Waste Management Phoenix Open Tips and Preview

Gary Emmerson:

We landed a $51 winner last week when Marc Leishman recorded a one-shot victory over Jon Rahm in the Farmers Insurance Open and we go in search of more big returns with a couple of selections for the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.

The first of this week’s selections is a player who has made a solid start to 2020. Brandt Snedeker followed up a 12th placed finish in his debut for the year in the Sony Open in Hawaii by finishing tied third in last week’s Farmers Insurance Open.

Throw in the fact Snedeker is comfortable at TPC Scottsdale, where he was runner-up to Phil Mickelson in 2013 and earned another top-10 two years later, and he look a real each-way prospect this week. At $36, he can give us a good run for our money.


Unlike Snedeker, Byeong-Hun An has had a slow start to his season. He missed the cut at The American Express and followed that with a distant 68th in last week’s Farmers Insurance Open, 16 shots off the pace.

On that form there is no reason to be backing the South Korean, but I’m banking on a return to Scottsdale sparking his season to life. He’s finished 20th, 23rd and 6th over the last three years in the event with piecing together a perfect week.

It was only a last round 76 that derailed his challenge last year after rounds of 66, 68 and 66, while his 23rd in 2018 stalled after a third round 72 which was accompanied by a 68, 67 and 68. When Ben An was sixth three years ago, again it was a final round disappointed as a 73 undid the hard work from the opening three rounds of 66, 66 and 65.

If Ben An can put together the kind of complete week he has shown is possible, then the $67 on offer for him is way too big.