Rahm was 6th at the Desert Classic, 8th at the Tournament of Champions, 4th at the DP World Championships, and won the Hero World Challenge so it’s hard to argue there’s another golfer on Tour playing as hot as the Spaniard right now.
(+600) Isn’t diddly squat as payouts for a PGA Tour winner goes, plus he will be competing for a third consecutive week. There are definitely some other golfers with more value but there’s nothing wrong with a few bucks on the 24-year-old.
Justin Thomas could play well but I like someone like Hideki Matsuyama who has actually won here in the past a bit more.
Hideki has won here more than once. In fact, he went back-to-back in 2016 and 2017 winning playoffs over Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson, respectively.
Maybe a top ten bet on the Japanese superstar isn’t a bad idea at (+150). You can always catch him at a higher price for a top twenty finish if you’re looking to play that particular wager safely.
That’s 10 strokes better than anyone could do in the past decade.
Phil isn’t a bad play at even money (+100) finish inside the top twenty.
It should be noted that Brandt Snedeker took Phil to a playoff in 2013 when he tied the course record. (+6000) is a great sleeper bet on a guy who has scored better in this tournament than 99% of the field.
He is also (+600) to finish top ten which holds considerably more value.
Chez Reavie is a Scottsdale native and the TPC is his home course. He was the runner-up to Gary Woodland a year ago here, yet he is (+450) for a top ten performance.
Variability is key at the Phoenix Open. Key, as in the key to screw up your bets this weekend.
Will we see someone like Bubba Watson feed off of the crowd, maybe even shotgun a beer on Saturday for the boys?
Or will more consistent golfers like Hideki Matsuyama continue their dominance at this tournament through focus and determination?
Phil Mickelson may be the hybrid of the two aforementioned types of athlete. He thrives on the chaos almost never giving in to the belief that he can’t make another shot-saving swing to get him out of whatever mess he’s in at the time.
With 5 victories between them and minds that can adapt quickly to chaotic erratic environments, Matsuyama and Mickelson are two golfers I can’t ignore at the Phoenix Open.
Jon Rahm needs a win this month to put a giant stamp on a highly successful January. I’m not sure if that’s in the cards, but betting him to finish top ten for (-130) is the most valuable bet to make here.
Enjoy the party, I mean tournament!
