PHOENIX – The field has completed Round 1 of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and the surprise leader stands on top of the field in Wyndham Clark.
Entering “The People’s Open,” Clark was +7000 to take home the crown, despite being the 7th ranked golfer in the world. Last year, the 31-year-old finished T-41st at -6 with a heartbreaking +4 in Round 4 to drop him far down the leaderboard.
Feb 6, 2025; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; Wyndham Clark of the United States and his caddie line up a putt at the 18th hole during the first round of the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images
Now, Clark stands above the field at -7 after Round 1. Taylor Moore and Lee Hodges sit a stroke behind Clark T-2nd, with Justin Thomas T-4th two strokes behind.
Thomas currently has the second-best odds to bring home the win at +600.
Justin Thomas arrives on the green at the 16th hole during round one of the WM Phoenix Open in Scottsdale on Feb. 6, 2025.
Despite being in the lead, Clark isn’t the favorite. That title still belongs to Scottie Scheffler, who struggled initially on Thursday.
What was almost the biggest surprise of Round 1 was the performance of the #1 ranked golfer in the world. The front nine saw Scheffler shoot two over par, with the rust coming off his hand injury causing him trouble. The Phoenix Open is Scheffler’s second tournament since hand surgery on December 29, 2024, due to an injury from a broken wine glass.
However, in the back nine, Scheffler would look like his old self, shooting four under par, including two eagles, with one coming from the bunker 100 yards out.
UNREAL SHOT BY SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER! ????????
Hole-out eagle from the fairway bunker!
???? Golf Channel | @WMPhoenixOpen pic.twitter.com/312pm6Drnr
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) February 6, 2025
Scheffler is T-25 at -2 and is the favorite at +550 to secure his third Phoenix Open title. Regardless, Clark’s strong play thus far will make his five-stroke lead a tough hurdle to jump.
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Tanner Tortorella is a sports reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account @TannerTSports
