2025 Waste Management Phoenix Open Course Preview

The PGA Tour heads to Phoenix this week for the Waste Management Phoenix Open, one of the only events on the schedule with a distinct personality. Consistently the highest attended and rowdiest tournament of the season, the “Waste” (as we like to call it) is pure, unadulterated fun—although it seemingly rubbed right against the fine line between fun and shitshow last year. Yet this isn’t simply one of my favorite weeks from an energy and viewing standpoint, TPC Scottsdale has completely cracked the code in terms of what we should be looking for in PGA Tour golf courses. It doesn’t beat players up enough to discourage them from coming, nor is it a banal putting contest where tee-to-green skill is mitigated. It is a golf course that allows players of all shapes and styles and skill-sets to compete. Elite distance is not a pre-requisite, and neither is elite putting skill. Players can go incredibly low on this track and make birdies in bunches, and trouble still lurks at every turn. While Waste lost their signature status last year, we will still be treated to a strong field, featuring the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Sahith Theegala, Tom Kim, Sam Burns, and Sungjae Im, among others.