Blog #308 Waste Management Phoenix Open Feb 4-6, 2026 Par 71

Blog #308 Waste Management Phoenix Open Feb 4-6, 2026 Par 71

ROUND 1* Golfers who started on 10.

*1 Chris Goterup-8 63 Bogie free RD, eagles his 3rd hole #13 then 6 birdies. Finish W-16

*2 Matt Fitzpatrick-6 65 Tied for lead until he bogies his last 2 holes 8&9. Finish 9-15

3 Pierceson Coody-5 66 Three bogies 8 birdies. Finish 10-12

7 Jake Knapp-4 67 Two bogies 1 eagle 4 birdies. Finish 8-14

7 Maverick McNealy-7 67 Pars front 9 then 1 bogie 5 birdies, three on 16,17&18. Finish 13-11

*13 H Matsuyama-3 Bogie free with 3 birdies. Finish 2-16

13 Ryo Hisatsune-3 68 birdies 2 of 1st 3 holes then -1 for next 15 holes. Finish 10-12

27 Viktor Hovland-2 69 Birdies 2 of 1st 3 holes, then 2 bogies 2 birdies. Finish 10-12

*38 Sahith Theegala-1 70 Too many bogies 4 with 1 eagle 3 birdies. Finish 18-9

89 Scottie Scheffler+2 73 Starts with bogie, DB #1&2, then 4 bogies 4 birdies. Finish 3-15

ROUND 2 First time in {PGA history that 2 Japanese golfers were in the top RD.

1 Ryo Hisatsune-11 63 Bogie free again & low RD 1 eagle 6 birdies.

*2 H Matsuyama-10 64 Six birdies from 13 to 18, another bogie free RD until his 18th hole

3 Pierceson Coody-8 68 Despite 3 more bogies (2RD total 6) stays in 2nd place.

3 Chris Gotterup-8 Starts with bogie then 3 more to go with 1 eagle 2 birdies to lose #1 spot.

*5 SW Kim-7 62 After a 73 yesterday, comes back with 1 bogie 1 eagle 8 birdies including #16.

5 Sahith Theegala-7 65 Continues great play, eagle on 3 & another on 13 with 1 bogie 3 birdies.

5 Matt Fitzpatrick-7 70 Poor finish with 3 bogies final 6 holes or could be in tie for 2nd.

*10 Jake Knapp-6 69 Three bogies, 1 on final hole#9 after 3 straight birdies 2,4&5.

*10 Maverick McNealy-10 69 One bogie 3 birdies.

28 Scottie Scheffler-4 65 Up 61 spots with 6 birdies in bogie free RD.

ROUND 3

1 H Matsuyama-13 68 Two bogies 3 birdies 1st 5 holes, birdies 10&13 Outstanding putting.

2 Nicolia Hojgaaard-12 65 Bogie free RD with 5 birdies last 6 holes, up 8 spots.

2 M McNealy-12 65 Birdies 2&3, bogies 6, then from 8 to 15 six birdies but bogies 17.

2 SW Kim-12 66 Good start 1 eagle 2 birdies 1st 6 holes then only bogie on 12, birdies 15&17.

2 R Hisatsune-12 70 Two bogies 2 birdies 1st 5 holes, 2 more birdies but bogies 18.

6 M Fitzpatrick-11 67 Birdies 6 of 1st 15 holes to take lead, but DB on 15 bogie 18 to lose lead.

6 Jake Knapp-11 66 Bogie free RD with 5 birdies, last one on 18.

*11 Viktor Hovland-9 65 Up 26 spots 2 bogies 1 eagle 6 birdies.

11 C Gotterup-9 70 Starts with 10 pars then bogies #11, 2 birdies on 14&15.

11 P Coody-9 70 1 bogie 2 birdies, missed too many makable birdie putts.

16 S Scheffler-8 67 Up 12 spots, one bogie 4 birdies back 9 pars last 3 holes, too little to late.

16 S Theegala-8 70 Drops 11 spots and signs of last year with 3 bogies on back 9.

FINAL ROUND Matsuyama was distracted on 18 and hit poor drive, then missed a putt to win. He then hits his drive in the water on the playoff hole and Gotterup makes a 27ft putt to win.

It was a great finish and tournament was decided from the 13th hole on. Five players finished tied for 2nd, 1 shot off the lead, and except for a mistake or 2 could have made the playoff.

1 Chris Gotterup-16 64 Birdies 5 of last 6 holes to tie and wins on 4th playoff hole. $1.8M

2 H Matsuyama-16 68 Bogies 18 and loses 4 strokes to Gotterup on last 6 holes. $1.0M

3 S Scheffler-15 64 Bogie free & birdies 4 of last 6 holes but pars 18 to miss playoff. $440K

3 Si Woo Kim-15 68 Bogie free but only 3 birdies. $440K

3 Nicokai Hojgaard-15 Disastrous Triple bogie on #2 cost him the tournament $440K

3 Michael Thorbjornsen-15 Bogie free, eagles 15 for the lead but bogies 17&18. $440K

3 Akshay Bhatia-15 Odds 100/1, was #13 after RD1, if he birdied 18 he makes playoff. $440K

8 Jake Knapp-14 Has played well all year, bogie free RD3, but 3 bogies or he wins. $300K

DISAPOINTMENTS All 3 missed cut.

73 Joel Dahman E Nine bogies in 2 RDs and bogies 18th hole in RD2 to miss cut by 1.

86 Brooks Koepka+2 His putting has been awful.

95 Jordan Spieth+3 DB on last hole RD & in 2nd RD another DB this time on #17.