About the Event: Only two non-Americans (Aaron Baddeley and Vijay Singh) have landed the Phoenix Open this century. The field this week contains 16 of the world's top-50 ranked players and eight previous winners of a tournament that regular attracts huge galleries who are very vociferous and create a party-like atmosphere.

Course Characteristics: Built in the Sonoran desert, the track has a stadium-style layout with firm, fast fairways, twisting greens and strategically-placed bunkers that make accuracy the key factor.

The Main Men

Webb Simpson (18-1): A 67 on the final day of last year's renewal was good enough for eighth place. Began 2012 with a third in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions but slightly disappointing subsequently when 38th in the Sony Open.

Brandt Snedeker (20-1): A couple of top-10s in his last four outings in this competition and a play-off victory at Torrey Pines last Sunday makes him an obvious candidate for the winner's enclosure again.

Matt Kuchar (25-1): Best return in recent starts in Phoenix was a sixth in 2009, thanks mainly to a couple of 67s in the first two rounds. Made a solid seasonal reappearance when 22nd in the Humana Challenge where he was ranked in the top-25 in most of the important stats.

Martin Laird (25-1): Missed two missed cuts prior to a third in the 2011 Phoenix Open and has to be one for the short-list with seven of his eight rounds this term being in the 60s, leading to second and 14th place finishes.

Phil Mickelson (25-1): A two-time winner of this event and has registered four other top-10s since 2002. Missing the cut in his hometown of San Diego will have hurt his pride, so no surprise if he plays well in the state where he spent his college days.

Nick Watney (25-1): No missed cuts in his last five appearances in Phoenix and fifth place 12 months ago makes him a serious candidate this week. However, he was a slightly disappointing 60th in his home state of California last week.

Rickie Fowler (28-1): Finished runner-up in the 2010 edition of the Phoenix Open and shot a 62 on the way to 13th last year. Was a decent 13th last Sunday in San Diego where he was ranked second for driving accuracy and pars made. This offers a good opportunity to break his duck on the PGA tour.

Keegan Bradley (33-1): Making his debut here, but three solid efforts already this season suggest that should not be a hindrance. Was ranked second for driving accuracy and fifth for distance when 22nd in the Farmers Insurance Open last week.

Bill Haas (33-1): Was in third place for the first three days of last year's Phoenix Open until a disastrous 76 saw him slip down to 29th. One to consider after returning to form with a fourth at Torrey Pines last week.

Mark Wilson (40-1): Has won a tournament within the first three months in three of the last four seasons. Had the Sony Open cheque banked prior to landing this event 12 months ago and bagged the first prize in the Humana Challenge a couple of weeks ago.

Jason Dufner (45-1): Unlucky to lose in the play-off to Mark Wilson last year but could go one better after posting a promising 12th in the Humana Challenge (second for accuracy, fifth for birdies).

Camilo Villegas (50-1): Runner-up in 2006 and eighth in 2010, while he's led at the halfway stage twice in his last three appearances. Two solid efforts (19th and 22nd) this term so could be in the shake-up.

Gary Woodland (50-1): A closing 66 helped earn a share of fifth in the 2011 Phoenix Open while he was also ninth for birdies. Yet to hit top form this term but that performance at Scottsdale 12 months ago was encouraging.

YE Yang (66-1): Seven of his eight rounds in this tournament have been in the 60s, earning him top-10s in each of the last two seasons. That makes him a leading contender despite missing the cut in the Farmers Insurance Open.

Jimmy Walker (125-1): Six of eight rounds under par and tied 24th may not be the greatest course form, but an eighth in the Farmers Insurance Open, where he was in the top-25 in both driving stats and eighth for putts per GIR, is a decent level.