FROM WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN BLOG
“We take tremendous pride in the strength of our field each year, and we expect that to be true again for 2020,” Tournament Chairman Tim Woods said. “As the field starts to take shape, we’re thrilled the early commitments include some of the most talented and popular players on TOUR including one of the top-ranked golfers in the world who was just named the European Tour Golfer of the Year. The 2020 field now has five former WM Phoenix Open champions including Rickie Fowler (2019), Woodland (2018), Matsuyama (2016, 2017), Hunter Mahan (2010), and J.B. Holmes (2006, 2008).
Rickie Fowler
A perennial fan favorite, Rickie Fowler will return to TPC Scottsdale to defend his title in 2020. Fowler has played extremely well at The People’s Open throughout his career carding runner-up finishes in 2010 and 2016 before finally sealing the deal in 2019 despite a roller coaster final round in the rain. His 2019 campaign that included his WM Phoenix victory included 6 Top-10 and 11 Top-25 finishes on his way to a ranking of 19th in the final Fed Ex Cup standings. Fowler has five career PGA TOUR wins under his belt and is currently ranked 22 in the Official World Golf Rankings.
“Of course, we’re absolutely thrilled to have our defending champion in the 2020 field, he’s a great champion and friend of our tournament,” Woods said. “Rickie is one of the most popular players in the world, and has become a definite fan favorite here in Scottsdale so we are excited to have him back at The People’s Open.”
Jon Rahm
Rahm is coming off a stellar 2019 PGA TOUR season where he carded 12 Top-10 finishes in 20 appearances, missing the cut only twice, and winning the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas for his third PGA TOUR victory. He also earned three victories in 2019 on the European Tour, helping him win the Race to Dubai trophy and earn European Tour Golfer of the Year honors. Rahm will be making his fifth WM Phoenix Open appearance and has played well at TPC Scottsdale, finishing in the Top-16 in his four starts, including a T5 in 2015 (as an amateur) and T10 last year.
“Jon is a tremendously gifted player and really seems to step it up when he comes to Scottsdale,” Woods said. “We always love welcoming him back, as do all of the fans, especially those loyal ASU fans and alums who we know will be rooting him on.”
Gary Woodland
Woodland will return to TPC Scottsdale in 2020 after a career changing victory at the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Outside of his first career Major victory, Woodland had a solid 2019 campaign, finishing 2nd at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, T3 at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges and four additional Top-10 finishes. Woodland is currently ranked No. 18 in the OWGR.
“Gary is an excellent ambassador for our tournament and a great former champion,” said Woods. “We’re thrilled for him following his U.S. Open victory and we can’t wait to see him back in action at the 2020 WM Phoenix Open.”
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele is currently ranked ninth in the Official World Golf Rankings. He’s coming off an outstanding 2019 campaign where he recorded two wins (WGC-HSBC Championship, Sentry Tournament of Champions) and two Top-5 finishes in Majors (Masters, T2 and U.S. Open, T3) on his way to a runner-up finish in the 2019 Fed Ex Cup standings. The 26-year-old already has four PGA TOUR victories under his belt since turning pro in 2015, and has finished T10 and T17 in his two appearances at the WM Phoenix Open.
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama is a two-time WM Phoenix Open champ (2016, 2017) and has had incredible success in his six appearances in Scottsdale, notching four Top-5s and five Top-15 finishes in six starts (he withdrew due to injury in 2018). In 2019 Matsuyama finished ninth in the final Fed Ex Cup standings, earning seven Top-10s, two third-place finishes and missed only two cuts in 24 starts. The five-time PGA TOUR winner currently ranks 21 in the OWGR.
Bubba Watson
Watson is no stranger to the WM Phoenix Open and will be making his 14th consecutive appearance in Scottsdale, where he has finished in the Top-5 four times, including three in the last six years and runner-up finishes in 2014 and 2015. The two-time Masters winner has 12-career PGA TOUR wins and currently ranks 45th in the OWGR.
Additionally, Waste Management ambassador Charley Hoffman has committed, along with Scottsdale resident Chez Reavie, who currently ranks 37th in the OWGR and has finished in the Top-5 the last two years at TPC Scottsdale (runner-up in 2018).
A field of 132 players will vie for the $7.3 million purse, the $1,314,000 first-place check and 500 FedExCup points. PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24, to commit to play in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Eligible players are assigned one of 34 PGA TOUR priority ranking categories based on their past performance on TOUR. The field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the Open.
The 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open will be held at TPC Scottsdale January 27 – February 2, 2020. “The People’s Open” was recently named the Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR for 2019, an honor that has been awarded four times in the last six years (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019) to help the tournament gain legendary status for being one the most unique events in golf. The 2020 edition will mark the 85th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 11th as the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 280 “life” members. The Thunderbirds raised a record $13.2 million for charity from proceeds from the 2019 WM Phoenix Open and have eclipsed $147 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932. For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com
