Ryan Lavner picks the three most likely players to triumph at the WM Phoenix Open this week

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The WM Phoenix Open returns this week, with world number one and two-time winner Scottie Scheffler leading the field in the latest PGA Tour event.

Scheffler likes playing the WM Phoenix Open despite its famously rowdy atmosphere, with the American having won the event in 2022 and 2023.

Nick Taylor won the WM Phoenix Open last time out, edging out Charley Hoffman in a playoff as Scheffler finished T3.

Scheffler is making his second start of the 2025 PGA Tour season in Arizona, having missed out on the initial action through injury.

He returned at the AT&T Pebble Beach last week, finishing T9 as world number three Rory McIlroy emerged victorious.

Scottie Scheffler among Ryan Lavner’s favourites for WM Phoenix Open title

McIlroy isn’t in the field for the latest tournament, but Scheffler is joined by the likes of Hideki Matsuyama and Wyndham Clark at TPC Scottsdale.

Sharing his picks for the event, Ryan Lavner said on the Golf Channel Podcast with Rex and Lav: “Player-wise this could be a Scottie Scheffler victory.

READ MORE: The four players with the most birdies or better per round at TPC Scottsdale since 2020 ahead of WM Phoenix Open

“We saw him tied for ninth last week at Pebble Beach and he seemingly had zero of the rust after what was nearly a two month lay off.

“He led the field in strokes gained approach, distance control and greens in regulation that is sort of the last thing to come back. He should be able to drive the ball better at TPC Scottsdale.

“It’s not as penal a golf course off the tee in terms of finding very small landing areas and if he gets that claw grip heating up. Tom Kim seems to be closing in on a victory. Hideki always plays well.”

Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim and Hideki Matsuyama 2025 results ahead of WM Phoenix Open

Scheffler impressively finished on 15-under at Pebble Beach to tie with Taylor Pendrith and Billy Horschel.

The trio ended up six shots behind champion McIlroy, who ended his first start of the season on 21-under to claim his first win at the iconic Californian course.

READ MORE: Watch the Tiger Woods shot at the WM Phoenix Open that has been labelled ‘the greatest shot’ in golfing history

Kim, however, outperformed Scheffler to finish T7 on 16-under for his best result of 2025, having finished T65 at the Sony Open before missing the cut at The American Express.

Matsuyama meanwhile is on a consistently downward trajectory, having won The Sentry at the beginning of the season.

Since then, he has finished T16 and T32 at the Sony Open and Farmers Insurance Open respectively, before ending on seven-under to finish T48 at Pebble Beach.