Will the 2024 WM Phoenix Open end on Sunday? Will it end before Super Bowl 58 kicks off? With many hours lost this week to rain and frost delays, the leaders’ third rounds spilled over into Sunday. If all goes well, they could be looking at playing up to 30 holes to finish the tournament and prevent everyone from coming back out to TPC Scottsdale for the first Monday finish since 2011, when frozen ground pushed the first round to Friday. One thing to keep in mind is that Scottie Scheffler, who won the Open the past two years, has somewhat quietly stayed in contention this week and remains in striking distance of the first Phoenix Open three-peat since Arnold Palmer from 1961-63. Here’s a look at the activities on Sunday in north Scottsdale.
Third round, finally, is over; leaders on to Round 4
When Nick Taylor rolled in his final putt on No. 18 at 12:03 p.m., that officially ended the third round of the WM Phoenix Open.
That putt left him in a tie after 54 holes with Sahith Theegala, both at 15-under 198 for the tournament.
The leaders will have about 15-20 minutes to grab a bite and otherwise regroup before setting out for their final rounds. Of course, Round 4 is already underway for the golfers lower in the field. That play actually started at 10:15 a.m. And, in another unusual wrinkle in this most unusual of Phoenix Opens, the golfers will stay in the same threesomes they played in for Round 3.
Tournament officials did, however, have time to cut new holes and adjust tee box locations as the field wrapped up play on the various holes.
Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel yell at unruly fans
The WM Phoenix Open bills itself as “The People’s Open,” but with its boisterous fans — who are often overserved, especially at the par-3 16th party hole — and different vibe, the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Phoenix might not be for everyone, especially the old-school pros.
Zach Johnson could be a new name on that list. The 12-time winner on Tour has made 14 appearances at the Phoenix Open dating back to 2005 when it was the FBR Open. He made the cut in 12 of those starts and has bagged six top-25 finishes and a top 10. In other words, Johnson is no stranger to the scene at TPC Scottsdale, which made the video below all the more curious.
The 47-year-old blew up at fans during the third round of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Saturday, and the confrontation was caught on camera.
“Somebody said it, I’m just sick of it. Just shut up,” Johnson said to a group of fans before security stepped in on the par-5 15th-hole tee box.
The Tour wants the WM Phoenix Open to be fun, but all that fun can come at a disruptive cost. It’s unclear what led to the interaction, and maybe Johnson was justified in telling the fan to pipe down. But if you can’t handle a heckler, then the People’s Open just might not be for you anymore.
You can also add Billy Horschel to the list. The seven-time winner went off on a fan, justifiably so, after someone in the gallery was talking during a player’s swing. This video may not be safe for delicate ears.
With the third round and final round still to be completed, the players could be in for a long Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.
—Adam Woodard, Golfweek
Don’t look now, but here comes Scottie Scheffler
Amid all the rain and mud and frost that’s bedeviled this tournament, two-time defending Phoenix Open champion Scottie Scheffler’s quietly gone about his business. And even as fan-favorite Sahith Theegala moved up to the top of the leaderboard at 14-under, Scheffler caught fire on Sunday morning, and at one point in Round 3 was tied for second at 13-under before giving back a stroke on No. 14.
Before that bogey, Scheffler had reeled off five consecutive birdies on holes 9-13, sinking a 17-foot putt on No. 12.
Play underway after several frost delays
The third round of the WM Phoenix Open resumed at 8:46 a.m. after the expected start time was pushed back several times because of frost.
Nick Taylor, the overnight leader, did not get off to a hot start, three-putting the 7th green for bogey, and fell back to 12-under. He’s now tied with Sahith Theegala.
Sunday morning opens with frost delay
As anticipated, the resumption of play at TPC Scottsdale, which was supposed to happen at an optimistic 7:30 a.m., has been pushed back several times. The latest projection for when play will start is 8:45 a.m.
The leaderboard when play resumes shows Nick Taylor on top at 13 under par through six holes of his third round, followed by Sahith Theegala one shot back, also through six holes. Behind them, 15 golfers lurk within five shots of Taylor’s pace.
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