Charley Hoffman ends underdog run in playoff at WM Phoenix Open as runner-up

It’s been 2,849 days since Charlie Hoffman’s last PGA Tour victory, and the 19-year-old veteran is closer to ending his WM Phoenix Open drought.

If it weren’t for Nick Taylor’s birdie on the 18th hole. Hoffman had an incredible fourth round with a bogey-eagle-birdie-birdie streak on holes 12-15. He finished Sunday’s fourth round at 7-under par and shot 64 for a 21-under 263 total. But Taylor closed in on Hoffman on Sunday afternoon and was one stroke behind at the final hole, forcing a playoff.

Hoffman birdied two extra holes with Taylor, playing the 18th twice and recording a birdie on the first OT hole, but needed Taylor’s birdie and par to win the title in a wild finish Sunday. Nick Taylor stole the 2024 WM Phoenix Open title after a playoff with Charlie Hoffman.

“I did not hesitate to argue until the end. So I have to give credit to Nick. He returned with birdies on the 16th and 18th holes. He birdied four of the last five holes he played,” Hoffman said. “I opened my door. I gave myself a chance. I left her short in regulation, knowing she’d have a hard time catching me once I got to #22. But I like juice. I like to compete. This creates a small fire inside. I definitely want to come back here.”

And to pull it off on Sunday with a team that was largely out of the tournament due to weather and freeze delays is an impressive feat. But blue skies and fine temperatures made the 76-minute delay in the morning frost feel like a last dreary day.

Hoffman, whose last tour win was the 2016 Valero Texas Open, battled a skin cancer scare last year. Earlier this week, Hoffman was confident of winning the tournament. Hoffman, who competed in 23 events last year, did not place in the top 10 in any event. Aged 47, he isn’t even in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Throughout the tournament, he beat some of the best players in the world, including Rickie Fowler and Max Homa, but lost to both. “I want to kick all these young people out. Trust me. I want to sit there and beat them,” Hoffman said. “I want to participate in this signature event and be the best in the world. “As long as I’m healthy, I can still compete and I want to show them that I can still win,” he said.

Hoffman and defending champion Scotty Scheffler took the lead in a roller coaster race Sunday led by Taylor and Sahit Tegala. Hoffman competed with three birdies in the first nine holes and Scheffler tied the score with five bogeys. Schaeffler, who won the WM Phoenix Open for the third consecutive year, missed the feat. He finished the fourth round with a 5-under par 66 and an 18-under par 266 total. Arnold Palmer remains the only golfer to win three consecutive Open titles.

Given the way this year’s tournament has played out, it’s even more impressive that the leading teams have shown strength after such a short period between rounds. Most delays were limited to about 15-20 minutes for the leaders to eat and regroup between laps 3 and 4.

But the long day didn’t stop Taylor and Hoffman from finishing 18th. “We have great fans here,” Hoffman said. “I know there was some criticism about the behavior of the fans yesterday, but today in Phoenix there were nothing but hot fans supporting the WM Open. The Thunderbirds put on a great event this week and we can’t wait to come back next year.”