WM Phoenix Open Betting Picks. US Tour Golf

0 0 GolfCentralDaily February 24, 2010 Edit this post

There’s a new sponsor this week in the form of “waste management” who have taken over from FBR. It’s anything but waste in Arizona however,...

There’s a new sponsor this week in the form of “waste management” who have taken over from FBR. It’s anything but waste in Arizona however, with a top class field assembling at the start line. We are coming off two straight winners and (touch wood) we’re hopeful of the three-peat.

Phil Mickelson 8/1

It says a lot about how comfortable a man is in his own skin, that he is relaxed about taking a week off to spend holidaying with his wife and family while his peers are battling it out in a WGC event down the road for huge money. Big Phil is back this week for his fourth start of the year, having tied 8th on his last start at Pebble Beach. Arizona is where Phil went to college, setting all kinds of NCAA records over four years. He’s won in Phoenix in 1996 and again in 2005 and came second in 2008, losing a playoff to JB Holmes. If 2010 is to be the biggest year of Phil’s career, he needs to get hot in the desert this week.

JB Holmes 20/1

It’s a case of blunt force trauma with JB around and he has hit a real purple patch recently. He tied third at the Northern Trust Open and followed it up with a tied second at the AT&T and if he can continue his form this week he will be hard to stop. Holmes bullied the course into submission here in 2006, winning by seven shots and repeated the feat in 2008, beating Phil at the death. For once he will not be the longest hitter in the field, that honour goes to Alvaro Quiros. Hard to see past JB this week, a win or another podium finish is on the cards.

Kevin Na 33/1

Na Na Na Na hey hey hey Goodbye! No not JayZ, that’s what Rory McIlroy sung to Kevin Na when he beat him in the WGC Accenture last week. Na may have lost but he showed some good form in that match which he can bring into this week. The Americanized South Korean has a second, third and fourth place finish already in the Phoenix Open in 2005, 2009 and 2008 respectively and I think he could do well again this week from 33/1.

Pic: Na with a textbook follow through.

Sleeper Pick: Matt Kuchar 40/1

Since the European Tour is off this week, I’m allowing myself a fourth pick. I really couldnt pick between Kevin Na and Matt Kucher. Kuchar’s a sleeper, has been for years, but seems to be starting to wake up. Tied sixth last year and has a couple of good finishes already under his belt at the Bob Hope (2nd) and the SBS (3rd). Did he used to go out with Demi Moore and do Punk’d? Or was that his brother Ashton?

Pic: Kuchar displaying onset on male pattern baldness type 13

Past Winners

Winners

Year	Player	Country	Score	To par	1st Prize ($)	Purse ($)
Waste Management Phoenix Open
2010					1,080,000	6,000,000
FBR Open
2009	Kenny Perry	United States	270	-14	1,080,000	6,000,000
2008	J. B. Holmes	United States	270	-14	1,080,000	6,000,000
2007	Aaron Baddeley	Australia	263	-21	1,080,000	6,000,000
2006	J. B. Holmes	United States	263	-21	936,000	5,200,000
2005	Phil Mickelson	United States	267	-17	936,000	5,200,000
2004	Jonathan Kaye	United States	266	-18	936,000	5,200,000
Phoenix Open
2003	Vijay Singh	Fiji	261	-23	720,000	4,000,000
2002	Chris DiMarco	United States	267	-17	720,000	4,000,000
2001	Mark Calcavecchia	United States	256	-28	720,000	4,000,000
2000	Tom Lehman	United States	270	-14	576,000	3,200,000