[PHOTO: Andy Lyons]
Golf fans who also are Super Bowl fans had to love Thomas Detry at this year’s WM Phoenix Open. Instead of producing the threat of a playoff that would bring the tournament close to or past kickoff of the Super Bowl (think Scottie Scheffler going three extra holes in 2022 before downing Patrick Cantlay), Detry took a five-shot lead into the final day and kept a multi-shot margin the entire day on the way to his first PGA Tour title.
The last time Detry held a final-round lead this big was on the Challenge Tour. Sleeping on this lead was different, though, with that all a win on the big tour brings with it – and Detry responded with a final-round 65.
TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium course is a venue that habitually rewards strong iron play, with four of the previous five winners ranking in the top six in greens in regulation. Detry continued that trend by ranking first in GIR as well in strokes gained/approach the green with his Callaway Apex MB irons (with Project X 6.5 Rifle shafts) and Callaway Opus wedges.
Although there were any number of shots that could be pointed too, his 9-iron into the par-4 11th to nine feet that set up a birdie along with a clinching 9-iron at the 165-metre 16th to a foot was typical of his work with his muscle-back blades.
Detry, the first Belgian to win on the PGA Tour, cashed in on his precise approaches by ranking second in strokes gained/putting. Detry uses an Odyssey O-Works Black #7, a “wing”-like mallet the company brought out in 2017.
The putter was working well today, but not in a way many fans would notice. Rather than rattling off a bunch of birdies, it was a string of impressive two-putts that allowed Detry to settle into the round while burning off some holes. After a 14-foot birdie at the third regained a shot he lost at the second, he two-putted from 53, 85, 46 and 40 feet on the next four holes. Another from 44 feet at the par-5 15th proved pivotal as it kept his lead over Daniel Berger at three shots – a lead he built on coming in.
Much to the relief of fans of both golf and American football.
The clubs Thomas Detry used to win the 2025 WM Phoenix Open:
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Driver: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond (Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Blue 70TX), 9 degrees
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond, 16.5 degrees
Hybrid: Callaway Epic, 18 degrees
Irons (4): Callaway Apex Pro; (5-PW): Callaway Apex MB
Wedges: Callaway Opus Raw (50, 54, 58 degrees)
Putter: Odyssey O-Works Black #7
