A Homecoming for the World No. 1
Four years ago, Scottie Scheffler stood on the 18th green at TPC Scottsdale as a PGA Tour winner for the first time in his career. He’d just defeated Patrick Cantlay in a playoff at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, and everything changed from that moment forward.
Now he returns to the Stadium Course with 19 more victories under his belt, a lifetime Tour exemption and over $100 million in career earnings. The kid who broke through in the Arizona desert has become the most dominant force in professional golf.
Scheffler won The American Express two weeks ago for his 20th career title, making him just the 40th player in Tour history to reach that milestone. What’s remarkable is how quickly he got there. Those 20 wins came in just 151 starts, the second-fastest pace in history behind only Tiger Woods, who needed 95 starts.
He certainly belongs at TPC Scottsdale. Scheffler won again in 2023, making him a two-time champion at an event that has only seen four players win three times: Mark Calcavecchia, Gene Littler, Phil Mickelson and Arnold Palmer. That’s pretty good company.
The Streak Continues
If there’s one thing Scheffler does better than anyone, it’s showing up ready to play. He arrives in Phoenix having made 65 consecutive cuts, the longest active streak on Tour. His last missed cut came at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, which feels like a lifetime ago given everything he’s accomplished since.
Last season was particularly absurd. Scheffler finished inside the top 25 in all 20 starts, with 17 top-10 finishes including 15 straight. He led the Tour in scoring average for all four rounds, becoming the first player since Woods in 2000 to accomplish that feat.
A win this week would give him three consecutive victories for the first time in his career. The last player to win three straight Tour events was Dustin Johnson in 2017.
Koepka’s Comfortable Return
Brooks Koepka knows his way around TPC Scottsdale too. The five-time major champion won here in 2015 for his first Tour title, then added another Phoenix trophy in 2021. He’s made the cut in all five appearances, with three top-10 finishes.
This week marks Koepka’s second start since returning to the Tour through the Returning Member Program. He finished T56 at the Farmers Insurance Open last week, shaking off some rust in his first competitive round back. The Stadium Course should provide a friendlier environment.
The Aon Swing 5 Battle Heats Up
While Scheffler and Koepka grab headlines, there’s a fascinating race happening for spots in the next two Signature Events. The Aon Swing 5 awards the top five points earners from the Sony Open, The American Express, Farmers Insurance Open and this week’s WM Phoenix Open with entries into Pebble Beach and Riviera.
Pierceson Coody leads the way with 306.5 points after a T2 finish at Torrey Pines. Matt McCarty, Patrick Rodgers and Ryo Hisatsune have also played their way above the cut line. Andrew Putnam holds the fifth and final spot, but Sahith Theegala is breathing down his neck after back-to-back top-10 finishes.
Theegala, playing on a sponsor exemption this week, has looked rejuvenated after a disappointing 2025 season that saw him tumble from third in the 2024 FedExCup to 146th last year. A strong week in the desert could punch his ticket to Pebble and get his season fully back on track.
The People’s Open
The weather forecast calls for sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80s all week. The famous 16th hole will be packed with fans ready to make noise. And Sunday’s early finish will give everyone time to settle in for the Super Bowl.
It’s golf’s greatest party, and Scheffler is ready to crash it again.