For the WM Phoenix Open, we face a decision we’ve had to wrestle with for over a year now and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

What do we do with Scottie Scheffler?

WM Phoenix Open Ranking Process

For me, as painful as it may be, it’s an easy fade. Not because the World #1 isn’t deserving of the overwhelming favorite status that he holds, but because the juice isn’t worth the squeeze. Scheffler is in a tier of his own, which means there will be more rewarding spots to use him.

Yep, that’s what I said for the American Express. And I still think I’m right, even with him taking home $1,656,000 for the dominating victory.

So now what?

Due to the length and structure of this course, we see an overwhelming, by TOUR standards, percentage of approach shots come from mid-range. That’s the 150-200 yard range at this level, and the top five in that regard over the last 36 measured holes is an eclectic bunch.

1. Si Woo Kim
2. Viktor Hovland
3. Emiliano Grillo
4. Scheffler
5. Patrick Rodgers

You could argue that any name on this list outside of Scheffler is viable to use here. Hovland is the highest class of golfer mentioned, but with just one win over the past two seasons, I don’t think it’s a lock that you want to pass up a good spot to save him for a premier event.

That said, he ranks outside of the top-50 in this field when it comes to birdie-or-better rate over the past two seasons, and this event has required the winner to go at least 16 strokes deep in nine straight seasons (2025: Thomas Detry lapped the field at -24).

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As for Xander Schauffele, he looks to bounce back at the 2026 WM Phoenix Open after a rare missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open snapped his streak of 72 straight made cuts. He arrives at TPC Scottsdale with strong course form, posting four top-10 finishes in his last five starts here.

WM Phoenix Open Rankings

We are getting close to elevated event season, and that’s when the big boys get released. Until then, the goal is to rack up as many dollars as possible while keeping your future win equity high.

1. Scottie Scheffler
2. Si Woo Kim
3. Kurt Kitayama
4. Rico Hoey
5. Cam Young
6. JJ Spaun
7. Michael Thorbjornsen
8. Viktor Hovland
9. Pierceson Coody
10. Jake Knapp
11. Patrick Rodgers
12. JJ Spaun
13. Nicolai Hojgaard
14. Ben Griffin
15. Harry Hall
16. Haotong Li
17. Keith Mitchell
18. Matt McCarty
19. Michael Brennan
20. Kevin Yu

Given the tee up, it should be no surprise that this is my spot to use Kim. He’s finished top-11 in all three events this season and four straight dating back to last season, but the raw results aren’t what has my interest in Phoenix.

It’s the how.

He’s gained more strokes on approach in each passing event, spiking at +2.65 at the Farmers’ last week. Taking down Scheffler is a task few can handle, but there are two components to that equation.

The first is a little more obvious. Kim is the approach-centric skill set that can thrive here, and the type of care-free, aggressive golfer that owns an elite ceiling.

The second isn’t as obvious, but it should impact your decision-making just as much.

You can select Kim this week without needing him to beat Scheffler. So what if he beats you? Yes, that takes money off his plate, but a runner-up finish to him would still very much mean a net gain because you beat most in your pool for the week, and the others made a mathematical error in deploying Scheffler at a less-than-optimized event.

I’m not fully against the idea of building DFS lineups with Scheffler at the top, Kim the next man in, and then some serious salary-saving measures on the back-end, but for One-and-Done, I don’t think it’s all that difficult a decision.