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The PGA Tour will now head to Arizona for the WM Phoenix Open, which will take place from February 9 to February 12 at TPC Scottsdale. Having been one of the 17 designated events of the Tour, we can expect it to be star-studded. Eight of the top 10 players will be featured in the event.
This will be the 88th edition of the "People's Open", which will be hosted by TPC Scottsdale for the 36th time. Prior to 1987, the event was held at the Phoenix Country Club.
Purse size
The PGA Tour has introduced some vital changes to compete against rival LIV, which has been backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. These changes are brought in to attract more fans and keep golf professionals financially satisfied.
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One such change is the elevated purse size of the designated events. There will be 17 designated events with a purse size of more than $15 million. The Waste Management Phoenix Open is also one of the four designated events with a purse size of $20 million. Last year the winner's share was $1,460,000 which has more than doubled to $3,600,000 for 2023.
The field at WM Phoenix Open
The playing field at the WM Phoenix Open will have 136 players competing for the title. Officials at TPC Scottsdale have decided not to give any amateur exemption this year. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy will return to the PGA Tour after last playing on Tour at the CJ Cup, which he eventually won. Last week, he won the DP World Tour's Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
World No. 3 Jon Rahm will be eyeing the No. 1 position as he has already won two titles this year and four of the last six starts. World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler will also look to defend his title at TPC Scottsdale.
Will Zalatoris and Adam Scott are two top PGA Tour players who will be missing out on the WM Phoenix Open as they have opted out of the event using their right to miss one of the 17 designated events on the Tour. They will play next week at the Genesis Invitational.
World No. 4 Cameron Smith is the other top 10 player missing from the Phoenix Open, but the reason for his unavailability is his association with the Saudi-backed circuit. Not just Smith, but the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, and Pat Perez will also be absent at TPC Scottsdale.
Five pros have received sponsor invitations this week: Charley Hoffman, Taylor Montgomery, Davis Thompson, Ricky Barnes, and two-time tournament winner J.B. Holmes.
Where will the event be telecast?
The first two rounds of the event will air on the Golf Channel. The next two rounds will start on the Golf Channel and then switch to CBS.
The tournament will likely end at 6 pm Eastern Time on Sunday, 20 minutes before Super Bowl LVII begins in Glendale, Arizona, located just 30 miles from Scottsdale.
