PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open Second Round Suspended Due to Extreme Weather Conditions

The second round of the WM Phoenix Open was suspended indefinitely on Friday afternoon as extreme weather conditions made play impossible at TPC Scottsdale. Sustained winds exceeding 40 mph, combined with severe thunderstorms and hail, forced tournament officials to evacuate the course with 78 players still needing to complete their rounds.

Scottie Scheffler was leading the tournament at 8-under-par when play was halted at 2:47 PM local time, just two holes into his second round. The world number one had been on a remarkable run, following up his opening 64 with birdies on his first two holes of the day before the weather deterioration forced him to seek shelter.

The famous 16th hole's stadium was quickly evacuated as golf balls were being blown off tees and putting greens became unplayable due to the fierce winds. Several players reported difficulty even standing upright on exposed areas of the course, with Rory McIlroy describing the conditions as "the worst I've ever experienced in professional golf."

Victor Hovland was among those most affected by the suspension, having been 2-over-par through 14 holes and potentially facing elimination from weekend play if he couldn't complete his round strongly. The Norwegian expressed frustration with the timing but acknowledged that player safety had to be the primary concern.

Tournament director Troy Russell announced that officials would assess conditions throughout the evening and early Saturday morning before determining when play could resume. The PGA Tour's meteorology team predicted that winds would diminish overnight, potentially allowing for an early morning restart.

The weather delay has significant implications for the tournament schedule, as organizers may need to extend play into Monday if conditions don't improve sufficiently. This would mark only the third time in the event's 91-year history that the tournament extended beyond Sunday, highlighting the exceptional nature of the weather disruption that has gripped the Southwest this week.

Despite the challenging conditions, ticket holders who remained in covered areas of the course were treated to some spectacular golf before the suspension, including a hole-in-one by amateur qualifier Jake Thompson on the par-3 12th hole.