Phoenix Open: Four-Way Tie Sets Up Sunday War
Matsuyama, McNealy, Hisatsune, Højgaard, and Si Woo Kim are all knotted at -12 heading into the final round at TPC Scottsdale. Scheffler lurks five back. Sunday is going to be chaos.
By Sharp Money Mike
The leaderboard at TPC Scottsdale looks like a damn traffic jam. Five players are tied at -12 heading into Sunday's final round of the WM Phoenix Open, and another cluster sits one shot back. This thing is going to be an absolute brawl, and if you've got futures tickets on anyone in the top 15, you're still alive and sweating.
The Quick Hit
- What happened: Five-way tie at -12 after Round 3: Matsuyama, McNealy, Hisatsune, Nicolai Højgaard, Si Woo Kim
- The damage: Hovland, McNealy, Thorbjornsen, and Højgaard all fired 65s Saturday—low round of the day
- Why you should care: Scheffler is lurking at T16 (-8) after a 67, five shots back with nothing to lose
- The move: This leaderboard is too crowded to pick one winner. Sunday is a volatility play.
Saturday's Movers
The Saturday 65 club was stacked. Viktor Hovland, Maverick McNealy, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Nicolai Højgaard all went low to crash the party at the top. McNealy went from afterthought to co-leader in six hours. Højgaard birdied four of his last six holes to post a number that nobody expected.
Hideki Matsuyama, who caught fire with six straight birdies in Round 2, played solid if unspectacular golf Saturday, posting a 68 to stay in the share of the lead. He doesn't need to be brilliant tomorrow—he just needs to avoid a blowup on the par-3 16th while 20,000 hammered fans scream at him.
Ryo Hisatsune is the name most American bettors won't know. The 23-year-old Japanese player won the DP World Tour's Individual event at the Olympics qualifier last year and has been quietly impressive all week. He's a live long shot for anyone who got him at big numbers before the tournament.
The 16th Hole Factor
You cannot talk about Sunday at TPC Scottsdale without talking about the 16th. The par-3 stadium hole will be operating at maximum chaos tomorrow. Beer-soaked fans lose their minds for birdies and absolutely bury anyone who misses the green. The noise is genuinely disorienting for players who haven't experienced it.
Matsuyama thrives in these environments. McNealy grew up on PGA Tour courses as the son of a tech billionaire and won't be rattled. But some of the international players in this logjam—Hisatsune, Højgaard—could get rattled by the circus. That hole is a genuine separator, and it's going to matter tomorrow.
Where's Scheffler?
Scottie Scheffler, who opened as the +220 pre-tournament favorite, is five shots back at -8 after posting rounds of 73-66-67. That opening-round 73 killed him, and he's been clawing back ever since.
Five shots is a lot to make up in one round, but this is Scheffler we're talking about. He shot 62 here last year. If he goes deep into the 60s and the leaders stumble—which is entirely possible on a Sunday with this much pressure—he could backdoor his way into a playoff. Some books still have him at reasonable odds, and in a field this bunched, the best ball-striker on the planet isn't dead yet.
The Betting Angles
Matt Fitzpatrick, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Jake Knapp are all at -11, one shot back. That group is dangerous because they can fire aggressively without the pressure of being in the final pairing.
The outright winner market is going to have compressed odds across eight or nine players. If you're looking for value, top-5 and top-10 finishes might be smarter plays. Anyone at -10 or better has a realistic shot at a top-5 finish if they shoot 67 or better.
Head-to-head matchups are where the real money is on a Sunday like this. Find players in different groups at the same score line, and bet the one with the easier pin positions and the later tee time. Later groups get to see the leaderboard shake out and play accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Five players tied at the top, three more one back, and Scheffler lurking like a final boss five shots behind. Tomorrow's final round at TPC Scottsdale is going to be pure chaos, and the 16th hole alone could decide this tournament. Grab a beer, open five tabs on your phone, and sweat it out. This is going to be one of the wildest Sundays on the PGA Tour this year, and we're here for every second of it.