Hovland WDs from WMPO; six top-10 players still slated to play

The WM Phoenix Open has lost its second highest-ranked player.

Viktor Hovland, who is No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, withdrew from the non-signature event at TPC Scottsdale on Monday. No reason was given, and Hovland was replaced in the field by Victor Perez.

Another DP World Tour graduate, Alexander Bjork, was bumped up to first alternate.

Hovland is coming off a T-58 finish over 54 holes at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He also was T-22 of 59 players at The Sentry.

Hovland’s withdrawal leaves six of the top 10 players in the world competing, including two-time defending champion and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. No. 5 Xander Schauffele, No. 6 Wyndham Clark (last week’s winner), No. 8 Max Homa, No. 9 Matt Fitzpatrick and No. 10 Brian Harman join Scheffler in the field.