Waste Management Phoenix Open: Power rankings at TPC Scottsdale

He had to hold on for dear life to do so, but Rickie Fowler was your 2019 Phoenix Open champion. He tied the low round of the tournament with a 64 on Thursday and stayed at the top with rounds of 65 and 64.

Playing with Justin Thomas in the final group, Rickie held off JT, who began one shot back, and Branden Grace. Grace fired a Sunday 69 before miscues of his own down the stretch cost him a chance at a win.

Despite a closing 74, Fowler still finished at 17-under to lock up his sixth PGA Tour title (seventh, if you count the 2017 Hero World Challenge).

It was a meaningful win for someone who made just his third career PGA Tour start at this event as an amateur in 2009. The tournament has a reputation for granting sponsor’s exemptions to college pros, as they did here.

"“Yeah, this one is a little more special,” Fowler said in 2019. “It’s not just the normal event. I love the atmosphere here, I love the fans. They have always been great to me. The Thunderbirds have been nothing short of amazing to me, giving me a spot here when I was an am at Oklahoma State, like they did with Wolff this year.”"

Fowler has attended every year since debuting with a T-58 in 2009. He finished solo second in 2010 (65-67-69-68) and 2016 (65-68-70-67), the latter of which he lasted four holes in a playoff against Hideki Matsuyama.

Mix in a T-4 in 2017 (67-68-69-65) and a T-11 in 2018 (66-68-67-73), and it’s hard to find a reason to leave Fowler off.

He missed the cut last week at Torrey Pines, but was T-10 the week prior at the American Express and also finished T-5 at the Tournament of Champions.