WM Phoenix Open First-Round Leader Tips: Picks from 66/1 to 90/1

• 66/167.00 Rickie Fowler has twice been a FRL at TPC Scottsdale

• 70/171.00 Andrew Novak is in great form and shot a R1 65 here in 2024

• 90/191.00 Jake Knapp is a local and opened with 65 last week

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Weather forecast for Thursday

It's fairly typical weather for these parts on day one - a little cool to start with (60 degrees) before the sunshine really kicks in after lunch (80 degrees).

From an afternoon start, Nick Taylor won this market by an amazing five shots last year, shooting a joint course record 60.

But, overall, there's been a real mix of morning and afternoon starters leading or filling the each-way slots (five) in this market down the years.

Gentle and consistent winds (5-7mph throughout the day) suggest our search can be spread across all tee-times.

Rickie Fowler @ 66/167.00

Rickie Fowler has plenty of history in this event.

He came so close to winning it several times and then finally did get over the line in 2019 despite a triple bogey during his final round.

More importantly for this market, he's also produced a series of fast starts at TPC Scottsdale.

He's twice been the first-round leader while the Californian has also ended day one in second and third.

Fowler hasn't produced his best stuff here in recent years although he did squeeze in another 10th place in 2023 when middle rounds of 66-67 put him sixth with a round to go. He even had a hole-in-one at the seventh in round four.

More recently, there have been plenty of flickers of good play.

He's shot in the 60s in each of his last five PGA Tour openers and at The American Express two starts ago he threw in a Friday 62.

Back Fowler, an afternoon starter (12.55 from the 1st), at 66s.

Andrew Novak @ 70/171.00

Starting at 10, Andrew Novak shot a 65 from an afternoon tee-time here last year to end the first lap of TPC Scottsdale in a tie for second. He was third with a round to go before finishing eighth.

He faces the same scenario this week having been allocated a 12.22 slot from the 10th tee for his Thursday opener.

But he pegs it up this week in far more confident mood.

Twelve months ago, Novak headed to Arizona on the back of three missed cuts. This time he's coming off an excellent title-contending third at Torry Pines backed up by 13th at Pebble.

Okay, he didn't make fast starts in either but you only have to rewind a few tournaments to see him shooting 63 on day one of the RSM Classic to sit third and firing a 67 to lie sixth after 18 holes of the Bermuda Championship.

On current form, he's worth a FRL punt at 70s.

Jake Knapp @ 90/191.00

Jake Knapp is the localest of local residents. He literally lives across the street by the Champions Course.

"Being able to practice here and to play this course a bunch in the last three months has been really nice," he said of his tournament debut last year.

It went well. Knapp opened with a 68 to sit 14th and ended his week in 28th spot. Two weeks later he won in Mexico so this is a good time of year for him.

As for FRL form, the big hitter won the Grant Thornton pairs event with Patty Tavatanakit in December after the duo opened with a 58 to lead after round one.

And last week he hit the ground running with a 65 at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am to finish day one in second spot.

Hopefully that combination of quick starts and local knowledge can thrust him up the first-round leaderboard on Thursday.

He's my morning starter at 08.26 from the 10th.

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