2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open Preview: The Rowdiest Tournament on Tour Is Back — Big Names, Defending Champ, and Best Bets for This Weekend

The 2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open tees off today, Thursday, February 5, 2026, and if you’re looking for the PGA Tour event that feels most like a playoff game, a college football tailgate, and a major championship all mashed together — this is it.

TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) is always a vibe, but this year’s field has a little extra juice: Scottie Scheffler is chasing a third title here, and Brooks Koepka is back in Phoenix embracing the tournament’s “chaos.”

Below is everything you asked for: big names in the field, last year’s winner, what to expect strategically, and a betting card with both safer looks and best value long shots.

The Basics

• Tournament: WM Phoenix Open

• Dates: Feb 5–8, 2026

• Course: TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course)

• Why it’s unique: Stadium-style viewing and the famous 16th hole that turns into a full-blown arena.

How to watch: Golf Channel carries Thu/Fri, then Golf Channel + CBS split Sat/Sun.

Last Year’s Winner

Defending champion: Thomas Detry (2025). 

And if you’ve been following this event lately, you know it’s been friendly to surprises:

• 2024: Nick Taylor

• 2025: Thomas Detry

That matters for betting: Phoenix has become a tournament where longer prices can absolutely hit.

Big Names in the 2026 Field

Scottie Scheffler

The headliner. World No. 1, two-time Phoenix Open champ (2022, 2023), and he’s openly chasing a third WM title this week.

Brooks Koepka

Back at Phoenix for the first time in four years and clearly fired up by the atmosphere; he’s won here before and said he’s embracing the “chaos.”

Other notable contenders and course horses

You’re looking at a deep board behind Scheffler: Xander Schauffele, Hideki Matsuyama (multiple-time winner here), and Jordan Spieth are all prominent in betting and preview chatter this week.

(And yes — the event’s official field list is stacked top-to-bottom.)

What Wins at TPC Scottsdale

Phoenix is not just “bomb and gouge.” The Stadium Course demands:

• Strong tee-to-green consistency (you can’t fake it for four rounds here)

• Approach play that sets up birdie chances (because the winner will go low)

• Composure — because the atmosphere is uniquely distracting, especially on the closing stretch and the 16th

It’s also a course where experience matters. Players who consistently contend here tend to have a repeatable “Scottsdale skill set,” and multiple outlets point to course history (Scheffler/Koepka/Xander/Spieth types) as a real signal.

Betting Card: Best Bets + Best Value (Feb 5–8)

Odds move fast, but here’s a smart structure for betting this tournament: one favorite you can live with, one “second tier” contender, and 2–3 longer shots for value.

1) Favorite to Win

🏆 Scottie Scheffler — Outright Winner

He’s the clear market favorite around +210 to +220 in multiple previews, and the narrative is simple: he’s already won here twice and is chasing a third.

How I’d play it (smart version):

• If you don’t love short outrights, consider Scheffler in Top 5 / Top 10 markets instead (lower sweat, still aligns with his profile).

2) “Win-Equity” Contender Tier

🎯 Xander Schauffele — Outright / Top 10

He’s consistently priced near the top tier behind Scottie in odds previews, and his balanced game travels well to Scottsdale.

3) Best Value Long-Shot Angles

💥 Jordan Spieth — Value Outright (around 60/1 in at least one preview)

This is a classic “Phoenix value” play: a star with a strong course resume getting a number you don’t usually see.

🧨 Sepp Straka — Long-shot value

Listed as a long-shot look in early betting previews, and he’s exactly the type who can spike a top-10 in a birdie fest.

🧊 Brooks Koepka — “Narrative + course comfort” play

If you like betting the “big-game hunter” types, Koepka’s return to the event where he won early in his career is the storyline this week, and he’s talked about how much he enjoys this stop.

4) A simple prop/placement strategy

Because recent winners have included longer prices, one sharp approach is:

• 2 placement bets (Top 10/Top 20) on steady ball-strikers

• 1–2 outrights on bigger numbers

Models and analysts are also recommending selective fades (for example, CBS/SportsLine notes a “fade” angle on one of the shorter favorites in their simulation writeup).

(Quick responsible note: golf is high variance — keep bet sizing small and don’t chase.)

Prediction: What I Expect This Weekend

• Scheffler is the most likely winner because he shows up here and looks comfortable immediately.

• But this event has become a place where a mid-tier or long shot can absolutely win, so I expect the leaderboard to be crowded.

• The winner is probably someone who stays patient through the noise and plays clean on the par 5s and the closing holes.

• I would sit back and wait until after Thursday or Fridays round to catch some good value on Scottie