WM Phoenix Open 2024: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Scottsdale
Phoenix Open/Power Rank/10. 10. OWGR: 54th. FedEx Cup: 61st. Hideki Matsuyama
Hideki Matsuyama’s pace at the WM Phoenix Open has cooled a bit in recent years, but he’s still a reliable horse for course pick at TPC Scottsdale.
The Japanese star has torched the Stadium Course for a decade beginning with T-4th in his 2014 debut. That began a streak that includes T-2nd in 2015 and back-to-back wins in 2016 and ‘17.
The first win saw Matsuyama card 65-70-68-67 (-14) and take down Rickie Fowler in a playoff. Matsuyama took it even lower the next year (63-68-68-66) but still needed a playoff win against Webb Simpson to get it done.
In total, Matsuyama has made all nine cuts with a withdrawal due to injury in 2018.
Of late, he took T-8th (68-68-66-69) in 2022 and T-29th (74-68-67-70) last year. In 2023, Matsuyama was dialed in with driver to rank eighth in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee (3.63) and with his wedges to finish sixth in SG: Around-the-Green (3.987). His iron play and, you guessed it, his putter kept him from climbing further up the leaderboard.
The 31-year-old has had some decent results of late, though he’s in the power rankings more for course history than current form. Matsuyama ended 2023 with a T-10th at one of Japan’s top events, the Dunlop Phoenix.
He added T-30th at the Sony Open in Hawaii and T-13th at the Farmers Insurance Open.
Matsuyama ranked 23rd last season in SG: Total (.902). That was aided by finishing 12th in SG: Approach (.609), 13th in SG: Around-the-Green (.324), and 16th in SG: Tee-to-green (1.02).