WM Phoenix Open 2026 Betting Tips: Six to heat up in Arizona

The evergreen Justin Rose reminded everyone of his enduring quality at last week’s Farmers Insurance Open, storming to an ultra-impressive wire-to-wire win for his 13th PGA Tour title. His 23‑under‑par total not only broke the tournament record, but the seven-shot winning margin was the second-largest in the event’s history, behind Tiger Woods in 2008.
Attention now moves to the desert in Arizona, where world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler tees it up among a strong field in the Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
Our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley is back with six more each-way picks this week, so let's check out his WM Phoenix Open 2026 Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights...
WM Phoenix Open 2026 Tips
- 1.5 pts Harris English each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 33/1
- 1 pt Nick Taylor each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
- 1 pt Min Woo Lee each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
- 1 pt Sepp Straka each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
- 1 pt Matt McCarty each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 66/1
- 1 pt Jacob Bridgeman each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 90/1
*odds correct at time of publication
*You can bet on the tournament and check out the latest WM Phoenix Open Odds over on betfred.com
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
First played in 1932, the Phoenix Open has been a mainstay on the PGA Tour calendar since 1944. Famed for its vibrant, party-style atmosphere, the event draws in hundreds of thousands of fans each year, making it one of the best-attended tournaments in the world.
Among the illustrious group of former winners, four are tied on a record three wins apiece: Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962, 1963), Gene Littler (1955, 1959, 1969), Mark Calcavecchia (1989, 1992, 2001), and Phil Mickelson (1996, 2005, 2013).
There have also been 11 two-time winners, including Byron Nelson (1939, 1945), Ben Hogan (1946, 1947), Vijay Singh (1995, 2003), Hideki Matsuyama (2016, 2017), and Scottie Scheffler (2022, 2023).
Last five winners:
- 2025
Winner: Thomas Detry (-24)
Runners-up: Daniel Berger, Michael Kim (-17)
- 2024
Winner: Nick Taylor (-21, playoff)
Runner-up: Charley Hoffman (-21)
- 2023
Winner: Scottie Scheffler (-19)
Runner-up: Nick Taylor (-17)
- 2022
Winner: Scottie Scheffler (-16, playoff)
Runner-up: Patrick Cantlay (-16)
- 2021
Winner: Brooks Koepka (-19)
Runners-up: KH Lee, Xander Schauffele (-18)
Belgium's Thomas Detry produced one of the most dominant performances in the tournament's history in 2025, firing 24-under-par to win a maiden PGA Tour title by seven strokes. However, having since joined LIV, he doesn't return to defend this week.
THE COURSE
TPC Scottsdale
- Original architect / Year opened: Tom Weiskopf & Jay Morrish / 1986
- Latest renovation: Weiskopf returned in 2014 to oversee renovations primarily focused on increasing the difficulty off the tee
- Par / Yardage: Par 71 / 7261 yards
- Hole breakdown:
- 4x par 3s (163-215 yards)
- 11x par 4s (332-490 yards)
- 3x par 5s (553-558 yards)
- Average winning score: -18.2 (last 10 editions)
- Course style: Exposed and flat desert stadium course that ramps up the excitement on the back nine
- Fairways:
- Bermudagrass fairways overseeded with ryegrass and fine fescue
- Smart strategic bunkering makes them tricky to hit (15th-lowest driving accuracy % on tour)
- Rough not too punishing, but nasty lies await in the sandy waste areas that line many holes
- Greens:
- Quick and large (7069 sq. ft.) bermudagrass greens overseeded with a poa trivialis/bentgrass/ryegrass mix
- Mostly elevated and abound with run-offs
- With many multi-tiered and some severe slopes, they can be difficult to two-putt
- Defences:
- Water – in play on six holes, all on the back nine
- Usually calm, but the open layout means wind can cause problems if it arrives
TPC Scottsdale is a slow-burner of a course, easing players in with a gentle front nine before it unleashes chaos on the back. Water and that amphitheatre at the 16th create an exciting, nerve-jangling finale that can make or break a player late on Sunday.
THE WEATHER
Warm (around 25°C) and bright conditions are expected throughout the week in Phoenix, and with only gentle winds forecast, it's shaping up to be another scoreable test.
KEY STATS
SG: Approach / Greens-in-Regulation (GIR) / Proximity from 150-200 yards
Finding the right spots on these greens is crucial to creating birdie chances at TPC Scottsdale, which places a clear emphasis on iron play – particularly the short-to-mid irons, with approaches between 150-200 yards common.
- 2025
- Thomas Detry (Winner): 1st in SG: Approach / 1st in GIR
- Michael Kim (2nd): 7th in SG: Approach / 4th in GIR
- Jordan Spieth (4th): 2nd in SG: Approach / 2nd in GIR
- 2024
- Nick Taylor (Winner): 9th in SG: Approach / 2nd in GIR
- Charley Hoffman (2nd): 2nd in SG: Approach / 2nd in GIR
- Scottie Scheffler (2nd): 1st in SG: Approach / 1st in GIR
- 2023
- Scottie Scheffler (Winner): 1st in SG: Approach / 3rd in GIR
- 2021
- Brooks Koepka (Winner): 2nd in SG: Approach / 1st in GIR
- H. Lee (2nd): 5th in GIR
- Jordan Spieth (4th): 1st in SG: Approach
- Steve Stricker (4th): 8th in SG: Approach / 6th in GIR
- 2020
- Webb Simpson (Winner): 1st in SG: Approach / 7th in GIR
- Tony Finau (2nd): 6th in SG: Approach / 9th in GIR
SG: Off-the-Tee (SG: OTT)
Whilst the driver doesn't carry as much weight as the irons, few players manage to contend without keeping the club in line.
- 2025
- Thomas Detry (Winner): 12th in SG: OTT
- Daniel Berger (2nd): 5th in SG: OTT
- 2024
- Sam Burns (3rd): 1st in SG: OTT
- Scottie Scheffler (3rd): 2nd in SG: OTT
- 2023
- Scottie Scheffler (Winner): 18th in SG: OTT
- Justin Thomas (4th): 2nd in SG: OTT
- Each of the top five ranked inside the top 25 in SG: OTT
- 2022
- Scottie Scheffler (Winner): 4th in SG: OTT
- Patrick Cantlay (2nd): 13th in SG: OTT
- Brooks Koepka (3rd): 7th in SG: OTT
- Xander Schauffele (3rd): 7th in SG: OTT
- 2021
- Brooks Koepka (Winner): 11th in SG: OTT
- Xander Schauffele (2nd): 2nd in SG: OTT
SG: Putting (bermudagrass with poa trivialis/mix overseed)
With another low-scoring edition on the cards, quality with the putter will also be vital.
- 2025
- Thomas Detry (Winner): 2nd in SG: Putting
- Christiaan Bezuidenhout (4th): 5th in SG: Putting
- 2024
- Nick Taylor (Winner): 1st in SG: Putting
- Charley Hoffman (2nd): 2nd in SG: Putting
- 2023
- Xander Schauffele (Winner): 13th in SG: Putting
- Nick Taylor (2nd): 4th in SG: Putting
- Jon Rahm (3rd): 7th in SG: Putting
- 2022
- Scottie Scheffler (Winner): 2nd in SG: Putting
- Patrick Cantlay (2nd): 6th in SG: Putting
- Brooks Koepka (3rd): 5th in SG: Putting
- Sahith Theegala (3rd): 7th in SG: Putting
- Six of the top seven ranked inside the top 10 in SG: Putting
- 2021
- Brooks Koepka (Winner): 18th in SG: Putting
- Xander Schauffele (2nd): 4th in SG: Putting
- Carlos Ortiz (4th): 2nd in SG: Putting
- 11 of the top 12 ranked inside the top 20 in SG: Putting
Birdie-or-Better %
Finally, this is a course that rewards aggressive play and in this week's optimum conditions, those strongest birdie-makers will be heavily favoured.
CORRELATING EVENTS (COURSES)
Houston Open (Memorial Park Golf Course)
Memorial Park is another flat, open course with large, elevated bermudagrass greens overseeded with poa trivialis. It ranks particularly close to TPC Scottsdale in tee-to-green difficulty and requires a high percentage of approaches from 150-200 yards.
Notable correlating form:
- Scottie Scheffler: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Houston (2nd, 2nd, 2nd)
- Hideki Matsuyama: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Houston (2nd)
- Thomas Detry: Phoenix (1st) / Houston (2nd)
- Gary Woodland: Phoenix (1st) / Houston (2nd)
- Tony Finau: Phoenix (2nd) / Houston (1st, 2nd)
- Sam Burns: Phoenix (3rd, 6th) / Houston (7th, 7th)
- Carlos Ortiz: Phoenix (4th) / Houston (1st)
- Alex Noren: Phoenix (6th) / Houston (4th)
Cognizant Classic (PGA National)
As a flat, exposed course with similar-sized bermudagrass greens, PGA National looks a strong comp for this week – especially since the course conditions were softened in 2024. It's with the irons that these two venues compare most closely, showing strikingly similar approach-range percentages, with the 150-200 yard range standing out.
Notable correlating form:
- Rickie Fowler: Phoenix (1st, 2nd, 2nd) / Cognizant (1st, 2nd)
- Mark Wilson: Phoenix (1st) / Cognizant (1st)
- Brooks Koepka: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Cognizant (2nd)
- Gary Woodland: Phoenix (1st) / Cognizant (2nd, 5th, 6th)
- Daniel Berger: Phoenix (2nd) / Cognizant (2nd, 4th, 4th)
- Ryan Palmer: Phoenix (2nd, 2nd) / Cognizant (2nd, 4th)
- H. Lee: Phoenix (2nd) / Cognizant (4th, 7th)
- Michael Kim: Phoenix (2nd) / Cognizant (6th)
- Justin Thomas: Phoenix (3rd, 3rd) / Cognizant (1st)
- Brendan Steele: Phoenix (3rd, 5th, 6th, 6th) / Cognizant (3rd, 4th)
- J. Spaun: Phoenix (4th) / Cognizant (2nd)
- Sungjae Im: Phoenix (6th, 7th) / Cognizant (1st)
- Alex Noren: Phoenix (6th) / Cognizant (3rd, 5th)
- Byeong Hun An: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Cognizant (4th, 5th)
- Billy Horschel: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Cognizant (4th, 8th, 9th)
- Kurt Kitayama: Phoenix (8th) / Cognizant (3rd)
Sony Open (Waialae Country Club)
Waialae Country Club is tighter and more tree-lined than TPC Scottsdale, but that hasn't stopped the two layouts from developing strong links. The demands off the tee align well, while Waialae also asks players to lean on short-iron play into large bermudagrass greens, with approaches from 150-175 yards by far the most common.
Notable correlating form:
- Hideki Matsuyama: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Sony (1st)
- Mark Wilson: Phoenix (1st) / Sony (1st)
- Nick Taylor: Phoenix (1st, 2nd) / Sony (1st)
- Webb Simpson: Phoenix (1st, 2nd) / Sony (3rd, 4th, 4th)
- Gary Woodland: Phoenix (1st) / Sony (3rd, 6th, 7th)
- Ryan Palmer: Phoenix (2nd, 2nd) / Sony (1st)
- Chez Reavie: Phoenix (2nd, 4th) / Sony (3rd)
- Justin Thomas: Phoenix (3rd, 3rd) / Sony (1st)
- Martin Laird: Phoenix (3rd, 5th) / Sony (1st, 1st)
- Brendan Steele: Phoenix (3rd, 5th, 6th, 6th) / Sony (2nd, 4th)
- Scott Piercy: Phoenix (3rd, 6th, 6th) / Sony (2nd)
- Harris English: Phoenix (3rd) / Sony (3rd, 4th)
- Matt Kuchar: Phoenix (4th, 5th) / Sony (1st, 3rd)
- J. Spaun: Phoenix (4th) / Sony (3rd)
- Byeong Hun An: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Sony (2nd)
Texas Open (TPC San Antonio)
TPC San Antonio's desert setting makes plenty of sense. Its fairways are tough to find, approaches from 175-200 yards into large, overseeded poa trivialis greens are significant in volume, and the course finishes with a similarly exciting risk/reward stretch.
Notable correlating form:
- Brooks Koepka: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Texas (2nd)
- Charley Hoffman: Phoenix (2nd, 2nd) / Texas (1st, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd)
- Tony Finau: Phoenix (2nd) / Texas (3rd)
- Ryan Palmer: Phoenix (2nd, 2nd) / Texas (4th, 6th, 6th)
- Brendan Steele: Phoenix (3rd, 5th, 6th, 6th) / Texas (1st, 4th)
- Martin Laird: Phoenix (3rd, 5th) / Texas (1st)
- Jordan Spieth: Phoenix (4th, 4th) / Texas (1st, 2nd)
- J. Spaun: Phoenix (4th) / Texas (1st)
- Matt Kuchar: Phoenix (4th, 5th) / Texas (2nd, 3rd, 4th)
- Chesson Hadley: Phoenix (5th) / Texas (4th)
- Billy Horschel: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Texas (3rd, 3rd, 4th)
- Maverick McNealy: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Texas (3rd)
- Byeong Hun An: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Texas (6th, 7th)
- Andrew Novak: Phoenix (8th) / Texas (3rd)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson (TPC Craig Ranch)
I'll finish with the CJ CUP Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch. This flat, reasonably open course is home to a low-scoring contest that mirrors TPC Scottsdale off the tee, more so after the fairways were tightened in 2025. Meanwhile, with approaches from 150-200 yards the most prevalent, the short-to-mid irons are key.
Notable correlating form:
- Scottie Scheffler: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Byron Nelson (1st)
- Hideki Matsuyama: Phoenix (1st, 1st) / Byron Nelson (3rd)
- H. Lee: Phoenix (2nd) / Byron Nelson (1st, 1st)
- Daniel Berger: Phoenix (2nd) / Byron Nelson (3rd)
- Ryan Palmer: Phoenix (2nd, 2nd) / Byron Nelson (5th, 8th)
- Sam Burns: Phoenix (3rd, 6th) / Byron Nelson (2nd, 5th)
- Jordan Spieth: Phoenix (4th, 4th) / Byron Nelson (2nd, 4th)
- Byeong Hun An: Phoenix (6th, 9th) / Byron Nelson (4th)
THE FIELD
Among those teeing it up this week are 13 of the world's top 25 and 32 of the top 50 players. Two-time Phoenix Open winner and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler leads the way, returning after his dominant victory at The AmEx two weeks ago.
Due to Thomas Detry's absence, the most recent champion in attendance is Nick Taylor (2024). The Canadian is one of seven former winners, joined by Scottie Scheffler (2023, 2022), Brooks Koepka (2021, 2015), Webb Simpson (2020), Rickie Fowler (2019), Gary Woodland (2018), and Hideki Matsuyama (2017, 2016).
Viktor Hovland and Ryan Fox each make their seasonal PGA Tour debuts, and nine of the 10 DP World Tour (DPWT) graduates will also be in action.
SELECTIONS
Market leaders (1/4 5 places): Scottie Scheffler 11/5, Xander Schauffele 20/1, Hideki Matsuyama 25/1, Sam Burns 25/1, Ben Griffin 25/1, Cameron Young 25/1
1.5 pts Harris English each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 33/1
Continuing his encouraging start to 2026 with a 22nd-place finish in defence of his Farmers Insurance Open title, I'm going back to the well on Harris English. He achieved that result despite his usually reliable putter failing to fire, instead relying on a top-class ball-striking display. If able to bounce back on the greens, he'll have every chance to contend around a layout at which he's picked up five top-20s during his career.
English enjoyed a successful 2025, following that win at Torrey Pines with standout runner-up finishes in The Open at Royal Portrush, and the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. He began this new season at The AmEx, firing four under-par rounds to finish 27th, and after starting slowly last week – opening with a one-over 73 – he rallied with rounds of 68-67-70 to hit the top 25 on Sunday.
The American's driving and short game looked sharp at The AmEx, but his approach play lagged behind. He significantly improved in this area at Torrey Pines, ranking 3rd in GIR and 6th in SG: Approach, though while he again drove it well, the putter went cold. However, this is the club with which he's consistently excelled throughout his career – including ranking 18th in 2025 – giving us every reason to expect a response in Phoenix.
English was 15th here on debut in 2012 and has teed it up a further 11 times, missing just four cuts. His best result came in 2016, finishing 3rd and possessing a strong record in the Sony Open – with 3rd and 4th-place finishes among four top-10s – his comp form stacks up.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
1 pt Nick Taylor each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
Finishing 2nd in 2023 before winning in 2024, Nick Taylor has become somewhat of a TPC Scottsdale specialist in recent years. His game has looked in fine shape at the start of 2026, and as a quality short-iron player, he’s attractively priced to become a two-time winner in Arizona.
Taylor won his third PGA Tour title in three years at the beginning of 2025 in the correlating Sony Open. He then went on to play to the highest standard of his career season-long, picking up a further 10 top-25s.
He put up a commendable defence of his Sony Open title three weeks ago, sitting at the top of the leaderboard after rounds one and two before slipping to 13th on Sunday. That was then followed by another eye-catching display in The AmEx, where he finished 27th.
Each part of his game appears to be in good shape at this early stage of the season – picking up where he left off in 2025 as the 32nd-ranked player in SG: Total. It’s in approach that he shone most, ranking 28th, and it’s particularly promising to see him ranked 32nd in that vital 150-175 yard range.
Taylor initially struggled to get to grips with TPC Scottsdale, recording just one top-50 finish in his first eight visits. He flipped that on its head in 2023 to finish 2nd to Scottie Scheffler and went one better the following year, beating Charley Hoffman in a playoff having tied the course record in round one with an 11-under 60.
With that win in Hawaii a little over 12 months ago another plus for the Canadian, I expect him to take this positive start to the season to a new level this week.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
1 pt Min Woo Lee each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
Min Woo Lee ended 2025 in decent form and there was enough in his reappearance at The AmEx to suggest he can build on it in the coming weeks. He improved significantly from his first to second appearances at TPC Scottsdale, and with two extremely handy pieces of comp form on offer, I fancy him to step it up again this time.
Min Woo broke through on the PGA Tour in Houston back in March 2025 but did little in the big events during the summer. A return to the DPWT brought about an upturn in form, finishing 5th in the Open de France and 11th in the BMW PGA Championship, and he then ended the season with three straight top-15s, including a 5th-place finish in the Australian PGA Championship.
The Aussie started 2026 with a bang, shooting a 10-under 62 to hold a share of the first-round lead at The AmEx. He didn’t maintain that position, dropping to 38th by the end of the event, though he did hit the ball well at the Stadium Course.
His driving regressed in 2025, but there were signs that he’d rediscovered his touch with the club at the end of the year, something he again showed two weeks ago. It was encouraging to see the irons fire there – usually his main weakness – and with the rust shaken off his short game, he looks primed to challenge.
Lee was 71st on his Phoenix Open debut in 2024 but upgraded his performance considerably last year, finishing 12th. That win in Houston bodes well and having also finished 2nd in the Cognizant Classic in 2024, there are several reasons to be optimistic about his chances.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
1 pt Sepp Straka each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 60/1
Sepp Straka ended 2025 with a 3rd-place finish in the Hero World Challenge, and there were positives to be found on his reappearance at The AmEx despite missing the cut. He secured the highest finish of his career at TPC Scottsdale last year, and as an excellent iron player, he looks value to take another step forward.
Straka was one of the form players on tour in the first half of last year, winning The AmEx in January and the Truist Championship in May. Appearances were limited at the end of the campaign for family reasons, though he did return to record that 3rd-place finish in The Bahamas.
The Austrian missed the cut on his seasonal debut at The AmEx, and for the first two rounds he did little right. That said, he concluded the event with a four-under 68 at the more difficult Stadium Course, showing quality right through the bag.
He was strong with the driver and putter in 2025 – ranking inside the top 50 in both – but it’s in approach that he excelled, ranking 7th. His wedge game is particularly formidable, though he does perform well above average in most ranges, which includes top-40 rankings from 150-175 and 175-200 yards.
Straka missed his first two cuts in the Phoenix Open and only finished down in 66th when making the weekend in 2022. However, his 15th-place finish last year was a massive jump, and as a former winner of the Cognizant Classic who has finished 5th in Houston, I’m sure he’s capable of even better.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
1 pt Matt McCarty each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 66/1
As a Scottsdale native, Matt McCarty is as familiar with TPC Scottsdale as anyone. This didn’t translate to success on his Phoenix Open debut last year as he missed the cut, but he arrives in much better form this time around, and he can make that count in front of this raucous crowd.
McCarty impressed massively in his rookie season after an initially slow start. He picked up 11 top-25s in his last 20 appearances and made the top-10 on three occasions, finishing 3rd in the Bank of Utah Championship, 4th in the Canadian Open, and 8th in the Wyndham Championship.
A trip Down Under in his final event of the year brought about an 8th-place finish in the Aussie Open and he has maintained that level at the beginning of 2026. He followed an unspectacular 55th in the Sony Open with a distant runner-up finish to Scottie Scheffler in The AmEx when backed at 100/1, and he then finished 18th at Torrey Pines, shooting four under-par rounds.
The putter did a lot of the hard work in 2025, ranking 17th. He’s also a solid, accuracy-dependent driver, and having produced noteworthy numbers with his short-to-mid irons, ranking 26th from 175-200 yards and 62nd from 150-175, his game is a sound match for this test.
With each of these areas flourishing in the early weeks of the new season, McCarty looks well placed to put right the wrongs of his 2025 effort at the Phoenix Open.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
1 pt Jacob Bridgeman each-way (1/5 - 8 places) @ 90/1
Last up is third-year PGA Tour pro Jacob Bridgeman. He’s made major progress during his first two seasons on tour and with his start to 2026 signalling that he’s ready to advance another level, I was keen to have him on side.
Bridgeman claimed nine top-25 finishes in 2025 – one less than 2024 – but the nature of his performances far surpassed anything he did the previous year. He hit the top-five on four occasions, following a runner-up finish in the Cognizant Classic with a 3rd in the Valspar Championship, 4th in the Truist Championship, and 5th in the John Deere Classic.
He got better with each round at the Sony Open three weeks ago, shooting rounds of 69-68-67-64 to finish 4th. Backing that up with a 13th-place finish at The AmEx, he’s made a compelling start to the new year.
His short game did all of the heavy lifting in 2025, ranking 21st in SG: Putting and 30th in scrambling while sitting outside the top 120 in SG: OTT and SG: Approach. He’s found something in the off-season with his long game, ranking inside the top 25 with his irons on each start in 2026, and he was 10th with the driver over his two rounds at the Stadium Course in the AmEx.
That is in-keeping with his appealing, trending profile, and if able to lean on those top-five finishes at the Cognizant Classic and Sony Open over the last 12 months, Bridgeman can dramatically improve on his missed cut at TPC Scottsdale in 2025.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
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