Adam Scott intends to make full use of a sponsor exemption into an event he has enjoyed great success in the past after a top-10 finish at the WM Open in Phoenix.
Canadian Nick Taylor matched Charley Hoffman’s 72-hole total of 21-under par with a birdie from five feet on the final hole at TPC Scottsdale to send the tournament into a playoff.
Taylor would go on to edge Hoffman with a birdie at the second playoff hole as Scott climbed into a tie for eighth courtesy of weekend rounds of 65-66.
Tied for seventh in Dubai and top 20 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the former world No.1 conceded that he was slow out of the blocks in Phoenix.
But a week out from the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club – a tournament he has won twice but which he needed a sponsor’s exemption to play this year – Scott left TPC Scottsdale with a spring in his step.
“Played really nicely for the last three days,” said Scott.
“I’m most pleased with my ball-striking really kind of coming back to where I want it. I feel like it’s been a while since I could say that.
“That’s a good feeling, obviously, going into next week at Riviera, a tournament I love, a big event on our schedule, and a course where you really need to hit the ball well to have a chance.
“I feel my game is in good shape, so I have a lot of positive energy going there.
“I’d love to do a little better and get in contention and try and win there for a third time.”
Scott’s top-10 finish was one of two for Aussies over the weekend.
Qualifying School graduate Haydn Barron logged his best finish as a member of the DP World Tour, earning a share of ninth at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.
Opening rounds of 68 and 67 give @haydnbarron a three shot lead in Qatar 🙌#CBQMasters
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 9, 2024
The 36-hole leader by two strokes after rounds of 68-67, Barron dropped back with a third round of 2-over 74 but shot 71 in the final round to secure a maiden top 10 since becoming a full member.
Kirsten Rudgeley began her Ladies European Tour season with a tie for 28th at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open won by Singapore’s Shannon Tan, who finished runner-up to Kazuma Kobori at the Webex Players Series Murray River just a few weeks ago.
Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images
Results
PGA TOUR
WM Phoenix Open
TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona
1 Nick Taylor 60-70-68-65—263 $US1.584m
Won on the second hole of sudden death playoff
T8 Adam Scott 72-68-65-66—271 $248,600
T28 Aaron Baddeley 69-71-68-68—276 $53,000
T41 Ryan Fox (NZ) 66-68-75-69—278 $30,404
T71 Min Woo Lee 71-69-71-73—284 $17,776
DP World Tour
Commercial Bank Qatar Masters
Doha GC, Doha, Qatar
1 Rikuya Hoshino 69-68-69-68—274 €394,468
T9 Haydn Barron 68-67-74-71—280 €45,247.80
T42 Harrison Endycott 69-68-76-73—286 €12,298.12
T42 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 69-70-71-76—286 €12,298.12
T61 Jason Scrivener 74-70-71-74—289 €6,149.06
MC David Micheluzzi 75-80—155
MC Sam Jones (NZ) 73-72—145
Ladies European Tour
Magical Kenya Ladies Open
Vipingo Ridge, Kenya
1 Shannon Tan 73-70-67-70—280 €45,000
T28 Kirsten Rudgeley 73-74-77-70—294 €3,022.50
T40 Momoka Kobori 72-78-72-75—297 €1,710
LIV Golf
LIV Golf Las Vegas
Las Vegas Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada
1 Dustin Johnson 67-62-69—198 $US4m
T15 Cameron Smith 67-66-72—205 $267,500
T21 Marc Leishman 69-67-70—206 $207,500
T35 Matt Jones 73-67-69—209 $142,800
T40 Danny Lee (NZ) 68-72-70—210 $130,800
T45 Lucas Herbert 68-67-76—211 $123,250
Korn Ferry Tour
Astara Golf Championship
Country Club de Bogota (Lagos Cse), Bogota, Colombia
1 Kevin Velo 64-67-64-66—261 $US180,000
Won on the first hole of sudden death playoff
T41 Brett Drewitt 71-63-69-69—272 $4,900
T51 Curtis Luck 63-71-73-67—274 $4,213
T59 Rhein Gibson 65-69-69-72—275 $4,100
WD Dimi Papadatos 75
Challenge Tour
Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open
Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa
1 Mikael Lindberg 70-70-65-67—272 €51,489.68
MC Hayden Hopewell 71-73—144