Adam Scott intends to make full use of a sponsor exemption into an event he has enjoyed great success in the past after a top-10 finish at the WM Open in Phoenix.

Canadian Nick Taylor matched Charley Hoffman’s 72-hole total of 21-under par with a birdie from five feet on the final hole at TPC Scottsdale to send the tournament into a playoff.

Taylor would go on to edge Hoffman with a birdie at the second playoff hole as Scott climbed into a tie for eighth courtesy of weekend rounds of 65-66.

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Tied for seventh in Dubai and top 20 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the former world No.1 conceded that he was slow out of the blocks in Phoenix.

But a week out from the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club – a tournament he has won twice but which he needed a sponsor’s exemption to play this year – Scott left TPC Scottsdale with a spring in his step.

“Played really nicely for the last three days,” said Scott.

“I’m most pleased with my ball-striking really kind of coming back to where I want it. I feel like it’s been a while since I could say that.

“That’s a good feeling, obviously, going into next week at Riviera, a tournament I love, a big event on our schedule, and a course where you really need to hit the ball well to have a chance.

“I feel my game is in good shape, so I have a lot of positive energy going there.

“I’d love to do a little better and get in contention and try and win there for a third time.”

Scott’s top-10 finish was one of two for Aussies over the weekend.

Qualifying School graduate Haydn Barron logged his best finish as a member of the DP World Tour, earning a share of ninth at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

The 36-hole leader by two strokes after rounds of 68-67, Barron dropped back with a third round of 2-over 74 but shot 71 in the final round to secure a maiden top 10 since becoming a full member.

Kirsten Rudgeley began her Ladies European Tour season with a tie for 28th at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open won by Singapore’s Shannon Tan, who finished runner-up to Kazuma Kobori at the Webex Players Series Murray River just a few weeks ago.

Photo: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Results

PGA TOUR WM Phoenix Open TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Cse), Scottsdale, Arizona 1 Nick Taylor 60-70-68-65—263 $US1.584m Won on the second hole of sudden death playoff T8 Adam Scott 72-68-65-66—271 $248,600 T28 Aaron Baddeley 69-71-68-68—276 $53,000 T41 Ryan Fox (NZ) 66-68-75-69—278 $30,404 T71 Min Woo Lee 71-69-71-73—284 $17,776

DP World Tour Commercial Bank Qatar Masters Doha GC, Doha, Qatar 1 Rikuya Hoshino 69-68-69-68—274 €394,468 T9 Haydn Barron 68-67-74-71—280 €45,247.80 T42 Harrison Endycott 69-68-76-73—286 €12,298.12 T42 Daniel Hillier (NZ) 69-70-71-76—286 €12,298.12 T61 Jason Scrivener 74-70-71-74—289 €6,149.06 MC David Micheluzzi 75-80—155 MC Sam Jones (NZ) 73-72—145

Ladies European Tour Magical Kenya Ladies Open Vipingo Ridge, Kenya 1 Shannon Tan 73-70-67-70—280 €45,000 T28 Kirsten Rudgeley 73-74-77-70—294 €3,022.50 T40 Momoka Kobori 72-78-72-75—297 €1,710

LIV Golf LIV Golf Las Vegas Las Vegas Country Club, Las Vegas, Nevada 1 Dustin Johnson 67-62-69—198$US4m T15 Cameron Smith 67-66-72—205$267,500 T21 Marc Leishman 69-67-70—206$207,500 T35 Matt Jones 73-67-69—209$142,800 T40 Danny Lee (NZ) 68-72-70—210$130,800 T45 Lucas Herbert 68-67-76—211$123,250

Korn Ferry Tour Astara Golf Championship Country Club de Bogota (Lagos Cse), Bogota, Colombia 1 Kevin Velo 64-67-64-66—261 $US180,000 Won on the first hole of sudden death playoff T41 Brett Drewitt 71-63-69-69—272 $4,900 T51 Curtis Luck 63-71-73-67—274 $4,213 T59 Rhein Gibson 65-69-69-72—275 $4,100 WD Dimi Papadatos 75

Challenge Tour Bain’s Whisky Cape Town Open Royal Cape Golf Club, Cape Town, South Africa 1 Mikael Lindberg 70-70-65-67—272 €51,489.68 MC Hayden Hopewell 71-73—144