2018 Phoenix Open: Rickie Fowler looks locked in, Phil Mickelson rolls into weekend
The 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open is halfway over, and Rickie Fowler co-leads at 10-under with Bryson DeChambeau by a stroke over Daniel Berger. Chesson Hadley, Scott Stallings, Chez Reavie and Chris Kirk are all two strokes back, while Jon Rahm and Phil Mickelson trail by three.
This field, save Jordan Spieth (more on that in a minute), is living up to its billing as one of the best of the first quarter of the year. Combine that with what is supposed to be a record-setting weekend on the attendance front, and the best sporting event of the next few days might be found in Scottsdale, Arizona.
There were near-aces, a big-time withdrawal and some smoking hot finishes to end a wild Round 2 on Friday. Here are five takeaways with 36 holes in the books.
1. Fowler has the look: Fowler always plays well here, and this year is no different. He followed his first-round 66 with another one in the second round that included a preposterous 3.3 strokes gained on the greens. He stumbled a bit on the back nine, but he has a locked-in look that tells me he's going to be, at worst, lingering all weekend. He's working the ball both ways and disgustingly one-handing shots to 15 feet. More than anything, though, he is almost literally not missing a putt. If that continues over the final 36 holes, he'll have his first win in 2018.
Rickie Fowler has had 27 putts inside 10 feet so far this week. He has made all 27 of them. — Justin Ray (@JustinRayGC) February 2, 2018
2. Spieth's MC: For the first time since last May at the AT&T Byron Nelson, Jordan Spieth missed a cut. He was my winner this week, and he's finished in the top 10 at this event in both of his appearances. So the MC was a surprise, but the reasons behind it make sense. Spieth is not putting the ball particularly well right now. He finished outside the top 100 this week in strokes gained putting, and he came into the week outside the top 200 (!) on the PGA Tour. He only missed the weekend by one, so I'm less than concerned, but it still has to be disappointing for Spieth not to be able to capitalize on some solid tee-to-green play (especially off the tee).
In Rd 1/2 @WMPhoenixOpen @JordanSpieth has left 35% of his 10+ foot putts at least three feet past the hole. Speith averaged 17% in 2017 and the worst @PGATOUR player in 2017 averaged 25% #distancecontrol pic.twitter.com/zzEIp3cSeF — 15th Club (@15thClub) February 2, 2018
3. No. 17 is the real MVP: Forget the 16th hole -- you can keep it. I want to post up at the driveable par-4 17th. Justin Thomas nearly bumped the pin with his tee shot on Friday, just one day after Ollie Schniederjans putted an eagle attempt into the water. In other words, literally anything can happen on this hole, and it will go a long way to determining our winner on Saturday and Sunday.
Like I said, the real MVP.
OH MY!
Robert Garrigus nearly aces a par 4!#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/bDuFIKaGGo — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 2, 2018
4. Matsuyama WD: Hideki Matsuyama's pre-second round withdrawal with a left wrist injury opens the door for a new champ. We haven't seen anyone but Matsuyama win this event since Brooks Koepka did so in 2015, and only four golfers have defeated Matsuyama here in the last four years. The guys lingering to run down Fowler include Rahm (-7) and Justin Thomas (-6). Matsuyama has gone deep on Sunday in both of his wins the last two years, and I could see either one of those guys stepping into that role.
5. Mickelson rolls into the weekend: It's quite fitting that Lefty is riding a heater into Super Bowl weekend. He made four straight birdies to end the day and five in his final six holes to climb into the top 10. Over the last two years in Scottsdale, Mickelson has shot 65 on Saturday. This year he did it a day earlier. Mickelson chasing Fowler while looking for his first win in five years at a place where both have had a massive amount of success? I'm here for 36 holes of that.
The loudest roar of the week comes courtesy of Phil Mickelson.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/6GopOWmo2a — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 2, 2018