Waste Management Phoenix Open First-Round Leader Tips: Fowler to get off to a flyer

Each-way terms: 1/5 odds, 6 places

Weather forecast for Thursday: As is often the case in the desert, mornings can be chilly and the temperature gauge is only showing 12 degrees at 8am. It's virtually double that by early afternoon. That suggests the p.m. wave should be favoured but historically there's no advantage. Over the last eight years, we've seen a total of eight players from each wave earn a share of the first-round lead.

Keep faith with Fowler

Rickie Fowler still seems to be searching for his best game after starting the season with a pair of missed cuts.

But in the first of those at Torrey Pines he was fifth after 18 holes, albeit on the easier North Course.

That was the third time in the last five tournaments he'd opened with a 66 and just eight starts ago he was the first-round leader in the 3M Open.

As for this event, it's one he loves. Fowler won it in 2019 and also has two second places and a fourth.

Looking through his day one placings at TPC Scottsdale, the Californian had a piece of the lead in both 2016 and 2019 while there are two further times he's ended Thursday in the top three.

Put it all together and he looks worthy of a punt at 66/1 for FRL. Fowler starts his bid at 12.24 local.

Henley to carry early hopes

Russell Henley has been king of the fast starters in recent times.

In two of his last three openers he shot brilliant rounds of 62 at the RSM Classic and Sony Open while before that he'd shot 65 on day one in Houston and Mayakoba.

He was also the pacesetter in last June's US Open and August's Wyndham Championship (another 62!) so he's been first-round leader in three of his last 14 starts.

Henley hasn't set the world on fire in this event but he has two top 16s and a 30th in his last five visits which isn't bad.

Last year he posted a Saturday 65 so that gives us some added optimism that he can get off to another quick one.

Henley, a 55/1 shot, heads out at 08.54 so hopefully the early-morning chill is starting to ease by then.

Aaron a Wise move

Finally, I'll end with a play on 95/1 shot Aaron Wise.

The 25-year-old hands in plenty of birdie-laden scorecards and at Mayakoba three starts ago he was second after day one thanks to a 63.

Prior to that he'd opened with a 66 at the CJ Cup and on his first and only appearance in the current campaign he was ninth after 18 holes at Torrey Pines.

The fly in the ointment looks to be his course form as he's played here just twice, missing the cut in 2020 and settling for tied 66th last year.

But 12 months ago he fired a second-round 65 so Wise can score here.

Back him for another low one from his 12.02 start.