There’s no show on the PGA Tour like the Phoenix Open.
This week’s PGA Tour stop is where the fun begins and the attendance will soar.
While absolutely no one went to the Saudi Invitational, the Phoenix Open consistently sets attendance records (sorry Greg Norman).
Things got off to a packed-house start at the famous 16th hole last Saturday night with a concert feature country artists Old Dominion and Thomas Rhett — a pretty cool start to the week.
Over the years, the Thunderbirds have made this one go. The Thunderbirds are a huge civic organization that does incredible work throughout the Phoenix area and their presence at this event has driven attendance numbers sky-high. As many as 700,000 have passed through the gates in a week at TPC Scottsdale.
This year should be huge once again.
World No. 1 Jon Rahm heads the field and he’s a huge favorite, having attended nearby Arizona State. You know Rahm-bo has this one on his list of “events I really want to win.”
Unlike last week’s adventure at Pebble Beach, this week at TPC Scottsdale has a cast of names.
World No. 3 Viktor Hovland is in the field. No. 4 Patrick Cantlay is playing for the first time. Cantlay was in the thick of it last week but a mediocre Sunday left him disappointed.
Justin Thomas is on hand, ditto for Xander Schauffle. Hideki Matsuyama makes it six of the world’s top 10.
Jordan Spieth should be feeling a lot better after battling intestinal troubles at Pebble Beach. Regardless, Jordy was still in the thick of it at the AT&T until he came up with an untimely bogey on the 17th on Sunday.
Defending champion is Brooks Koepka, who pitched in for an eagle two at the 17th last year then made a nice scrambling par at the 72nd hole to win by a shot over Xander Schauffle and K.H. Lee.
But the main attraction is always the par three 16th and its stadium-style setting.
Most dramatic shot that produced the biggest roar in tournament history came back in 1997 when Tiger Woods scored a hole-in-one that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Lee Janzen was playing that day, a few holes away but Lee knew what happened when he heard the volume of the roar:
“There was no question that Tiger had just made a one on 16,” Janzen recalled. “Of all the years, of all the holes, of all the days. It had to be Saturday. That’s always the biggest crowd. And of all the people, it had to be him.”
Woods went on to win four times in 1997, including his first major championship at The Masters.
The 16th is just part of the show. It’s Party City at TPC Scottsdale and the Thunderbirds have worked tirelessly over the years to make it the place to be this week in the Phoenix area.
The Phoenix Open also sets a good environmental example for the week.
This may be the only event in the world with “Zero Waste” — through the efforts of name sponsor Waste Management.
Appropriately, it’s been dubbed “The Greenest Show On Grass.”
It’s also the biggest and most popular.
The attendance figures attest to that.
Three-quarters of a million people have cast their votes.
Phoenix Open Television Times:
Thursday-Friday: 3 p.m. (ET) to 7 p.m. (ET) — The Golf Channel.
Saturday: 1 p.m. (ET) to 3 p.m. (ET) — The Golf Channel; 3 p.m. (ET) to 6:30 p.m. (ET) CBS.
Sunday: 1 p.m. (ET) to 3 p.m. (ET) — The Golf Channel; 3 p.m. (ET) to 6 p.m. (ET) CBS.
One Comment
baxter cepeda
Such an impressive tournament in so many ways.
A bit miffed here with all the talk about the design of this course, mostly talking it up. I don’t know what they giving Jaime Diaz at 16 today when he said the next hole—17 at tpc scottsdale— is a better hole than 10 at riviera. As if having to wait for this great golf/sports writer to become comfortable on television longer than anyone else—going back even before Tony and Mike started pti mind you—now this man has the nerve to say this.
As Stephen A Smith-love him or hate him-one of the most successful writers who have gone to television -would call this: blaspheme!
At Scottsdale’s 17th players can drive it in the pond and still make birdie with a chip in. Worst case Players can chip it in the water with their second from the right if they don’t put some spin on the ball, and maybe make a double. It’s all Predicated on that ugly artificial pond to the left there. It’s a fine hole. More interesting than 16 before it and many other holes in golf. But it’s not even in the same league as 10 at Riviera.
10 at riviera is natural. Perfect really. No OB. No water. Nothing. Just some sublimely designed bunkers —which were not part of the original design— and a few pesky trees. Most importantly not much if any tinkering of that beautiful tiny green.
10 —known by just one name like any Hollywood celebrity or 16 at Scottsdale —requires incredible accuracy off the tee; Off the charts strategy on the second from wherever the tee ball may end up; And of course Nervy putting. The potential for a ping pong match between the two bunkers is ever present. A double can be a nice score on 10 without ever taking a penalty, even for the best players in the world.
IMO 10 at riviera could be the next great stadium hole for golf. It kind of is already without the bleachers. Some may argue that iconic driveable par 4 hole and the entire course really has such a sophisticated aura around it doesn’t need a gimmicky stadium. But it would be cool to create some new perspectives for fans to enjoy that hole. I know if I was going to set up a corporate tent come where on the pga tour, I would want it to be right of 10 somewhere.
WM has arguably the best run tournament outside of Georgia, but tpc Scottsdale’s design and architecture is no Augusta National or Riviera or even pebble, and it’s 17th is definitely not better than 10.