WM Phoenix Open – Round 1 Recap: A Fast Start in the Desert

 The Waste Management Phoenix Open teed off with a thrilling first round, and as expected, low scores and high drama stole the show. With Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia leading the way among our league selections, the competition is already heating up.

Standout Performances

🔥 Justin Thomas (66) – A strong start for JT, who found his rhythm early. His ball-striking and confidence on the greens have him in a solid position moving forward.

🔥 Akshay Bhatia (66) – Matching JT’s score, Bhatia continues to show why he’s a rising star on TOUR. If he keeps the momentum, he could be a serious contender this weekend.

✅ Tom Kim, Corey Connors, and Christian Bezuidenhout (67) – A trio of 67s sets these players up nicely for Round 2. All three avoided major trouble and capitalized on birdie opportunities.

Steady Starts

✔ Daniel Berger, Keith Mitchell (68) – Both players kept mistakes to a minimum, staying within striking distance.

✔ Sungjae Im, JT Poston, Andrew Novak (69) – Solid but unspectacular rounds. They’ll need to turn it up in Round 2 to move up the leaderboard.

✔ Sepp Straka, Sam Burns, Maverick McNealy, Nick Taylor, Min Woo Lee (70) – A mix of birdies and bogeys kept them in the middle of the pack. No major setbacks, but improvement is needed to stay competitive.

Players Facing an Uphill Climb

⚠️ Billy Horschel (71), Matt Fitzpatrick (72), Charley Hoffman (73), Chan Kim (73) – These players struggled to get anything going. They’ll need a strong Round 2 to avoid missing the cut.

⚠️ Sahith Theegala, Rickie Fowler (74) – A rough start for both. Fowler’s struggles were cut short as he withdrew before Round 2, leading to two league members using their Emergency Mulligans (Chris switched to Corey Connors, Jimmy switched to Christian Bezuidenhout).

What to Watch for in Round 2

🏆 Can Justin Thomas and Akshay Bhatia keep up the momentum?
📈 Who will make a move on Moving Day?
✂️ Who will make the cut and who will be heading home early?

Plenty of storylines are unfolding at TPC Scottsdale, and with the cut looming after Round 2, expect plenty of drama, big putts, and a wild weekend ahead.

#GGG #WMPO #DesertGolf #Round1Recap