The inaugural day at TPC Scottsdale proved demanding, but the subsequent round of the 2026 WM Phoenix Open saw a significant enhancement in playing conditions, which many participants leveraged to ascend the rankings on Friday.
At the pinnacle of the competition stand two prominent Japanese athletes. Ryo Hisatsune achieved an afternoon score of 63, bringing his total to 11 strokes under par, whereas Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Phoenix Open, recorded a 64 in the morning, positioning himself at 10 strokes under par as the tournament heads into the weekend.
Matsuyama has consistently found the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale to be a favorable setting; he dominated the initial nine holes, completing them in 30 strokes and quickly advancing to seize the top position before the later group of players began their rounds.
Hisatsune made significant strides on the latter nine holes, recording six strokes under par across five holes, from the 13th to the 17th, thereby surpassing his fellow countryman and claiming the lead – highlighted by a remarkable chip-in birdie on the brief par-4 17th, despite having driven his ball into the water.
As Matsuyama and Hisatsune vied for the halfway lead, Scottie Scheffler, ranked as the world’s top player, unexpectedly struggled to merely qualify for the weekend following a 73, two strokes over par, on Thursday. Scheffler commenced his round with four consecutive pars, but then broke through with a birdie on the 5th hole, which appeared to ignite his performance. This marked the beginning of a strong finish to his round, as he carded a 65, not only securing his place past the cut line but also positioning himself for a strong contention over the weekend at four strokes under par.
Following a series of unusual iron errors on Thursday, Scheffler appeared to regain his precision in ball-striking on Friday and managed to find his rhythm with the putter, enabling him to advance comfortably past the qualification mark.
Scheffler now holds the most extended active streak of successfully making the cut on the PGA Tour, which has now reached 66 successive events, a record established after Xander Schauffele’s sequence of 72 unbroken cuts concluded last week at Torrey Pines.
Top Contender
1. Ryo Hisatsune (-11)
Hisatsune arrives after securing a tied-for-second place at the Farmers Insurance Open just last week and appears to have maintained that impressive performance in this desert setting. The key challenge for Hisatsune entering the final rounds will be his ability to sustain a high level of consistency to maintain his lead position. He is known for his fluctuating play, capable of periods of exceptional scoring with numerous birdies, but also prone to moments where he relinquishes strokes. Playing alongside his compatriot Matsuyama will provide a familiar presence; it remains to be seen if this will help him navigate the intense Saturday environment at TPC Scottsdale.
In his third complete season on the PGA Tour, the 23-year-old aims to establish his reputation in the United States, and there is arguably no superior venue on the PGA Tour for building a fanbase than the WM Phoenix Open.
Additional Challengers
2. Hideki Matsuyama (-10)
T3. Chris Gotterup, Pierceson Coody (-8)
T5. Matt Fitzpatrick, Si Woo Kim, Akshay Bhatia, John Parry, Sahith Theegala, Jake Knapp (-7)
Matsuyama boasts an exceptional history at the WM Phoenix Open, though a substantial portion of his achievements, including his victories in 2016 and 2017, occurred earlier in his professional journey. He has consistently advanced past the cut in this desert tournament, but since his pair of wins, he has only secured one top-10 finish (in 2022). Following his display on Friday, he appears ready not only to re-enter the top 10 but also to pose a significant challenge for his third Phoenix Open title, a feat that would place him alongside Phil Mickelson, Arnold Palmer, and two other legends for the most wins ever.
Chris Gotterup, who held the lead after the first 18 holes and seemed flawless in his opening round, accumulated too many errors on his scorecard on Friday, merely managing to maintain his position at 8 strokes under par for the event. He will need to regain his putting touch and eliminate the mistakes that hindered his progress on Friday; however, given his powerful tee shots and knack for keeping the ball low in windy conditions, he presents a formidable contender for his second victory of the current season.
Pierceson Coody is another promising young talent whose precise tee shots render him a strong competitor this week, particularly as errant drives have been heavily penalized due to the greens’ unforgiving firmness. Si Woo Kim displayed the most dramatic improvement over the initial two days, drastically shifting from a score of 73 to an impressive 62, marking Friday’s best round, thereby re-establishing himself as a contender in what has been an exceptional beginning to 2026 for him.
Prominent Participants Who Did Not Qualify
- Joel Dahmen (E)
- Brooks Koepka (+2)
- Corey Conners (+2)
- Jordan Spieth (+3)
- Billy Horschel (+3)
- Sam Burns (+5)
Unlike Scheffler, not every player managed to significantly advance on Friday to qualify for the weekend. Brooks Koepka, who narrowly made it past the cut at Torrey Pines the previous week, was unable to replicate that effort this week, as his putting difficulties persisted upon his comeback to the PGA Tour. Jordan Spieth, paired with Scheffler, struggled to establish any positive momentum in his round, recording four bogeys on Friday, which placed him just beyond the qualifying threshold.
Current WM Phoenix Open Betting Lines and Selections
Betting figures sourced from FanDuel Sportsbook
- Hideki Matsuyama (+230)
- Ryo Hisatsune (+470)
- Scottie Scheffler (10-1)
- Chris Gotterup (11-1)
- Si Woo Kim (13-1)
- Pierceson Coody (14-1)
- Sahith Theegala (17-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (19-1)
Matsuyama is a legitimate top choice considering his past performances at this event, and should he maintain his current assuredness on the putting surfaces, it is improbable that he will drift significantly from the leading position. Although the course’s unyielding greens will persist in presenting a formidable challenge, wind conditions are not anticipated to play a substantial role, suggesting we can expect impressive scores throughout the weekend. This leads me to regard Kim, at 13-1 odds, as a significant contender, owing to his knack for accumulating birdies rapidly. Additionally, I anticipate Coody will remain among the frontrunners, potentially vying for his inaugural professional victory, and at 14-1, he offers considerable potential.
