2022 Waste Management Phoenix Open: Top 10 power rankings
Before he became a four-time major champion and purveyor of the Player Impact Program, Koepka earned his maiden PGA Tour victory at this event in 2015.
After earning his stripes as a collegian at Florida State and on the European Tour, Koepka fired 71-68-64-66 to outduel Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson, and Ryan Palmer by a shot.
That’s no measly list of players to defeat. At this event, Matsuyama’s now a two-time champ, Bubba’s got six top-10s and Palmer has three top-fives.
The ever-volatile Koepka finished outside the top-40 the next two years in Phoenix and skipped the event the next three years.
He returned in 2021 and came on strong on Sunday to steal the show from Jordan Spieth, who appeared poised to win for the first time in four years.
Koepka posted 68-66-66-65 and will be known for his eagle chip-in from a greenside collection area on the par-4 17th that put his stamp on the tournament. His 19-under winning score was the best since Phil Mickelson set the tournament record of 28-under in 2013. Only three players have cracked 20-under or better since 2003.
This is an event where Koepka can hit driver often and play aggressively.
BK won by a shot over K.H. Lee and Xander Schauffele. He hit the ball beautifully, ranking second in strokes gained approach (6.084) and 11th in SG off the tee (2.643). Koepka was only 32nd in SG around the green, but he obviously showed he had the touch when he needed it.
Koepka’s teeing it up for the third time in 2022, making him fresher than most players in the field with three or four starts already under the belt.
He earned T-28th at the Sentry Tournament of Champions and missed the cut at the Farmers Insurance Open two weeks ago.
Great form isn’t there right now for Koepka, but we know he can turn it on in a hurry. He’s an entertainer and loves the electric crowds at TPC Scottsdale. He credited the galleries returning last year, at least in limited numbers due to COVID-19 restrictions, with giving him the juice he lacked in fanless events.
With even more fans allowed through the gates this year, he might just go ahead and challenge Phil’s record.