2022 Waste Management Phoenix Open: Top 10 power rankings

On the bright side, Jordan Spieth played as well as he has since May at last week’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. There’s plenty to like about three rounds in the 60s, including a 63, and a solo second-place finish at one of golf’s more historic venues.

The dark side is that Spieth appeared, if not in control of the tournament, as at least the favorite to win, with a few holes to go. It came undone with a tee shot on the par-3 17th Sunday that found the bunker. He was unable to get up and down and the one-shot lead was erased.

Simultaneously in the group behind, Tom Hoge was on fire down the stretch and took control.

In two rounds Shotlink recorded at Pebble Beach (and not at Spyglass Hill or Monterey Peninsula), Spieth was first in the field in strokes gained approach (5.76) and SG tee to green (7.576).

It wasn’t Spieth’s day, but he has the chance to get back on the horse quickly at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

TPC Scottsdale is the site of perhaps some more heartache for Spieth, as he nearly won here in 2021.

It would have been his first win in nearly four years. His 10-under round on Saturday had the golf world in a tizzy.

The breakthrough would have to wait until the spring when he prevailed at the Texas Open.

Spieth settled for T-4th with rounds of 67-67-61-72. It was still impressive considering his driver swing was very much lacking, but his recovery skills were all-world.

The Texan ranked first in the field in SG approach (7.848) and 64th in SG off the tee (-3.745). Spieth was also T-10th in scrambling (75%).

It was his third top-10 in five Phoenix Open starts. Spieth took T-7th (70-68-70-65) in 2015 and T-9th (70-68-67-67) in 2017.