MANILA, Philippines – World No. 1 male golfer Rory McIlroy is coming off fresh from his triumph in the Dubai Desert Classic and roars into the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona, from February 9-12 as a favorite to win it all.
Spanish Jon Rahm, a Scottsdale resident, would love nothing more than to pip this Northern Irish rival and declare victory in his own backyard.
Rahm is also coming in hot as he is two-for-two this 2023. He won both the Sentry Tournament of Champions and The American Express.
While both are favorites, it is by far the toughest field for the WM Phoenix Open ever. Twenty-two of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are competing in this tournament — one that McIlroy normally doesn’t play in.
One golfer who will make sure that the tournament isn’t a two-man game is defending champion Scottie Scheffler, whose sterling 2022 run began in this event. Scheffler won four tournaments and was elevated to world No. 1 status.
Max Homa, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa, Viktor Hovland, Tom Kim, Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, and many of the game's best will compete in this star-studded cast.
The WM Phoenix Open, held at the TOC Scottsdale Stadium Course, is the first event of a new era on the PGA Tour’s new playing schedule with a purse of $20 million.
The WM Phoenix Open will be televised live in the Philippines on the Premier Sports Channel on Skycable and Cignal as well as on the TapGo TV streaming application.
Day 1 will be televised Friday, February 10, at 4:30 a.m. Day 2 will also be shown at the same time slot on the next morning, February 11, with Day 3 at an earlier schedule at 2 a.m. on Sunday, February 12.
Day 4, the event’s last, is scheduled for Monday, February 13, also at 2 a.m.