Draws and Fades: Maverick McNealy staking his claim for winner's circle at WM Phoenix Open
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Draws and Fades: Gotterup still an option while McNealy makes his push at WM Phoenix Open
Written by Rick Gehman
“Moving Day” at the WM Phoenix Open lived up to expectations, producing a wide range of scores from 65 to 76.
The most notable feature of the leaderboard is how many golfers remain realistically in contention to win the event. While Hideki Matsuyama will take the lead into the final round, 10 golfers sit within three shots on a course that has generated countless scoring streaks this week.
The closing stretch of holes — Nos. 11 through 18 — has been pure cinema. Half of those holes played over par, while the other half presented some of the best scoring opportunities on the course. They also occupy a section of land lined with tens of thousands of screaming fans, making no single stroke a small feat. It’s a combination that should lead to a compelling finish and has also created plenty of wagering options and value opportunities for the final round.
Highlights | Round 3 | WM Phoenix Open
Let's look at the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
| Player | Outright winner | Top 5 (Incl. Ties) | Top 10 (Incl. Ties) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hideki Matsuyama | +260 | −360 | −1400 |
| Si Woo Kim | +520 | −205 | −800 |
| Maverick McNealy | +590 | −168 | −650 |
| Nicolai Højgaard | +790 | −124 | −420 |
| Ryo Hisatsune | +1125 | +105 | −330 |
| Jake Knapp | +1275 | +114 | −310 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | +1275 | +112 | −320 |
| Michael Thorbjornsen | +1425 | +122 | −285 |
| Akshay Bhatia | +2050 | +172 | −198 |
| Scottie Scheffler | +2100 | +198 | −186 |
| Viktor Hovland | +5300 | +345 | −104 |
Maverick McNealy to win (+560)
Since the start of 2025, McNealy has collected eight top-10 finishes — the fifth-most on TOUR during that span. The only thing missing is a trophy on Sunday afternoon. He sits inside the top 15 in both Strokes Gained: Approach and Strokes Gained: Putting this week, a diabolical combination. With back-to-back top-10 finishes at the WM Phoenix Open, McNealy should be comfortable with his position on the leaderboard and has all the tools needed to close this out.
Scottie Scheffler, Top 10 Finish (-184)
After opening with a 2-over 73, Scottie Scheffler has worked his way back up the leaderboard with rounds of 65 and 67. He has been one of the better players on the course over the past two days, and there is still plenty of juice left to squeeze from his game. His third-round momentum stalled after missing a 3-foot-7-inch par putt on the 12th hole. Scheffler has also struggled on the front nine this week, playing those holes exactly to field average — a rarity for him over the past few years. If he can start fast and avoid the silly mistakes, Scheffler should continue climbing the board.
Michael Brennan, Top 20 Finish (-104)
Michael Brennan has improved each round this week, posting scores of 70-69-67. His superpower has been his driver, which has gained him nearly 1.5 strokes on the field. Even more impressive has been his iron play. Brennan sits inside the top 20 in Strokes Gained: Approach despite hitting just 64% of his greens in regulation. That suggests he’s producing a high volume of above-average approach shots — many of which are turning into birdies.
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