There may only be 5,000 spectators allowed per day but ‘The People’s Open’ will go ahead with big names ready to tee off for the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Arizona.
It’s the most entertaining tournament on the PGA circuit with ‘The Party Hole’ always garnering a huge amount of attention with its grandstand and buzzing atmosphere.
Current PGA second-ranked golfer Jon Rahm heads the market as the $7 favourite to win the tournament with Justin Thomas and Rory McIlory hot on his tail.
BetDeluxe has nailed the 2021 edition of the Phoenix Open down to three main golfers.
john rahm
spain
With PGA world number one Dustin Johnson heading over to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi International, world number two Jon Rahm is the popular pick to bring home the 2021 Phoenix Open crown.
Rahm is yet to win at TPC Scottsdale in his career but his record here is not one to be scoffed at.
The Spaniard has managed a top ten finish in three of his five career Phoenix Open matches with his lowest ever place being tied for 16th.
He comes into this tournament having finished tied for seventh following an eight under par score at Torrey Pines in the Farmers Insurance Open.
Rahm has been incredibly consistent in his most recent events.
His last four tournaments boast top ten finishes and he has only missed a top 20 finish once in his last 10 outings on the tour.
He’s going to be on the leaderboard throughout this tournament so we’ll definitely get a run for our money.
If he is ever going to notch up a maiden win in this event, now is the perfect time to do it without Johnson and the in-form Patrick Reed.
SUNGJAE IM
south korea
Dubbed ‘The Ironman’ of the PGA Tour, Sungjae Im comes up a $12 elect and is definitely capable of winning this tournament.
He is coming into this with a T-32 finish at the Farmers Open at Torrey Pines where nothing went right for him on the fourth and final day.
The vast expanses of Scottsdale TPC are less punishing on a poor shot than that of the Torrey Pines course which should allow the 22-year-old up and comer a bit of leeway should he stray wide.
Despite that caveat on his game, Im is a lovely striker of the ball as was evident in his brilliant T-7 finish in first attempt at Scottsdale in 2019.
On that occasion he hit an 11 under par score.
He was six shots off the winner Rickie Fowler that day but being a rookie at that point of his career, it highlighted the talent of Im and we’re set to see it from him throughout his career.
Expecting the young Korean to make the cut and give us a sight at double figure odds.
RORY MCILORY
northern ireland
He’s a class golfer.
This, amazingly, is his first ever time teeing off in the Phoenix Open and despite his recent run of outs on the PGA tournament, extending to 21 events without a win, there is one certain aspect of his game that can break that drought: his ability to belt a straight, long drive off the tee.
That type of game should bode well for the Scottsdale course.
He finished a disappointing T-16 with six under at the Farmers Insurance Open when he was in a formidable position towards the top of the leaderboard early in the tournament before ultimately faded away.
A change of scenery with the sun out, cool conditions and minimal wind to aid the big hitting drivers of this tournament such as McIlroy will have him confident of getting a win for the first time since 2019.
The market is paying him huge respect, sending him out at $10 third-elect and as such he is a big winning hope here.
