2013 Waste Management Phoenix Open Media Notes

Coming off a final-round collapse a week earlier at the Farmers Insurance Open, Stanley turned the tables on the field at TPC Scottsdale to claim his first PGA TOUR title.

Stanley played the final round without a bogey on his way to shooting a 6-under, 65. He made six birdies on Sunday including back to back birdies on two and three and again on thirteen and fourteen. For the tournament Stanley made 18 birdies and two eagles to finish at 15-under par, one stroke better than Ben Crane (-14) and two better than the 54 hole leader Spencer Levin (-13). ,

Over the last two seasons, there have been seven winners who came back from at least six strokes back in the final round to win, including Brian Gay at the Humana Challenge two weeks ago. Gay trailed Scott Stallings by six entering the final round and went on to defeat Charles Howell III and David Lingmerth in a sudden-death playoff.

Largest 54-hole comebacks since 2012:

8 Kyle Stanley/Waste Management Phoenix Open

7 Brandt Snedeker/Farmers Insurance Open

7 John Huh/Mayakoba Golf Classic

7 Tommy Gainey/McGladrey Classic

6 Phil Mickelson/AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

6 Marc Leishman/Travelers Championship

6 Ernie Els/British Open

6 Brian Gay/Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation

More on Stanley:

Stanley was just one of two players, Ben Crane the other, to post all four rounds in the 60s in 2012.

Stanley’s win came in his first start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

Stanley is seeking to become just the sixth player to successfully defend a title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open – Ben Hogan (1946-47), Jimmy Demaret (1949-50), Lloyd Mangrum (1952-53), Arnold Palmer (1961-63) and Johnny Miller (1974-75).

A look at the field

The first three winners of 2013: Dustin Johnson (Hyundai Tournament of Champions), Russell Henley (Sony Open in Hawaii) and Brian Gay (Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation). The rookie Henley won his first TOUR start as a member and has posted 64 or better in four of his eight rounds in 2013.

24 players won PGA TOUR events in 2012. Among them is reigning Masters champion, Bubba Watson, as
well as three-time Masters champion, PGA Champion, World Golf Hall of Fame member and ASU grad Phil Mickelson.

Players in the field with seven or more PGA TOUR wins: Phil Mickelson (40), Vijay Singh (34 wins), David Toms (13 wins), Justin Leonard (12 wins), K.J. Choi (8 wins), Mike Weir (8 wins) and Geoff Ogilvy (7 wins).

Past champions in the field: Kyle Stanley (2012), Mark Wilson (2011), Hunter Mahan (2010), J.B. Holmes (2006, 2008), Aaron Baddeley (2007), Phil Mickelson (1996, 2005), Vijay Singh (1995, 2003), Jesper
Parnevik (1998).

14 of the 30 players that qualified for the 2012 TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola will play in the Waste Management Phoenix Open: Brandt Snedeker, Nick Watney, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan, Keegan Bradley, Bo Van Pelt, Robert Garrigus, Scott Piercy, Rickie Fowler, John Huh, Ryan Moore, Jason Dufner and Carl Pettersson.

Making their first starts of the season are three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and former PGA Championship winner Martin Kaymer. The rookie Kaymer of Germany lives in Scottsdale.

Five players that competed for the U.S. Team in the 2012 Ryder Cup: Keegan Bradley, Brandt Snedeker, Phil Mickelson, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson. Nicolas Colsaerts and Martin Kaymer from the victorious Ryder Cup team are also in the field.

Arizona State has eight active former players playing on the PGA TOUR in 2013, tied with Oklahoma State for fourth-most behind the University of Georgia (10), Georgia Tech (9) and UNLV (9).

The last two FedExCup champions are in the Waste Wanagement Phoenix Open field (Brandt Snedeker/2012 and Bill Haas/2011). Snedeker led the 2012 PGA TOUR in strokes gained – putting outperforming the TOUR average by +.860 strokes per round.

12-time international winner Ryo Ishikawa will make his second start of the PGA TOUR season this week and first start at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

The last eight PGA TOUR Rookies of the Year: John Huh (2012), Keegan Bradley (2011), Rickie Fowler (2010), Marc Leishman (2009), Andres Romero (2008), Brandt Snedeker (2007), Trevor Immelman (2006)
and Sean O’Hair (2005).

Tournament notes

Since 2000, only four players have followed a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open with another victory the same year. The most recent was Hunter Mahan in 2010, who won the World Golf Championships-
Bridgestone Invitational after his win in Scottsdale. The others; Kenny Perry (2009) Phil Mickelson (2005) and Vijay Singh (2003).

Since 2000, the only players to have made their Waste Management Phoenix Open win their career first were Kyle Stanley (2012), J.B. Holmes (2006) and Jonathan Kaye (2004).

Since 1980, the only two players to win the Waste Management Phoenix Open in a first attempt was Jeff Mitchell (1980) and Kyle Stanley (2012).