Canadian golfer Nick Taylor clinches a dramatic victory to cap a chaotic yet thrilling week at the WM Phoenix Open. (Photo by Ethan Briggs/Cronkite News)
SCOTTSDALE – Golden hour was nearing its end at TPC Scottsdale’s 18th hole Sunday evening. Weather, headlining much of the weekend, was not the primary focus on this picture-perfect day.
A spirited North American rivalry was.
“U-S-A!” was quickly contested by “CAN-A-DA!” in a Ryder Cup-like atmosphere among the playoff patrons.
Nick Taylor, who grew up playing hockey at a young age, found himself in a shootout situation against an American foe in Charley Hoffman. The energy of the crowd had the feel of a classic United States vs. Canada rivalry as Canadian fans ran back and forth alongside the 18th fairway.
In the end, the fans from the North had the most to cheer about as Taylor rallied from three down with four holes left in regulation to beat Hoffman on the second hole of a playoff Sunday, closing the book on a chaotic and controversial week at the Phoenix Open.
“The support was incredible,” Taylor said. “A little rivalry with the USA chants and ‘Go Canada.’ It was pretty fun to be around, so it was fun all week.”
The atmosphere was not surprising. Arizona attracts close to a million Canadian visitors each year, according to the Canada Arizona Business Council. Approximately 100,000 of them are considered residential tourists.
Reaction from the patrons at WM Phoenix Open after Nick Taylor wins it on the second playoff hole #WMOpen pic.twitter.com/Bi7T6U1rl1
— Josh Jones (@jones_josh5) February 12, 2024
Taylor, 35, resumed third-round play on Sunday morning, playing 12 holes and finishing the round with a 68. It was a quick turnaround heading into the final round with less than 15 minutes to tee off following the completion of his third round.
“It was a marathon day,” Taylor said. “We signed our scorecard after the third round, and I had eight minutes to go to the tee. I don’t know if that riled me a little bit, but it was just a long day.”
During Taylor’s 30-hole marathon, he made 10 birdies and an additional two birdies in the playoff victory. He tied the course record Thursday, shooting a 60 in the rainy and cold conditions. Confidence appears to be growing for Taylor following his marquee win at the RBC Canadian Open in 2023.
Hoffman had an opportunity to close the door on Taylor with a putt on 18 to put him at 22 under, but missed the putt. He held a three-shot lead heading into the 17th hole and appeared to have a commanding lead. Hoffman had been struggling with back issues in recent years but made an inspiring comeback Sunday.
“(It has been) a long road, my back has been bad, a lot of maintenance,” Hoffman said. “It’s been nice to show up every week and be able to practice and play. I can’t compete with these guys with a sore back but if I’m healthy I still got it.”
Canadian golfer Nick Taylor engages in a playoff showdown with American contender Charley Hoffman at the WM Phoenix Open. (Photo by Ethan Briggs/Cronkite News)
Hoffman’s last victory on Tour was at the 2016 Valero Texas Open. With The Genesis Invitational next week, Hoffman had extra incentive with his success in Scottsdale. He contacted Tiger Woods for a potential exemption into the Genesis Invitational and was turned down. After his play this past weekend, he needed to rearrange his weekend plans.
“I guess I’m playing next week, I’m not going skiing,” he said.
Two-time defending champion, Scottie Scheffler made a powerful push while competing among the leaders in the final stretch, but fell short by three strokes.
“I’d say I’m a bit frustrated,” Scheffler said. “I didn’t really finish the way I wanted to, but I gave myself a good chance this week. Played a lot of solid golf, did a lot of good things.”
The final round offered a positive ending to a week marked by controversy. Heavy rains closed parking lots, resulting in long lines for shuttle buses and frustrated fans. On Saturday afternoon, the tournament stopped allowing fans in because of heavy crowds as muddy conditions made popular viewing locations unusable. Alcohol sales by many vendors around the course were also stopped Saturday afternoon in the hope of slowing down some of the revelry.
The Thunderbirds offered an apology on social media Sunday, saying the organization is “gathering more details and discussion options on how to remedy (fans’) concerns.”
Taylor’s dramatic victory provided a welcome distraction.
