Wilson aims for second straight win
Mark Wilson has a wealth of experience when it comes to defending PGA Tour titles, and No 1 on his list of do's and don'ts is to set modest goals.
"I guess the main thing is try to keep the expectations out of it and just go out there and play golf and add it up and see how well I've done," Wilson said Wednesday.
Wilson comes into the Phoenix Open as one of the favourites after already posting one victory this year at the Humana Challenge tournament.
The 37-year-old American will be making his first start since his two-shot victory 10 days ago when he tees it up Thursday in the Arizona desert.
"The main thing, I guess, is that any tournament that I've won I've gone into with very low expectations," said Wilson who posted his fifth career win and third in the past 13 months at the Humana.
"I am not trying to win the tournament, just go out there and play the best I can and see what I shoot.
"When you tend to go back to a place where you've won, you start comparing yourself to the previous year.
"My idol I think is Bruce Lietzke. I don't want to misquote him, but I thought I remember him saying, he doesn't want to get better, he wants to stay the same, and what I think he means by that is if he hits a seven iron 160, he doesn't want to get stronger and all of a sudden start hitting it 165 because then he's going to be past the hole."
Wilson is looking forward to playing the TPC Scottsdale course this year because temperatures are expected to be much warmer than last year. He won last year in a Monday finish, beating Jason Dufner on the second extra hole.
"I don't really think of this as a bomber's course too much," he said. "It was cold last year so it played a little longer than normal."
Wilson will get plenty of competition from Scotland's Martin Laird, Americans Phil Mickelson, Johnson Wagner, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haas and Brandt Snedeker who is fresh off an improbable win at the Farmers Insurance Open.
"I think when I miss the cut, it's not enjoyable for me to watch on the weekend. I feel like I kind of beat myself up over it, so I try to let it go," said the left handed American who is hoping to rebound from a disappointing first round five-over 77 and a missed cut at the Farmers.
Snedeker, who tied for eighth at the TPC Scottsdale last year, got a huge confidence boost from Sunday's stunning victory.
After starting the day seven shots down and finishing his round three back, Snedeker pulled off a shocking playoff win over Kyle Stanley at the Torrey Pines golf course.
Snedeker said he might try to seek out Stanley this week to talk to him.
"If we cross paths I'd love to talk to him for a minute," Snedeker said. "He'll certainly be back out here winning. Hopefully he'll be up there again because the way he played over the weekend was fantastic."
Laird tied for third at this event last year and was runner-up at season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions last month.