Phoenix Open updates: Taylor wins tournament on 2nd playoff hole over Hoffman

The wild 2024 WM Phoenix Open did not end before Super Bowl 58 kicked off, but considering how many hours were lost this week to rain and frost delays, the fact that the People's Open ended on Sunday is certainly noteworthy. The leaders' third rounds spilled over into Sunday, and they played as many as 30 holes to finish the tournament, preventing the first Monday finish at TPC Scottsdale since 2011, when frozen ground pushed the first round to Friday. The leaderboard saw a lot of golfers go low in perfect conditions Sunday afternoon, including Scottie Scheffler, who won the Open the past two years and was trying to become the first Phoenix Open three-peat winner since Arnold Palmer from 1961-63. Here's a look at the activity on Sunday in north Scottsdale.

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Nick Taylor captures WM Phoenix Open in playoff

Nick Taylor sank an 11-foot putt on the second playoff hole to capture the 2024 WM Phoenix Open over Charley Hoffman on Sunday. It is Taylor's third career PGA Tour victory, and first since winning the 2023 Canadian Open, also in a playoff as he became the first Canadian to win that country's national tournament since 1954.

Hoffman was sitting pretty with a 3-shot lead when he closed his fourth round at 21-under par, but playing several groups ahead of the final golfers, all he could do was watch as Taylor steadily tracked him down with three late birdies, including the final hole of regulation.

The Phoenix Open's playoff takes place on No. 18, and the first time around Taylor sank a 14-foot birdie par, matched by Hoffman from 7 feet. Both golfers missed the fairway on their second playoff drives, and Taylor grabbed the advantage with his approach, which was 17 feet closer than Hoffman's.

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Nick Taylor catches Charley Hoffman, forces playoff

The runaway didn't quite materialize for Charley Hoffman. He played solid, confident golf in Round 4 and carded a 7-under 64 to get to 21-under, but couldn't do anything about hard-charging Nick Taylor, who played bogey-free golf in the final round, birdieing 15, 16 and, dramatically, curling in a 9 footer on 18 to force a playoff, the 12th in Phoenix Open history since moving to TPC Scottsdale in 1987.

Previous sudden-death playoffs:2022: Scottie Scheffler def. Patrick Cantlay, 3 holes2020: Webb Simpson def. Tony Finau, 1 hole2018: Gary Woodland def. Chez Reavie, 1 hole2017: Hideki Matsuyama def. Webb Simpson, 4 holes2016: Hideki Matsuyama def. Rickie Fowler, 4 holes2011: Mark Wilson def. Jason Dufner, 2 holes2009: Kenny Perry def. Charlie Hoffman, 3 holes2008: J.B. Holmes def. Phil Mickelson, 1 hole1996: Phil Mickelson def. Justin Leonard, 3 holes1995: Vijay Singh def. Billy Mayfair, 1 hole1988: Sandy Lyle def. Fred Couples, 3 holes

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Charley Hoffman beginning to pull away at WM Phoenix Open

A crowded Sunday leaderboard is now starting to look more like a runaway for Charley Hoffman, who went eagle-birdie-birdie on holes 13-15 and now is two holes away from his first PGA Tour victory since 2016. He is 21-under playing No. 17, three shots ahead of Nick Taylor.

Playing in his 18th consecutive WM Phoenix Open Hoffman, from San Diego, is trying to nab an elusive win at TPC Scottsdale. Fifteen years ago he lost in a playoff to Kenny Perry in what was then called the FBR Open. Interestingly Hoffman, who turned 47 in December, lost that playoff to Perry when he was 48, the oldest winning in the tournament's history.

Scheffler pulls into three-way tie atop leaderboard

After bogeying the seventh hole — on which he putted a birdie attempt into a greenside bunker — Scottie Scheffler got that stroke back on the seventh, draining a 12-footer for birdie. He is now in a three-way tie for the lead as he goes for a third consecutive WM Phoenix Open title.

Scheffler, Charley Hoffman and Nick Taylor are all at 17-under par. Sahith Theegala is close behind at 15-under, while Sam Burns and Kurt Kitayama are lingering at 14-under. The leaders are hitting the end of the front nine and turning towards the tournament's final stretch.

Third round, finally, is over; leaders on to Round 4

When Nick Taylor rolled in his final putt on No. 18 at 12:03 p.m., that officially ended the third round of the WM Phoenix Open.

That putt left him in a tie after 54 holes with Sahith Theegala, both at 15-under 198 for the tournament.

The leaders will have about 15-20 minutes to grab a bite and otherwise regroup before setting out for their final rounds. Of course, Round 4 is already underway for the golfers lower in the field. That play actually started at 10:15 a.m. And, in another unusual wrinkle in this most unusual of Phoenix Opens, the golfers will stay in the same threesomes they played in for Round 3. This is the first time it's happened on tour since the 2022 Barbasol Championship.

Tournament officials did, however, have time to cut new holes and adjust tee box locations as the field wrapped up play on the various holes.

Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel yell at unruly fans

The WM Phoenix Open bills itself as “The People’s Open,” but with its boisterous fans — who are often overserved, especially at the par-3 16th party hole — and different vibe, the PGA Tour’s annual stop in Phoenix might not be for everyone, especially the old-school pros.

Zach Johnson could be a new name on that list. The 12-time winner on Tour has made 14 appearances at the Phoenix Open dating back to 2005 when it was the FBR Open. He made the cut in 12 of those starts and has bagged six top-25 finishes and a top 10. In other words, Johnson is no stranger to the scene at TPC Scottsdale, which made the video below all the more curious.

The 47-year-old blew up at fans during the third round of the 2024 WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Saturday, and the confrontation was caught on camera.

“Somebody said it, I’m just sick of it. Just shut up,” Johnson said to a group of fans before security stepped in on the par-5 15th-hole tee box.

The Tour wants the WM Phoenix Open to be fun, but all that fun can come at a disruptive cost. It’s unclear what led to the interaction, and maybe Johnson was justified in telling the fan to pipe down. But if you can’t handle a heckler, then the People’s Open just might not be for you anymore.

You can also add Billy Horschel to the list. The seven-time winner went off on a fan, justifiably so, after someone in the gallery was talking during a player’s swing. This video may not be safe for delicate ears.

With the third round and final round still to be completed, the players could be in for a long Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.

—Adam Woodard, Golfweek

Don't look now, but here comes Scottie Scheffler

Amid all the rain and mud and frost that's bedeviled this tournament, two-time defending Phoenix Open champion Scottie Scheffler's quietly gone about his business. And even as fan-favorite Sahith Theegala moved up to the top of the leaderboard at 14-under, Scheffler caught fire on Sunday morning, and at one point in Round 3 was tied for second at 13-under before giving back a stroke on No. 14.

Before that bogey, Scheffler had reeled off five consecutive birdies on holes 9-13, sinking a 17-foot putt on No. 12.

Play underway after several frost delays

The third round of the WM Phoenix Open resumed at 8:46 a.m. after the expected start time was pushed back several times because of frost.

Nick Taylor, the overnight leader, did not get off to a hot start, three-putting the 7th green for bogey, and fell back to 12-under. He's now tied with Sahith Theegala.

Sunday morning opens with frost delay

As anticipated, the resumption of play at TPC Scottsdale, which was supposed to happen at an optimistic 7:30 a.m., has been pushed back several times. The latest projection for when play will start is 8:45 a.m.

The leaderboard when play resumes shows Nick Taylor on top at 13 under par through six holes of his third round, followed by Sahith Theegala one shot back, also through six holes. Behind them, 15 golfers lurk within five shots of Taylor's pace.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Open updates: Nick Taylor wins tournament on 2nd playoff hole