Tournament Chairman George Thimsen announced today former WM Phoenix Open champion Rickie Fowler, six-time PGA TOUR winner Tony Finau and World No. 20 Sahith Theegala have committed to play in the 2024 WM Phoenix Open presented by Taylor Morrison, which is scheduled to be played February 5-11 at TPC Scottsdale.
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“We are very excited to have three of the most popular and energetic players on the PGA TOUR back at ‘The People’s Open’,” Thimsen said. “Rickie, Tony and Sahith are clearly fan favorites at the WM Phoenix Open and have all had tremendous success here, with Rickie being our 2019 champion. We’re looking forward to seeing them compete in February.”
A six-time winner on the PGA TOUR, Fowler is considered one of the most popular players in professional golf and has seen a resurgence of late, winning the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic – his first victory since his 2019 WM Phoenix Open title. In his 15 appearances at the WM Phoenix Open, Fowler has one win, two runner-up finishes, a fourth-place finish and seven total Top-25s, positioning himself in the Top-3 WM Phoenix Open money winners all-time ($3.75 million). He also has been a member of five U.S. Ryder Cup teams (2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2023) and three U.S. Presidents Cup teams (2015, 2017, 2019). He currently ranks 26th in OWGR.
Finau has six career PGA TOUR wins and has accomplished consecutive multi-win seasons on TOUR in the last two years, carding four wins over that span, including his two wins last year at the Houston Open and Mexico Open. He was a member of the 2018 and 2021 U.S. Ryder Cup teams as well as the victorious 2019 and 2022 Presidents Cup teams. Finau will make his ninth start at TPC Scottsdale, with his best performance a runner-up finish in 2020 when he lost in a playoff to Webb Simpson. He currently ranks 21st in the Official World Golf Ranking.
One of the PGA TOUR’s rising stars, Theegala is coming off an impressive 2023 sophomore season in which he earned his first PGA TOUR victory at the 2023 Fortinet Championship in his home state of California. The Pepperdine alum made 26 cuts in 32 starts last season- resulting in 14 Top-25 finishes, eight Top-10s and a runner up at The RSM Classic. Theegala has since picked up where he left off in 2023 kicking off his 2024 campaign with a runner-up performance at The Sentry in Hawaii. This will be Theegala’s third appearance at “The People’s Open,” with his best finish being a T3 in 2022 as a sponsor exemption.
The 2024 WM Phoenix Open will take place Feb. 5-11 at TPC Scottsdale. “The People’s Open” was named Tournament of the Year at the 2023 PGA TOUR annual meetings, garnering the award for the fifth time to acknowledge the tournament’s legendary status as one the most unique events in golf. The 2024 edition will mark the 89th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 15th with WM as title sponsor. For more information visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.
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 $190 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932 (through the 2023 tournament). For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.
