Welcome to the PGA Tour’s biggest week-long party.
Welcome to the Giant Party that just happens to have a golf tournament on the side.
Welcome to the Phoenix Open, the biggest happening event ever created by garbage.
Let’s face it folks, where would we be without garbage removal? We’d be up to our ears in trash, our neighborhoods stinking to high-heaven.
Nasty.
Enter Waste Management. It’s a beautiful, civilized name for garbage removal. And it is Waste Management that has taken over the stewardship of the Phoenix Open, one of the great, traditional stops on the PGA Tour, which has done away with a lot of tradition and brought us countless sponsors from corporate America.
But Waste Management is something we can all wrap our arms around.
Those big, awesome trucks roll through our Tampa neighborhoods. Too many take them for granted. Just stop and ask yourself — where would we be without them? We’d be struggling to find places to hide/dispose of our trash.
Which brings us to the Phoenix Open where the 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale becomes one loud, rowdy party. This tournament destroys the attendance numbers. Blows most of ’em out of the water. There may be more people on the 16th hole this week than there will be out watching the Web.com Tour for the entire year.
This event serves as some great warmup viewing to the Super Bowl on Sunday evening. There are good enough names in the field to get some attention. Highest-ranked player is Justin Thomas, he’s the world’s No. 4 who turned down a fat appearance fee that lured world’s No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 to Saudi Arabia this week. Good for J.T.
Phil Mickelson, who is spurning hard golf courses for easier golf courses, is on had for the 30th time. This fits the “easy” bill for Philly Mick. Jon Rahm joins J.T. as the only other top 10 guy in the field. Rickie Fowler used to be in the top 10 until he stopped winning, this would be a good week for Rickie to start winning again.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who’s playing. Beer and liquor sales boom regardless.
It’s all about the party, mostly, and a little about the golf.
You might say this is simply one big pre-Super Bowl party with a little golf on the side.
Nothing wrong with that.
