The DESI Y1 BAO measurements suggest a preference for evolving dark energy over a cosmological constant, with evidence for scalar field dynamics at the 95% confidence level. Three simple scalar field models—quadratic (SCF QUAD), linear (SCF LIN), and dark energy radiation (SCF DER)—are fitted to DESI BAO data, combined with CMB and supernova data. These models show a preference for non-zero kinetic scalar field energy, with 2–4% of the total energy density preferred over ΛCDM. The mild tension between BAO and supernova data under ΛCDM is reduced in these models, as they accommodate smaller Ωm values preferred by BAO data. The scalar field models also show better agreement with supernova data than the w0wa parameterization, with SCF QUAD and SCF LIN outperforming w0wa for Pantheon+, DES Y5, and Union3. The scalar field models reduce the tension between BAO and supernova data to below nσ < 1, outperforming w0wa. The results suggest that evolving dark energy with a canonical scalar field is a viable explanation for the DESI BAO measurements, without requiring a phantom crossing. The scalar field models also provide comparable constraints on the sum of neutrino masses as ΛCDM, even for evolving scalar field dark energy. Overall, the scalar field models show improved agreement with observational data and reduce the tension between BAO and supernova measurements under ΛCDM.The DESI Y1 BAO measurements suggest a preference for evolving dark energy over a cosmological constant, with evidence for scalar field dynamics at the 95% confidence level. Three simple scalar field models—quadratic (SCF QUAD), linear (SCF LIN), and dark energy radiation (SCF DER)—are fitted to DESI BAO data, combined with CMB and supernova data. These models show a preference for non-zero kinetic scalar field energy, with 2–4% of the total energy density preferred over ΛCDM. The mild tension between BAO and supernova data under ΛCDM is reduced in these models, as they accommodate smaller Ωm values preferred by BAO data. The scalar field models also show better agreement with supernova data than the w0wa parameterization, with SCF QUAD and SCF LIN outperforming w0wa for Pantheon+, DES Y5, and Union3. The scalar field models reduce the tension between BAO and supernova data to below nσ < 1, outperforming w0wa. The results suggest that evolving dark energy with a canonical scalar field is a viable explanation for the DESI BAO measurements, without requiring a phantom crossing. The scalar field models also provide comparable constraints on the sum of neutrino masses as ΛCDM, even for evolving scalar field dark energy. Overall, the scalar field models show improved agreement with observational data and reduce the tension between BAO and supernova measurements under ΛCDM.