Find cash in the trash with Collin in Arizona

There are a million reasons why those who love golf feel such passion, and that sentiment can easily extend to those who love following the game at its highest professional level.

If not foremost among these reasons, then at least near the top of this list is the fact that every event is innately unique, from the host venues to the playing conditions to the cast of characters themselves. There are no reruns on the schedule.

We can cite examples of this every week, but never is the dichotomy greater than the current transition, from the golf porn that is the Monterey Peninsula, where the amateur competitors were more well-heeled than the pros, to the chaos that is TPC Scottsdale, the closest thing we have in this game to ancient feral battles at the Colosseum.

The reality, of course, is that any tournament buttressed against us making our WM Phoenix Open picks is going to feel like a completely disparate endeavor altogether, but even the usual mayhem is getting an enhancement this time around.

In the initial year of designated events on the PGA Tour, this one is the first of four to receive such elevation on a rotating basis. What that means is a boosted entry list featuring plenty of big names, including the likes of Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay and Collin Morikawa for just the second time in their respective careers.

Throw in that it just happens to coincide with the Super Bowl being played in the Phoenix area this week — and the not-so-insignificant fact that thousands of Philadelphia fans could descend upon this property for the first time — and mayhem is probably an understated description of what this will look like.

I’ve lost track of how many times I have covered this tournament from site, but the total number stretches somewhere into the teens. I’ll add one more to that list this week.

Over the years, I’ve admittedly flip-flopped on the type of player who’s best suited for success at this event. I don’t mean from a technical/strategic perspective

— it’s no secret that a strong tee-to-green game translates well here. No, I’m talking about player personalities.

There have been times when I’ve maintained that players with the most swagger — guys who are confident, cocky even, those who love being in the limelight and playing to the crowd — own a distinct advantage over their more introverted competition. Case in point: Brooks Koepka, Gary Woodland, Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler all have won this title in the past.

I can similarly see the opposite of this, though. Maybe the guys who quietly go about their business have an edge, as they’re not getting too caught up in the hoopla outside the ropes. Scottie Scheffler, last year’s champion, certainly isn’t a flashy type of guy. Same goes for Webb Simpson and Hideki Matsuyama, who have also won in recent years.

Well, glad we cleared that up.

Outright winner

Collin Morikawa (18/1): It came down to Morikawa or Xander Schauffele for this spot, but in the end, it was all about price — and I believe that the former is 2.5x more likely to win than the latter.

Plenty has been made over Morikawa grasping defeat from the jaws of victory at the Sentry TOC, and it wasn’t the first time he’s botched a big Sunday lead. If he wasn’t already a proven winner, I’d be hesitant here. If this was his first start since that loss, I similarly might stay away.

The reality, though, is that the 25year-old is already a five-time winner and followed up that disappointment at Kapalua with a third-place finish at Torrey Pines. His usual lofty ballstriking numbers were through the roof at each of these events and perhaps more impressively for him, his putting numbers were also positive in relation to the field.

According to Data Golf, there are more approach shots from 150175 yards at TPC Scottsdale than any other 25yard range, which is Morikawa’s bread and butter. He hasn’t played here since 2020, when he finished T25, but the course should suit him perfectly, and his game is certainly trending in the right direction.