PGA Tour Brunch WM Phoenix Open R-2
@PGATourBrunch Looks at the Second Round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona
Tournament Notebook:
In first start since a missed cut at The American Express, Mark Hubbard birdied five of his last six holes to open with career low 8-under (63). He’s the co-leader along with Matthew NeSmith who is enjoying his first start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. NeSmith made four birdies and an eagle on his opening nine (No. 10-18) to tie his career-low 8-under (63) (R2/2020 The RSM Classic).
A surprise on the leaderboard that surely isn’t a total shocker to @WMPhoenixOpen aficionados, 2005 University of Arizona grad and Scottsdale resident Nate Lashley opened with a bogey-free 7-under (64) a year after finishing T-3 at the tournament.
With a 6-under (65), 53-year-old Steve Stricker became the second player in tournament history over 50 to break (66).
World No. 2 and Arizona State grad Jon Rahm posted a 3-under (68) during his sixth start in the event. Rahm has never finished lower than T-16 at Phoenix Open.
Despite his terrible double-bogey, bogey start, Rory McIlroy posted a 1-under (70) in his Waste Management Phoenix Open debut. Prior analytics showed the TPC Scottsdale course as a perfect fit for McIlroy’s game. We’ll see.
Editor’s Note: We’ll target 9:00am (ET) Saturday for next post.
Waste Management Phoenix Open First Round Leaderboard
T-1 Matthew NeSmith 63 (-8)
T-1 Mark Hubbard 63 (-8)
T-3 Nate Lashley 64 (-7)
T-3 Sam Burns 64 (-7)
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THE BASICS:
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedEXCup @WMPhoenixOpen #ThePeoplesOpen
TV COVERAGE: Friday, February 5: 3:00pm to 7:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel. Saturday, February 6: 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00pm to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC. Sunday, February 7: 1:00pm to 3:00pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 3:00pm to 6:30pm (ET) on NBC.
STREAMING: Peacock will offer its first broadcasts of NBC Sports Edge Betcast this weekend. Friday: 3:45pm to 6:15pm (ET); Saturday and Sunday: 2:00pm to 4:30pm (ET); PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups on Friday from 9:15am to 7:00pm (ET) and 11:00am to 3:00pm (ET on Saturday and Sunday. Featured Holes will be streamed Saturday and Sunday only from 3:00pm to 6:00pm (ET). Got it all?
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Friday, February 5 - 1:00pm to 7:00pm (ET); Saturday, February 6 and Sunday, February 7: 1:00pm to 6:00pm (ET) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio (PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com).
PGA TOUR TOURNAMENT SITE (link)
What They’re Saying:
NeSmith, Hubbard Share Lead at Phoenix (ESPN/Associated Press)
A Quieter Waste Management Phoenix Open (PGATourCom)
What Happens When Golf’s Biggest Party, Can’t Party? (ESPN)
Stricker Turns Back the Clock (PGATourCom)
Official Waste Management Phoenix Open site (link)
It Isn’t Quite the Same (PGATour Twitter)
On This Day in Golf:
February 5, 1983 - Tom Kite won his fifth career PGA Tour title at the Bing Crosby Pro-Am at Pebble Beach, defeating Calvin Peete and Rex Caldwell by two strokes. Kite’s tournament win came one day after he shot a (then) course-record (62, shared with David Duval) at the famed Pebble Beach course. In September, 2017, Texas Tech Senior Hurly Long shot an 11-under (61). (Courtesy Randy Walker, Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE.)
Parting Putt:
Matt NeSmith shares the @WMPhoenixOpen lead with Mark Hubbard.
