FIELD NOW BOASTS NINE OF TOP-20 IN THE WORLD

“The People’s Open” field continues to grow as three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth and six-time PGA TOUR winner Billy Horschel are the latest to commit to play in the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, which is set to tee it up Feb. 7-13 at TPC Scottsdale.   The field now includes nine players ranked in the Top-20 of the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).

Spieth’s storied career began in 2013 where he was awarded PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors, and just two years later in 2015, the Texas native put together one of the greatest PGA TOUR seasons of all time.  That year Spieth won five times including two Major titles (2015 Masters, 2015 U.S. Open) and the season-ending TOUR Championship on his way to a FedExCup title, and PGA of America and PGA TOUR Player of the Year honors.  Spieth has 12 total PGA TOUR victories and three Major championship titles under his belt, was part of the victorious 2013, 2015, and 2017 U.S. Presidents Cup teams as well as being a member on four U.S. Ryder Cup teams (2014, 2016, 2018, 2020).

Spieth had it rolling in 2021, earning his 12^th win (Valero Texas Open), a runner-up finish at The Open Championship, a third-place finish at The Masters and nine Top-10s overall.  He will be making his sixth WM Phoenix Open appearance, with his best outing coming last year when he finished T-4. He currently sits at No. 15 in the OWGR.

Horschel is coming off an outstanding 2021 campaign, picking up his 6^th PGA TOUR victory at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and carding six Top-10 finishes overall including a T2 finish at the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession. His best season on TOUR came in 2014 when he won two-straight FedExCup playoff events (BMW Championship and TOUR Championship) holding off Jim Furyk and Rory McIlroy by three strokes in the final event of the season to take home the 2014 FedExCup Championship. Horschel will make his ninth start at the WM Phoenix Open, with his best outing a ninth-place finish in 2020.   He currently ranks 23^rd in the OWGR.

The updated field has 20 players ranked in the Top-50 of the Official World Golf Rankings, led by Jon Rahm who sits first in the standings and followed closely by Justin Thomas at 5th. The other top-ranked players include Hideki Matsuyama (10), Sam Burns (13), Scottie Scheffler (14), Spieth (15), Tony Finau (17), Brooks Koepka (18), Abraham Ancer (20), Jason Kokrak (21), Horschel (23), Matt Fitzpatrick (24), Webb Simpson (29), Talor Gooch (31), Max Homa (34), Kevin Kisner (36), Corey Conners (38), Russell Henley (40), Lucas Herbert (43) and Seamus Power (49).

A field of 132 players will vie for the $8.2 million purse, the $1,476,000 first-place check, and 500 FedExCup points.  PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 4, to commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. Eligible players are assigned one of 34 PGA TOUR priority ranking categories based on their past performance on TOUR. The field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the Open.

The 2022 WM Phoenix Open will take place Feb. 7-13 at TPC Scottsdale. “The People’s Open” has been named the Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR four times in the past seven years (2014, 2015, 2018, 2019) to acknowledge the tournament’s legendary status as one the most unique events in golf. The 2022 edition will mark the 87th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 13^th with WM as title sponsor.

The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 280 “life” members who have helped the tournament eclipse $165 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932 (through the 2021 tournament).  For more information on The Thunderbirds, visit thunderbirdscharities.org.