Five really good reasons you should be watching golf before the Super Bowl
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A champion will be crowned Sunday.
He’ll have survived a pressure-packed day of trying to fend off his competitors on the grass, keep his composure and hold on to the lead. But can Rickie Fowler finally win the Waste Management Phoenix Open? Or will Matt Kuchar‘s slow and steady demeanor overtake him in the final round?
You thought I was talking about Tom Brady or Jared Goff in the Super Bowl, didn’t you? Nope.
Before you settle onto your couch, crack open your first beer and bite into your first wing, the Waste Management Phoenix Open is set to have one of its best finishes in recent memory. It could be so good that it just may be better than an appetizer to Super Bowl LIII.
Here are five reasons why you should make sure to watch the final round of the Phoenix Open before — and during — the Super Bowl:
This tournament has consistently been the one that gets away from Fowler. Last year, he entered the final round with a 1-shot lead only to cave under the pressure and shoot a 2-over 73 and finish tied for 11th place. In 2016, he forced a playoff with Hideki Matsuyama but lost on the fourth playoff hole when his tee shot found the water. Sunday, Fowler is set to finally win the Phoenix Open and secure his first victory since 2017. He’s 20-under-par and has a 4-shot lead over Kuchar. All Fowler needs to do is stay the course and hang on.
Oh, you don’t? Well, it means that the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale will be slick. And because it’s slick, the ball will skip and roll more than it has all week. And when the ball skips and rolls more than it has, it makes the course play longer. And when the course plays longer, defending champion Gary Woodland can make a run. He’s 8 shots off the lead, tied for sixth place at 12-under. If he can continually go long Sunday — he averaged 332 yards per drive on Saturday — and Fowler falters, Woodland knows how to win on this course. Watch out.
You know dinner at the Fowler-Thomas house Saturday night was awkward. Justin Thomas, who was 1 shot behind Fowler heading into the third round, dropped 4 more strokes and fell into third place at 15-under. If you don’t think he’s motivated to not let Fowler beat him, you don’t know Thomas. You didn’t need to be a fly on the wall to know Fowler ribbed one of his best friends for being 5 shots behind him. If Fowler slips at all, Thomas, who shot 68 on Saturday despite not being his sharpest, could be the one to make a run.
Matt Kuchar may be the hottest golfer on the tour this season. He has already won twice, including taking the Sony Open in Hawaii in January. If Fowler is the Rams — young, talented and on the brink — then Kuchar is the Patriots — experienced, established and knows how to win. Kuchar is also in the best position to capitalize on any Fowler mishaps.
Everyone likes to watch the next big thing, especially when they’re long-ball hitters. This tournament has just that in rookie Cameron Champ and amateur Matthew Wolff. Both made the cut and both have showed off their power. Neither is in contention to win, but that doesn’t matter. On Saturday, Wolff’s longest drive was 366 yards. Champ’s was 373 yards — but he had another drive that went 359 yards and four that went longer than 340 yards. Just watch in awe while wishing you could hit one drive in your life that far.