Scottie Scheffler commits to Phoenix Open defense

World No. 2 Scottie Scheffler has committed to defend his title at the WM Phoenix Open in February.

Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Sam Burns were announced Thursday as part of the 2023 field at TPC Scottsdale, famous for its No. 16 stadium hole.

The Phoenix Open will serve as the second "elevated" event of the season as part of the PGA Tour's initiative to raise purses for its premier events in order to keep more players from defecting to LIV Golf. This year's Phoenix Open will have a $20 million purse.

Scheffler, 26, started a red-hot run by claiming his first PGA Tour title at the Phoenix Open in a playoff over Patrick Cantlay. He went on to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational and the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in March and capped it off by winning his first major title at the Masters in April.

Schauffele is ranked No. 6 in the world and Burns is ranked No. 13. Schauffele won three times on tour last season and Burns won twice, including beating Scheffler in a playoff at the Charles Schwab Challenge.