Hideki Matsuyama tops 2026 WM Phoenix Open leaderboard eyeing third win at TPC Scottsdale

Matsuyama has been nearly unstoppable in this tournament historically, and a run up the leaderboard on Moving Day has him positioned for yet another trip to the winner's circle

Two-time WM Phoenix Open champion Hideki Matsuyama is in prime position to capture a third title at TPC Scottsdale after shooting a 68 on Saturday to take sole possession of the lead entering Sunday's final round. After propelling himself into contention with a 64 on Friday, a steady hand on the Moving Day back nine ensured that the Japanese standout would have an opportunity to raise another trophy in Arizona.

Matsuyama made his move early, birdieing the first hole to share the lead, staying there for the rest of the day. It was an eventful start for Matsuyama with three birdies and two bogeys in his first five holes, but he eventually settled in and cruised around TPC Scottsdale without much drama. 

As is typically the case for Matsuyama, the story of his tournament thus far is a hot putter. Putting has long been his biggest weakness, but at TPC Scottsdale, he's extremely comfortable on the greens. It shows in a top 10 performance thus far in strokes gained putting. He's been nails inside 10 feet, pouring in some long ones by matching line and speed beautifully in the desert.

For as solid as Saturday was for Matsuyama, he didn't take it as low as his team would have liked in that final grouping, and as a result, the leaderboard has bunched up behind him. Nine players are within two shots of the lead going into the final round, and everyone in the field knows there are some 65s to be had out there on Sunday that could bring even more players into the mix.

The weather is expected to be ideal again on Sunday, but if it follows the same pattern with the wind picking up late, those who go off a little earlier in the day might be able to apply some pressure to those final groups on a firm golf course. Among those in position to make an early Sunday charge is World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler -- also a two-time winner at this event -- who got off to a slow start to his third round before kicking it in gear late to shoot a 67 and move into T16 at 8 under, five off Matsuyama's pace. 

Scheffler left a few out there to start in his round, and if he can get off to a faster start on Sunday and put his name on the first page of the leaderboard, it will certainly give Matsuyama and the rest of those at the top of the leaderboard something to think about. 

Leader

1. Hideki Matsuyama (-13): Matsuyama's record around TPC Scottsdale is fantastic, but it has been four years since he was last in contention here. This time around, he seems to be in full control of his game tee-to-green again, and his familiarity and comfort on the greens at this course are evident in the confidence he's shown with the putter. The question going into Sunday will be whether he can post enough birdies to win, but no one in the field has been better this week at avoiding bogeys, which means those chasing Matsuyama can't expect him to come back to the field.

Matsuyama has never lost a tournament where he's held the solo lead going into the final round, converting all five chances into victories, per Justin Ray. 

Contenders

T2. Nicolai Højgaard, Maverick McNealy, Si Woo Kim, Ryo Hisatsune (-12)
T6. Matt Fitzpatrick, Michael Thorbjornsen, Jake Knapp (-11)
10. John Parry (-10)
T11. Viktor Hovland, Min Woo Lee, Rasmus Højgaard, Chris Gotterup, Pierceson Coody (-9)
T16. Scottie Scheffler and three others (-8)

The top of the leaderboard is littered with players who have been playing terrific golf to start 2026, which should set up an exciting final-round finish. Most of them are fresh off strong third-round performances, riding waves of confidence into Sunday. 

Hovland, McNealy, Thorbjornsen and Nicolai Højgaard all posted 65s on Saturday for the low rounds of the day, climbing into contention after starting the round well off the pace. Kim, Knapp and Rasmus Højgaard were close behind with 5-under 66s, and they all ought to be thinking about backing that up with a similar performance on Sunday if they're going to pull off a comeback victory. 

Hisatsune seemed a little tight in the final grouping on Saturday, finishing with a bogey to shoot 71, but he proved last week he has the game to hang around on a Sunday -- and he won't have to battle the final group nerves after sliding back to 12 under. 

Scheffler feels like the player furthest down the board who could realistically have a chance, and it's going to come down to him getting off to a faster start than we've seen from the World No. 1 all week. 

Updated 2026 WM Phoenix Open odds, picks

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook

• Hideki Matsuyama (23/10)
• Si Woo Kim (5-1)
• Maverick McNealy (6-1)
• Nicolai Højgaard (15/2)
• Ryo Hisatsune (11-1)
• Matt Fitzpatrick (14-1)
• Jake Knapp (14-1)
• Michael Thorbjornsen (16-1)
• Scottie Scheffler (22-1)

Matsuyama has the same odds as the solo leader going into Sunday as he did when he was one shot back after 36 holes. That presents a little value, even with as many players bunched up behind him as there are. Of that chase group, Kim is as good as it gets at taking it deep, and no one is better tee-to-green right now, though the putter under pressure is a concern. Fitzpatrick made a mess of things coming down the stretch with a double on No. 16 and a bogey on No. 18, but at 14-1, there's value on a guy who can pile up birdies at this course just two shots back. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 5:40 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Fitzpatrick came to the short par-3 16th with back-to-back birdies to grab a share of the lead at 13 under, but a disaster in front of the 20,000 fans surrounding the 16th saw him walk off with a double bogey 5 to fall to 11 under and into T5 on the leaderboard. Fitzpatrick found the bunker off the tee and then hit a poor recovery to the front of the green and three-putt from there to walk off with a stunning double bogey that could be extremely costly to his hopes of getting a win. 

If there's any consolation, he wasn't alone in slipping out of the lead, as while he was struggling at the 16th, Maverick McNealy's heater came to an end on the drivable par-4 17th. McNealy went way right off the tee and then found the back bunker with his second, and was unable to get up-and-down to save par, walking off with a disappointing bogey 5. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 5:03 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The leader on the course is at 13 under, but the early Saturday clubhouse lead belongs to Michael Thorbjornsen, as the 24-year-old posted a 6-under 65 in the third round to post 11 under -- good for solo fifth currently. 

He is looking for his first PGA Tour win and will hope Maverick McNealy cools off amid his red-hot run to the solo lead, and that the rest of the leaders on the course aren't able to take advantage of the birdie holes scattered throughout the back nine. Thorbjornsen closed his round with four birdies in his final six holes, and that's what awaits the final groups as they try to create a bit of separation on what's become a bunched leaderboard in Scottsdale. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 4:44 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

McNealy has made five birdies in his last seven holes to surge into a tie for the lead with Hideki Matsuyama and Ryo Hisatsune at 12 under. McNealy has birdies at Nos. 8, 9, 11, 13 and 14 to move into a share of the lead and has the par-5 15th, short par-3 16th and drivable par-4 17th coming up to see if he can take it even deeper and possibly take the solo lead late on Saturday. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 4:11 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

We haven't seen many players go low on Saturday at TPC Scottsdale as the firm greens have been more than enough protection for the course, even without any wind. Viktor Hovland is one of the few to take it deep in the third round, as his 6-under 65 is the low round of the day. 

Rasmus Højgaard is the only real threat to best that score on the course (-6 thru 16), and Hovland's efforts have pushed him into the top 10 after starting the day back in 37th. At 9 under, he's just two shots off the lead and will have a chance for his first win of the season on Sunday after not being part of the conversation coming into the weekend. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 3:38 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The World No. 1 is making his move on the back nine and is now 4 under on his round as he strolls into the stadium at the 16th hole. Scheffler narrowly reached the par-5 15th in two -- coming dangerously close to the water -- and then got down in two for his fifth birdie of the day. 

With the lead not changing yet from where it began the day at 11 under, it's opened the door for the likes of Scheffler and others -- like Viktor Hovland and Rasmus Højgaard, who are putting together the best rounds of the day -- to move into the top 10 and create a very bunched leaderboard at TPC Scottsdale. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 3:08 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

There's been no one hitting the ball better on the PGA Tour this season than Si Woo Kim, who is backing up his 62 on Friday with another spectacular start on Saturday. Kim is 4 under thru 6 holes thanks to a pair of birdies and an eagle, most recently stiffing his approach on the par-4 6th to get into a share of the lead at 11 under. 

He's now tied with Hideki Matsuyama -- who is yet to make a par today in his first five holes -- and Ryo Hisatsune. There are few players on the PGA Tour better at taking it way under par than Kim, who is as aggressive as they come, and the question now is whether he can stay hot or if he'll tempt fate a bit too much and put himself in some trouble attacking flags on a firm golf course. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 2:45 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The 4th hole at TPC Scottsdale produced a two-shot swing at the top of the leaderboard. Matsuyama poured in a long birdie putt to move to 12 under, while Ryo Hisatsune couldn't get up-and-down from over the green and fell back to 10 under, tied for second with Si Woo Kim and Akshay Bhatia. 

That means the two-time WM Phoenix Open champ Matsuyama is now two shots clear, and he'll be looking to pull away and create some distance from the rest of the field. We saw World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler make a brief charge with three birdies in four holes, but he gave one back with a three-putt on the par-3 12th to fall back to 6 under, now six shots off the pace. 

Matsuyama will not want the likes of Scheffler and others in the middle of the pack to feel like they're within striking distance by the end of Saturday. He'll have enough to worry about with those in the top 10 currently, and won't want to leave the door open for too many other challengers to try and go low on Sunday. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 2:19 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

It was a slow start to Saturday for the World No. 1, but after starting his third round with seven straight pars, he's starting to heat up. Scheffler birdied the 8th and added another on the 10th thanks to a perfect bunker shot that trickled into the hole. 

That moves Scheffler to 6 under and he's now just four shots back of the leaders after a hiccup from both of the leaders on No. 2. We've seen all week that low scores are possible on the back nine and if Scheffler can stack some birdies coming down the stretch, he'll apply some pressure to the leaders if they see his name pop up on leaderboards around TPC Scottsdale. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 2:09 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The second hole has been a birdie-fest for most of the day, but the two leaders struggled after wayward tee shots and both dropped back to 10 under with bogeys. Matsuyama put his tee shot way left in the desert and had to take a drop after ending up in a cactus, but nearly chipped in to save par. Hisatsune, meanwhile, pulled his tee shot into the left rough and left a lengthy birdie putt, but ran it a few feet by and lipped out his comeback effort for a disappointing three-putt bogey. 

They are now just one shot ahead of Akshay Bhatia, who birdied his first two holes of the day to get to 9 under and briefly break free of the pack at 8 under. Bhatia, Chris Gotterup and Si Woo Kim are all now on the par-5 3rd looking to pull a bit closer to the leaders. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 1:52 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Ryo Hisatsune has some company at the top of the leaderboard after the first hole of the third round. A birdie from two-time WM Phoenix Open champ Hideki Matsuyama at the first moves him to 11 under and tied with his fellow countryman, as they hold a three-shot advantage over the chase group in T3 at 8 under. 

That group at 8 under is now six players deep, but someone is going to have to push it deep if they're going to apply pressure to the two Japanese stars currently threatening to pull away from the field. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 1:42 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Leader Ryo Hisatsune is now on the course alongside Hideki Matsuyama and Pierceson Coody. Hisatsune and Matsuyama are still the only two players to reach double figures under par, as no one has made a significant charge so far on Saturday from back in the pack. 

That said, Coody now has more company at 8 under, as Akshay Bhatia and Si Woo Kim both birdied the first to join Chris Gotterup at 8 under in the penultimate group, while Jake Knapp is off to a 2 under start to join that group in T3. 

While the wind hasn't been a factor, the firm greens and longer rough at TPC Scottsdale this week are keeping scoring relatively muted. The low round on the course is Cameron Young at -3 thru 9, and he started on the back side which has been much easier this week. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 1:12 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

While Scottie Scheffler hasn't made the run up the leaderboard on Saturday many expected, we are seeing some new names climb onto the first page. Michael Thorbjornsen is the biggest early mover with a pair of birdies on his first three holes to move up to 7 under, good for T5 currently, four shots off the lead. 

Thorbjornsen is still looking for his first career victory, but put together an impressive season in 2025 that included four top-5 finishes, and he appears to be making an early move into that kind of position on the weekend at the WM Phoenix Open. 

[Feb 7, 2026 at 12:33 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Scottie Scheffler began the third round seven shots off the lead, but he was still considered one of the betting favorites to win. With very little wind forecast for Saturday in Scottsdale, most expected the World No. 1 to make an early charge to try and give the leaders something to think about. 

However, Scheffler has been a bit scratchy through his first few holes on Saturday, making four consecutive pars to open his round -- most notably failing to take advantage of the par-5 3rd. Not converting par-5s into birdies isn't usually the formula for a big comeback, but Scheffler got off to a similar start on Friday before turning it on midway through his front nine on his way to a 65. 

He'll need another performance like that to have a chance this week, as you'd expect Ryo Hisatsune, Hideki Matsuyama and some others to climb deeper under par given the scoring conditions at TPC Scottsdale. So far, Scheffler hasn't looked his sharpest and will need to find a rhythm soon if he's going to threaten a third WM Phoenix Open title.