Waste Management Phoenix Open 2019: 3-Way Tie Atop Leaderboard After Round 1

Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Harold Varner III are tied atop the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open leaderboard after shooting opening-round 64s on Thursday.

Martin Laird and J.T. Poston are one stroke behind at six under. A group of five golfers, spearheaded by Bubba Watson, shot a five-under 66. The TPC Scottsdale course was forgiving for the vast majority of the field, with 89 golfers shooting even par or better.

"The thing about this course, I haven't played it that great, even though I like it tee to green," Thomas said, per Brentley Romine of Golf Channel. "I feel like it suits my game, but I just have kind of have had a round here or there and a couple holes. And you just have to stay patient because you can get on a pretty good roll out here."

Thomas and Fowler, who are good friends, are sharing a house this week in Phoenix. Fowler said he wanted "bragging rights" from his housemate but had to settle for a three-way tie atop the leaderboard.

"It's going to be fun," Fowler said. "Hopefully, we can keep it going into Sunday and put on a little boxing match."

Thomas is the top-ranked player in the field at No. 4. Thomas, Jon Rahm (No. 6) and Xander Schauffele (No. 7) are the only top-10 players in the field. 

Varner, currently the world No. 157, seemed more happy about his Call of Duty prowess than an opening round in which he made eight birdies. 

"I got a win last night; that's what I was really pumped about," Varner said, per Romine.

Gary Woodland, who won the event last year, is in a tie for 27th after shooting a three-under 68. He's in a group of 12 players that also includes Hideki Matsuyama and Phil Mickelson. Matsuyama won the Phoenix Open in both 2016 and 2017, and Mickelson is a three-time winner at the event. A fourth win would give Mickelson, an Arizona State graduate, the most trophies in the tournament's storied history.

The top 10 being all within two strokes of one another is no surprise given recent history. Each of the last three Phoenix Opens have gone to a playoff.