Berger, Holmes, Reed, Stanley commit to WM Phoenix Open

Former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Daniel Berger, two-time WM Phoenix Open champion J.B. Holmes, 2012 WM Phoenix Open champion Kyle Stanley and four-time PGA TOUR winner Patrick Reed are among the latest players to commit to the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open Presented by The AK-Chin Indian Community, set to tee it up January 29-February 4 at TPC Scottsdale. A field of 132 players will vie for the $6.9 million purse, the $1,242,000 first-place check and 500 FedExCup points. 

 “We’re thrilled to welcome back two former champions, a Ryder Cup star and one of the best up-and-coming players on the PGA TOUR,” said Tournament Chairman Carlos Sugich. “Nearly half of the top 50 golfers in the world are coming to our event. That’s really special, and something we’re very proud of.”

The 2018 field now includes 23 of the Top-50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking.  Jordan Spieth (2) is the highest-ranked player currently in the field, which features four of the Top-5, six of the Top-10 and 12 of the Top-25 in the OWGR.  Other ranked players in the field include Jon Rahm (3), Justin Thomas (4), Hideki Matsuyama (5), Rickie Fowler (7), Brooks Koepka (8), Marc Leishman (12), Alex Noren (19), Francesco Molinari (22), Charley Hoffman (23), Louis Oosthuizen (24), Reed (25), Xander Schauffele (26), Berger (29), Kevin Chappell (32), Si-Woo Kim (37), Webb Simpson (38), Tony Finau (42), Phil Mickelson (43), Stanley (45), Brendan Steele (46), Zach Johnson (47) and Russell Henley (48).

The field also includes 10 players who have combined to win 19 Major championships including Lucas Glover (1), Retief Goosen (2), Zach Johnson (2), Brooks Koepka (1), Phil Mickelson (5), Louis Oosthuizen (1), Webb Simpson (1), Jordan Spieth (3), Justin Thomas (1) and Bubba Watson (2).

Berger – who won the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2015 – enjoyed a lucrative 2017 season in which he carded six Top-10 finishes including a successful title defense at the 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic and two second-place finishes at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and the Travelers Championship. He currently ranks 29^th in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Holmes has four PGA TOUR victories under his belt including the 2006 and 2008 WM Phoenix Open. He was also part of two victorious U.S. Ryder Cup teams in 2008 and again in 2016, and also was a member of the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2015.

Reed carded 15 Top-25 finishes last year including four Top-10s and a T2 finish at the PGA Championship on his way to a 22-place finish in the FedExCup. Additionally, Reed has been a part of two winning U.S. Ryder Cup teams (2014, 2016) and a winning U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2017. He currently ranks 25^th in the OWGR. 

Former WM Phoenix Open Champion Stanley, picked up his second PGA TOUR victory during the 2017 season with a win at Quicken Loans National. Additionally in 2017, Stanley carded five top-10 finishes on his way to a top-25 FedExCup finish.  

With the addition of Holmes and Stanley, the field now has six former WM Phoenix Open champions in the field.  The others include Matsuyama (2016, 2017), Koepka (2015), Mickelson (1996, 2005 and 2013) and Aaron Baddeley (2007).  

PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 26, to commit to play in the Waste Management 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 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open Presented by the Ak-Chin Indian Community will be held at TPC Scottsdale January 29 – February 4, 2018. “The People’s Open” is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has gained legendary status for being the most unique stop on the PGA TOUR.  The 2017 tournament broke four attendance records, including a PGA TOUR record 655,434 fans for the week.  The 2018 edition will mark the 83^rd playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the ninth as the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

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 250 “life” members.  In 2017 The Thunderbirds raised a record $10.1 million for charity from proceeds from last year’s tournament and have eclipsed $122 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932.  For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.