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USA Today
12-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Jordan Spieth feels he got the 'monkey off the back' at WM. Is he close to winning again?
Sunday at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open was a vintage Jordan Spieth performance. The 31-year-old Texas now has two tournaments under his belt in a return from offseason wrist surgery. Before the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am two weeks ago, he said he wanted to get in contention just one time before the Masters and had low expectations as he worked his way back to his old form. Two weeks later, it seems the sky's the limit for Spieth, and an return to the winner's circle is now a matter of when, not if like it seemed the past couple years. Spieth has recorded five straight rounds in the 60s, has only two bogeys in his last 90 holes played and just recorded his best finish since the 2025 Sentry with his T-4 showing at TPC Scottsdale. He never truly challenged winner Thomas Detry over the weekend (no one really did), but Spieth's brilliance, including his out-of-this-world par save on the 11th hole Sunday, provided a glimpse of the Spieth of old and perhaps a return to what once was. "It was a big progress week for me," Spieth said. "I didn't feel like this was a one-off. It felt like this is just trending the right direction. I'm pretty realistic with myself on that. My expectations have been low, like I've mentioned. Just trying to get a little bit better each time." Coming into the week, Spieth said last week at Pebble Beach he aggravated his wrist injury during the first round at Pebble Beach but finally settled in by Sunday, when he signed for a bogey-free 67 and carried momentum to TPC Scottsdale. He finished T-6 at the WM in 2023 and 2024, so the course history was there for a strong finish this year. Four rounds in the 60s later, his return seems well ahead of schedule. Not only is that a good sign for Spieth, it could be bad news for the rest of the PGA Tour. "I had certainly less than 100 percent of my potential this week as far as structure and what I'm trying to do," he said Sunday. "I hit a lot of good putts today that didn't go in. All in all, I've got some stuff to improve on significantly within tee to green and on the greens, and the fact that this is where I'm at right now is really cool. It's a little bit of a monkey off the back, a little bit of a weight lifted off my shoulders, just feeling like I have a little bit of house money now, which I play a little bit better from. Everybody I think does. Spieth earned a sponsor exemption into Tiger Woods' event, the Genesis Invitational, where he heads with plenty momentum to the signature event. Last year, he was DQ'd after the second round for signing an incorrect scorecard. While that's likely not to happen again, a confident and healthy Spieth is back. "I'd like to take (this week) into a strong next week and then start working myself more consistently into contention," Spieth said. Weeks like the one he had at the WM are small stepping stones for the three-time major champion, but as his confidence continues to build, don't be surprised to see him hoisting trophies again soon.
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Thomas Detry closes in style for first PGA Tour victory at 2025 WM Phoenix Open
Thomas Detry closes in style for first PGA Tour victory at 2025 WM Phoenix Open Thomas Detry could sense his lead slipping away. Winless in his career on the PGA Tour, his five-shot advantage on Sunday had momentarily been trimmed to two but the 32-year-old Belgian was determined this time would be different. 'This one," he said, "nobody was going to take it away from me.' He stepped up to make a clutch birdie putt at 15 and then hit the shot of the final round at the par-3 16th to secure his first PGA Tour victory at the WM Phoenix Open. Detry dialed in a 9-iron from 180 yards that bounced once on the green, hopped and spun to a stop inside 2 feet from the hole to set up a birdie. 'Everything he's doing is obviously very good. He should keep doing that,' said Justin Thomas, who called Detry "freakishly talented" while serving as a guest commentator on CBS Sports. 'That's why he's leading the tournament and I'm sitting here done for the week.' Detry closed with birdies on the final four holes to shoot 6-under 65 at TPC Scottsdale and beat Daniel Berger and Michael Kim by seven strokes. In doing so, Detry became the first Belgian to win on the Tour. Detry, the 2016 Big Ten champion, had followed fellow countryman Thomas Pieters to University of Illinois, where men's golf coach Mike Small beat into his team's head to play by the mantra of 'poor, hungry, determined." 'That's the way to approach a tournament and approach golf,' Detry said. Detry has steadily improved since turning pro but victory had been elusive. The two-time Olympian's only previous wins? By 12 strokes on the DP World Tour's Challenge Tour and at the 2018 World Cup. But he couldn't get over the line on the PGA Tour. Every time he was in the thick of the trophy hunt, his heart raced and he had a bad habit of jumping ahead and thinking about what a victory would mean to him. For the past two years, at the advice of his wife and his sports psychologist, he's been meditating and he noticed a calmness and comfort level this time after shooting 66-65-65 to build a commanding five-stroke lead. However, the likes of Jordan Spieth and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler were lurking and Detry's lackluster final-round scoring average meant it was too soon to inscribe the Belgian's name on the trophy. Add in the fact that he struggled through a fitful night of sleep, waking at 4 a.m., and failing to get back to sleep and it wasn't setting up to be a walk in the park at the tournament affectionately known as the People's Open. Scheffler birdied four of his first six holes to jump into contention but he bogeyed No. 12 and the wheels fell off. He came home in 41 to finish T-25. Spieth closed in 68 and finished T-4, his best result since the WM Phoenix Open a year ago, but never got closer to the lead than four strokes. 'All in all, it was a big progress week for me,' Spieth said. 'I didn't feel like this was a one-off. It felt like this is just trending the right direction.' Detry birdied two of the first three holes – a 12-footer at 1 and a left-to-right bending 14 footer at 3 – around a bogey at the second. He strung together seven pars in a row before a birdie at 11 and looked to be waltzing to victory. But not so fast. Berger, winless in four years during which he was sidelined for 18 months, birdied three holes in a four-hole stretch beginning at No. 12, the last of which reduced Detry's lead down to two strokes, momentarily. 'In the back of your mind, you've got a five-shot lead, don't blow it, don't blow it,' he admitted thinking. Detry responded at 15 by stroking in his 7-foot birdie putt. Then he didn't even realize he had stiffed it at 16, brushing in his birdie putt while Berger made bogey and the lead returned to five. Game, set, match. "Every time I felt like I made a birdie, he made one back," Berger said. "He was playing really great golf today, and he was deserving to win this." Detry tricked his mind into staying in the present and had a magician's touch on the greens. He closed out the round with two more superb birdies. He signed for a 72-hole total of 24-under 260 and romped to a seven-stroke victory as if this winning thing was old hat. For the week, he ranked first in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green, second in SG: Putting and third in SG: Tee to Green. 'Deep inside of me, I kind of really trusted myself,' he said. 'I felt like I've been doing a lot of really good things in the past to put myself in that position, and I felt like I was kind of ready to win.'
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Rumors of Adam Sandler - aka Happy Gilmore - showing up at WM Phoenix Open are not true
Rumors of Adam Sandler - aka Happy Gilmore - showing up at WM Phoenix Open are not true Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Emiliano Grillo talks about making ace on 16 at WM Phoenix Open Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at 2025 WM Phoenix Open, the 12th ace in tournament history at TPC Scottsdale SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — There was chatter Saturday morning that Adam Sandler was going to make a surprise visit to the 16th hole during the third round of the WM Phoenix Open. Sandler , of course, is a huge movie star and is known in golf circles as Happy Gilmore. There's a sequel to the popular 1996 film coming out soon and as part of the buildup, actor Chris McDonald, who plays nemesis Shooter McGavin in the film, showed up to crash Justin Thomas' pre-tournament news conference. On Saturday morning, as fans sprinted to the general-admission seats at the 16th hole (an annual third-round tradition), McDonald was seen joining the fun run while trying to slip on a gold sportcoat. He was later seen at the 16th hole near the tee box showing off the WM Phoenix Open trophy well before play started in the third round. As for the buzz that Sandler himself was going to show up? Those rumors are not true. Thunderbirds executive director Chance Cozby confirmed that the internet rumors were false and no such star sighting will take place.
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
These notable names missed the cut at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open
These notable names missed the cut at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Emiliano Grillo talks about making ace on 16 at WM Phoenix Open Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at 2025 WM Phoenix Open, the 12th ace in tournament history at TPC Scottsdale SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The biggest party on the PGA Tour has ended after two days for 53 players at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open. In that group is a sizable list of notable players, including a past tournament champion and two hotshot amateurs. There were 13 players who didn't finish their second rounds Friday, with six of them on the good side of the cutline, leaving the tournament that started with 132 players to make the cut Saturday morning. In 2026, the Open will have a field of 120 and the spillover cut is likely to be no more. Notables who missed the cut at 2025 WM Phoenix Open
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
WM Phoenix Open highlights: Thomas Detry becomes first Belgian to win on PGA Tour
WM Phoenix Open highlights: Thomas Detry becomes first Belgian to win on PGA Tour Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Emiliano Grillo talks about making ace on 16 at WM Phoenix Open Emiliano Grillo made a hole-in-one on the 16th hole at 2025 WM Phoenix Open, the 12th ace in tournament history at TPC Scottsdale Can anyone catch Thomas Detry? The answer to that is a resounding nope. Holding a five-shot lead heading into the final round of the 2025 WM Phoenix Open, no one could get any closer than three to the 32-year-old Belgian. There were plenty of birdie opportunities on the back nine (see: Justin Thomas below) but Detry made plenty of his own. Detry not only won at TPC Scottsdale, he did it in dominant fashion, winning by seven shots over Michael Kim and Daniel Berger. It's Detry's first PGA Tour win. He's also the first PGA Tour winner from Belgium. He's the 14th golfer to make the Phoenix Open his first Tour victory. Detry made four birdies on the back nine on Nos. 11, 15, 16 and 17. On the famous par-3 16th, he clutched up, stuffing his tee shot to a foot and a half. WM Phoenix Open leaderboard Follow all of the scores from TPC Scottsdale here. The Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale is all about the closing holes. On Sunday, Justin Thomas showed exactly why that stretch can be so exciting. He made three straight birdies on Nos. 13, 14, 15. He then bogeyed the 16th before making another birdie on the par-4 17th. To cap off his week, he then eagled the 18th, holing out from 102 yards. Daniel Berger is making a push, but he's running out of holes. He's three back with five to to play. That depends on the golf course. The biggest rout since 1987, when the tournament was first played at TPC Scottsdale, was 11 shots by Steve Jones. There were three larger margins of victory when Phoenix Country Club, now home to the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on the PGA Tour Champions, was the host venue. 14, Johnny Miller, 1975, Phoenix CC 12, Arnold Palmer, 1962, Phoenix CC 12, Byron Nelson, 1939, Phoenix CC 11, Steve Jones, 1997, TPC Detry is unflappable. He makes a birdie on the 11th, the hardest hole on the course, and goes up five with seven to play. Yeah, he's back. Spieth just hit hit putter — backward — from a bush in the desert. It worked. He then hit his approach to 12 feet and made the par putt. Spiething. He started the day up five shots, and the lead it now four with nine holes to play. Jordan Spieth and Daniel Berger are tied for second. Detry had a brilliant up and down on the sixth to save par, and after his stellar birdie on he fifth, Hojgaard gave the shot back on the sixth. Spieth birdied the seventh to tie Hojgaard in second at 15 under, four back of Detry. The gap is just a bit smaller. Rasmus Hojgaard drilled a long birdie putt on the par-4 fifth to get to 16 under while Detry scrambled for par. What's even more impressive is Hojgaard's approac shot. The lead is down to three. Scheffler, a two-time winner at TPC Scottsdale, birdied four of his first six holes to get to 14 under. He started the day seven back of the lead and is still five back but he is lurking. McNealy won the final event of 2024 and posted a 8-under 63 to get into contention at a tournament that he says is really growing on him. "This is turning into one of my favorite tournaments to play in. It's a lot of fun. Previous years it started to get a little out of hand, but I think right now it's in a sweet spot," he said after his Saturday round. Maverick McNealy raves about WM Phoenix Open Maverick McNealy shot a third-round 63 at the 2025 WM Phoenix Open and then said: "This is turning into one of my favorite tournaments to play in." Psycho scorecard loading? Thomas Detry birdies the par-5 third hole, and he doesn't have a par yet. Back to a five-shot lead. In the blink of an eye, Detry's six-shot lead is down to four. He bogeys the par-4 second, and he's back to 18 under. The World No. 1 has birdies on two of his first three holes, and he has moved to 12 under. Remember, last year he had a five-shot deficit at the Players and won with a closing 8-under round. Detry's lead is back to five, as Jordan Spieth and Michael Kim, playing in the penultimate group, both birdied he second hole to get to 14 under and five strokes back. Perhaps one of these two has the best chance of making a run. At this rate, everyone is playing for second. Detry hit his opening approach to 12 feet and buried the putt. to move to 19 under and six shots clear of the closest chaser. Detry's five-shot lead may seem insurmountable, but players with that big of a lead have lost it before. Tee 1 10:30 a.m.: Adam Svensson, Keith Mitchell, Trey Mullinax 10:41 a.m.: Wyndham Clark, Davis Thompson, Nick Taylor 10:52 a.m.: Kevin Yu, Sepp Straka, Nicolai Højgaard 11:03 a.m.: Alex Smalley, Greyson Sigg, Andrew Putnam 11:14 a.m.: Brian Harman, Tom Kim, Hideki Matsuyama 11:25 a.m.: Sungjae Im, Peter Malnati, Akshay Bhatia 11:36 a.m.: Bud Cauley, Beau Hossler, Gary Woodland 11:47 a.m.: Denny McCarthy, Justin Thomas, Adam Hadwin 11:58 a.m.: J.T. Poston, Ben Silverman, Min Woo Lee 12:09 p.m.: Will Chandler, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young 12:20 p.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Taylor Moore, Christiaan Bezuidenhout 12:31 p.m.: Jordan Spieth, Michael Kim, Maverick McNealy 12:42 p.m.: Thomas Detry, Rasmus Hojgaard, Daniel Berger Tee 10 10:30 a.m.: David Skinns, Seamus Power, Luke List 10:41 a.m.: Mackenzie Hughes, Camilo Villegas, Ben Griffin 10:52 a.m.: Sam Ryder, Si Woo Kim, Adam Schenk 11:03 a.m.: Lee Hodges, Matthieu Pavon, Chandler Phillips 11:14 a.m.: Ryan Fox, Kris Ventura, Max Greyserman 11:25 a.m.: Sahith Theegala, Jake Knapp, Doug Ghim 11:36 a.m.: Brice Garnett, C.T. Pan, Corey Conners 11:47 a.m.: Matt Wallace, Kevin Streelman, Sam Stevens 11:58 a.m.: K.H. Lee, Carson Young, Nick Dunlap 12:09 p.m.: Vincent Norrman, Kurt Kitayama, Taylor Montgomery 12:20 p.m.: Michael Thorbjornsen, Brandt Snedeker, Sam Burns 12:31 p.m.: Will Gordon, Emiliano Grillo, Jesper Svensson 12:42 p.m.: Byeong Hun An, Ryan Palmer Sunday, Feb. 9 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. ET, ESPN+ 1-3 p.m. ET, Golf Channel 1-3 p.m. ET, NBC Sports app 1-6 p.m. ET, SiriusXM PGA Tour radio 3-6 p.m. ET, CBS 3-6 p.m. ET, Paramount+, CBS Sports app The weather has been perfect all week in Scottsdale, and that won't change before the final round.
