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The Phoenix Open (branded as the WM Phoenix Open for sponsorship reasons)[1] is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held in late January/early February at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona, United States.
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| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. |
| Established | 1932 |
| Course(s) | TPC Scottsdale |
| Par | 71 |
| Length | 7,261 yards (6,639 m) |
| Organized by | The Thunderbirds |
| Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
| Format | Stroke play |
| Prize fund | US$8,800,000 |
| Month played | February |
| Tournament record score | |
| Aggregate | 256 Mark Calcavecchia (2001) 256 Phil Mickelson (2013) |
| To par | −28 as above |
| Current champion | |
 Nick Taylor | |
| Location map | |
  TPC Scottsdale Location in the United States  TPC Scottsdale Location in Arizona | |
The tournament was originally the Arizona Open, but was known for most of its history as the Phoenix Open until the investment bank Friedman Billings Ramsey became the title sponsor in October 2003, and it was known as the FBR Open for the next six editions. Waste Management, Inc. began its sponsorship in 2010.
The event's relaxed atmosphere, raucous by the standards of professional golf, has earned it the nickname "The Greatest Show on Grass" and made it one of the most popular events on the PGA Tour calendar.
History edit
The Phoenix Open began 92 years ago in 1932 but was discontinued after the 1935 tournament. The rebirth of the Phoenix Open came in 1939 when Bob Goldwater Sr. convinced fellow Thunderbirds to help run the event. The Thunderbirds, a prominent civic organization in Phoenix, were not as enthusiastic about running the event as he was, leaving Goldwater Sr. to do most of the work in getting a golf open started.
The event was played at the Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix (33°29′N 112°04′W / 33.48°N 112.06°W),[2] both in its earlier incarnations and after Goldwater resuscitated it. Beginning in 1955, the Arizona Country Club (also in Phoenix) (33°29′N 111°58′W / 33.49°N 111.96°W),[3] alternated as event host with Phoenix Country Club; this arrangement lasted until Phoenix Country Club took The Arizona Country Club's turn in 1975 and became the event's permanent home again.
The tournament moved 37 years ago in 1987 to its current home, the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, northeast of downtown Phoenix. The approximate average elevation of the course is 1,530 feet (465 m) above sea level.
The purse was $8.2 million in 2022, then increased over 140% to $20 million for 2023, with a winner's share of $3.6 million.
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Popularity edit
The five-day attendance of the tournament is usually around a half million, the best-attended event in golf. In 2016, it set a PGA Tour and Phoenix Open single day attendance record with 201,003 fans in attendance on Saturday, February 6 and set a tournament week attendance record of 618,365 fans.[4]
The most popular location for spectators is the par-3 16th hole, nicknamed "The Coliseum." (33°38′N 111°55′W / 33.64°N 111.91°W) One of the shortest holes on tour at 162 yards (148 m), it is enclosed by a temporary 20,000-seat grandstand. The hole could be described as "one big party," with many students from the nearby Arizona State University in Tempe in attendance. Poor shots at the 16th hole receive boos, because the hole is very easy by the PGA's standards. Good shots, however, are cheered loudly. Players who make holes in one at the 16th will cause the gallery to erupt, leading to beverages and other objects being tossed in celebrations; Tiger Woods (1997),[5] Jarrod Lyle (2011), and Sam Ryder (2022) have each aced the hole on Saturday, creating raucous celebrations at the hole.[6] The anger of a poor shot can lead to tempers flaring, as Justin Leonard gave obscene gestures to the gallery after a poor shot one year. After 2013, the PGA Tour banned the practice of caddies racing the 150 yards (140 m) from the tee box to the green, citing injury concerns.[7]
Former Arizona State players are very popular at the Phoenix Open, with many often wearing a Pat Tillman jersey when entering the 16th hole stadium. Phil Mickelson and Jon Rahm are popular there for that reason. In addition to the golf, there is a concert/party held in the Scottsdale area called the Birds Nest, at which music artists like Huey Lewis and the News play.
The Thunderbirds are still highly active in the organization of the tournament. Portions of the proceeds are used by the Thunderbirds to fund Special Olympics activities in Phoenix.
Conflicts with the Super Bowl edit
Since 1973,[8] the Phoenix Open has been played on the weekend of the Super Bowl. In 1976, coverage of the tournament's final round was joined in progress immediately after CBS's coverage of Super Bowl X.[9] In 1996, it was played Wednesday through Saturday, as Super Bowl XXX was held at Sun Devil Stadium in nearby Tempe.[10] In 2009, the tournament overlapped with Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida, when Kenny Perry and Charley Hoffman went to a playoff. That denied the spectators a chance to watch the beginning of the game on NBC, which featured the local Arizona Cardinals.
Because of the Super Bowl weekend status, the PGA Tour's television contracts with CBS and NBC include an alternating tournament. Usually a CBS tournament when NBC or FOX televises the Super Bowl, the Phoenix Open airs on NBC when CBS has the Super Bowl, and NBC's Honda Classic aired on CBS during the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Highlights edit
- 1987: Paul Azinger wins the first edition of the Phoenix Open held at TPC Scottsdale.
- 1990: Tom Pernice Jr. makes the first double eagle in tournament history on the par-5 15th hole.
- 1996: Grant Waite sets the course record of 60 (−11). Phil Mickelson, an alumnus of nearby Arizona State University, wins the tournament for the first time.
- 1997: Tiger Woods aces the par-3 16th hole in the third round on Saturday.
- 2000: Andrew Magee makes the first ace on a par-4 in PGA Tour history on the par-4 17th hole.
- 2001: Mark Calcavecchia sets the tournament record for lowest aggregate score with 256 (−28), including a course record-tying 60 (−11) in the second round.
- 2011: Jarrod Lyle aces the par-3 16th hole in the first round.
- 2019: Amy Bockerstette, a golfer with Down syndrome, pars the par-3 16th hole during the pro-am in front of Gary Woodland, a moment that went viral on social media.
- 2020: Woodland and Bockerstette reunite one year after their viral moment with a $25,000 contribution to the I Got This! Foundation, launched the previous year.
- 2022: Sam Ryder aces on the par-3 16th hole during the third round on Saturday.
Records edit
The tournament's lowest 72-hole score was set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001 with 256 (–28), which was matched by Mickelson in 2013. In the second round Calcavecchia scored a 60 (–11), which equalled the lowest score at the Phoenix Open (by Grant Waite in 1996) and subsequently matched by Mickelson in 2005 and 2013. Calcavecchia had 32 birdies in the tournament, which was also an all-time record.
There have been only two double eagles in the history of the Phoenix Open. Tom Pernice Jr. made the first one on the 558-yard (510 m) par-5 15th hole in 1990. Andrew Magee scored the second on the 332-yard (304 m) par-4 17th hole in 2001, and was the first-ever ace on a par-4 in PGA Tour history.[11]
Winners edit
| Year | Winner | Score | To par | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up | Purse ($) |
Winner's share ($) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WM Phoenix Open | ||||||||
| 2024 | Nick Taylor |
263 | −21 | Playoff |  Charley Hoffman |
8,800,000 | 1,584,000 | |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
265 | −19 | 2 strokes | Nick Taylor |
20,000,000 | 3,600,000 | |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler |
268 | −16 | Playoff | Patrick Cantlay |
8,200,000 | 1,476,000 | |
| Waste Management Phoenix Open | ||||||||
| 2021 | Brooks Koepka (2) |
265 | −19 | 1 stroke |  Lee Kyoung-hoon Xander Schauffele |
7,300,000 | 1,314,000 | |
| 2020 | Webb Simpson |
267 | −17 | Playoff | Tony Finau |
7,300,000 | 1,314,000 | |
| 2019 | Rickie Fowler |
267 | −17 | 2 strokes |  Branden Grace |
7,100,000 | 1,278,000 | |
| 2018 | Gary Woodland |
266 | −18 | Playoff | Chez Reavie |
6,900,000 | 1,242,000 | |
| 2017 |  Hideki Matsuyama (2) |
267 | −17 | Playoff | Webb Simpson |
6,700,000 | 1,206,000 | |
| 2016 | Hideki Matsuyama |
270 | −14 | Playoff | Rickie Fowler |
6,500,000 | 1,170,000 | |
| 2015 | Brooks Koepka |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Hideki Matsuyama Ryan Palmer Bubba Watson |
6,300,000 | 1,134,000 | |
| 2014 | Kevin Stadler |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Graham DeLaet Bubba Watson |
6,200,000 | 1,116,000 | |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson (3) |
256 | −28 | 4 strokes | Brandt Snedeker |
6,200,000 | 1,116,000 | |
| 2012 | Kyle Stanley |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Ben Crane |
6,100,000 | 1,098,000 | |
| 2011 | Mark Wilson |
266 | −18 | Playoff | Jason Dufner |
6,100,000 | 1,098,000 | |
| 2010 | Hunter Mahan |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Rickie Fowler |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| FBR Open | ||||||||
| 2009 | Kenny Perry |
270 | −14 | Playoff | Charley Hoffman |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2008 | J. B. Holmes (2) |
270 | −14 | Playoff | Phil Mickelson |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2007 |  Aaron Baddeley |
263 | −21 | 1 stroke | John Rollins |
6,000,000 | 1,080,000 | |
| 2006 | J. B. Holmes |
263 | −21 | 7 strokes | J. J. Henry Steve Lowery Ryan Palmer Scott Verplank Camilo Villegas |
5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| 2005 | Phil Mickelson (2) |
267 | −17 | 5 strokes | Scott McCarron Kevin Na |
5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| 2004 | Jonathan Kaye |
266 | −18 | 2 strokes | Chris DiMarco |
5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| Phoenix Open | ||||||||
| 2003 |  Vijay Singh (2) |
261 | −23 | 3 strokes | John Huston |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2002 | Chris DiMarco |
267 | −17 | 1 stroke | Kenny Perry Kaname Yokoo |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2001 | Mark Calcavecchia (3) |
256 | −28 | 8 strokes | Rocco Mediate |
4,000,000 | 720,000 | |
| 2000 | Tom Lehman |
270 | −14 | 1 stroke | Robert Allenby Rocco Mediate |
3,200,000 | 576,000 | |
| 1999 | Rocco Mediate |
273 | −11 | 2 strokes | Justin Leonard |
3,000,000 | 540,000 | |
| 1998 |  Jesper Parnevik |
269 | −15 | 3 strokes | Tommy Armour III Brent Geiberger Steve Pate Tom Watson |
2,500,000 | 450,000 | |
| 1997 | Steve Jones |
258 | −26 | 11 strokes | Jesper Parnevik |
1,500,000 | 270,000 | |
| 1996 | Phil Mickelson |
269 | −15 | Playoff | Justin Leonard |
1,300,000 | 234,000 | |
| 1995 | Vijay Singh |
269 | −15 | Playoff | Billy Mayfair |
1,300,000 | 234,000 | |
| 1994 | Bill Glasson |
268 | −16 | 3 strokes | Bob Estes |
1,200,000 | 216,000 | |
| 1993 | Lee Janzen |
273 | −11 | 2 strokes | Andrew Magee |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1992 | Mark Calcavecchia (2) |
264 | −20 | 5 strokes | Duffy Waldorf |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1991 | Nolan Henke |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Gil Morgan Curtis Strange Tom Watson |
1,000,000 | 180,000 | |
| 1990 | Tommy Armour III |
267 | −17 | 5 strokes | Jim Thorpe |
900,000 | 162,000 | |
| 1989 | Mark Calcavecchia |
263 | −21 | 7 strokes | Chip Beck |
700,000 | 126,000 | |
| 1988 |  Sandy Lyle |
269 | −15 | Playoff | Fred Couples |
650,000 | 117,000 | |
| 1987 | Paul Azinger |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Hal Sutton |
600,000 | 108,000 | |
| 1986 | Hal Sutton |
267 | −17 | 2 strokes | Calvin Peete Tony Sills |
500,000 | 90,000 | |
| 1985 | Calvin Peete |
270 | −14 | 2 strokes | Morris Hatalsky Doug Tewell |
450,000 | 81,000 | |
| 1984 | Tom Purtzer |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Corey Pavin |
400,000 | 72,000 | |
| 1983 | Bob Gilder (2) |
271 | −13 | Playoff | Rex Caldwell Johnny Miller Mark O'Meara |
350,000 | 63,000 | |
| 1982 | Lanny Wadkins |
263 | −21 | 6 strokes | Jerry Pate |
300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1981 | David Graham |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Lon Hinkle |
300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1980 | Jeff Mitchell |
272 | −12 | 4 strokes | Rik Massengale |
300,000 | 54,000 | |
| 1979 | Ben Crenshaw |
199[a] | −14 | 1 stroke | Jay Haas |
250,000 | 33,750 | |
| 1978 | Miller Barber |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Jerry Pate Lee Trevino |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1977 | Jerry Pate |
277 | −7 | Playoff | Dave Stockton |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1976 | Bob Gilder |
268 | −16 | 2 strokes | Roger Maltbie |
200,000 | 40,000 | |
| 1975 | Johnny Miller (2) |
260 | −24 | 14 strokes | Jerry Heard |
150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller |
271 | −13 | 1 stroke | Lanny Wadkins |
150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1973 | Bruce Crampton |
268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Steve Melnyk Lanny Wadkins |
150,000 | 30,000 | |
| 1972 | Homero Blancas |
273 | −11 | Playoff | Lanny Wadkins |
125,000 | 25,000 | |
| Phoenix Open Invitational | ||||||||
| 1971 | Miller Barber |
261 | −23 | 2 strokes | Billy Casper Dan Sikes |
125,000 | 25,000 | |
| 1970 | Dale Douglass |
271 | −13 | 1 stroke | Howie Johnson Gene Littler |
100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1969 | Gene Littler (3) |
263 | −21 | 2 strokes | Miller Barber Don January Billy Maxwell |
100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1968 | George Knudson |
272 | −12 | 3 strokes | Julius Boros Sam Carmichael Jack Montgomery |
100,000 | 20,000 | |
| 1967 | Julius Boros |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Ken Still |
70,000 | 14,000 | |
| 1966 | Dudley Wysong |
278 | −6 | 1 stroke | Gardner Dickinson |
60,000 | 9,000 | |
| 1965 | Rod Funseth |
274 | −14 | 3 strokes | Bert Yancey |
65,000 | 10,500 | |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus |
271 | −13 | 3 strokes | Bob Brue |
50,000 | 7,500 | |
| 1963 | Arnold Palmer (3) |
273 | −15 | 1 stroke |  Gary Player |
35,000 | 5,300 | |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer (2) |
269 | −15 | 12 strokes | Billy Casper Don Fairfield Bob McCallister Jack Nicklaus |
35,000 | 5,300 | |
| 1961 | Arnold Palmer |
270 | −10 | Playoff | Doug Sanders |
30,000 | 4,300 | |
| 1960 |  Jack Fleck |
273 | −11 | Playoff | Bill Collins |
22,500 | 3,150 | |
| 1959 |  Gene Littler (2) |
268 | −12 | 1 stroke | Art Wall Jr. |
20,000 | 2,400 | |
| 1958 | Ken Venturi |
274 | −10 | 1 stroke | Walter Burkemo Jay Hebert |
15,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1957 | Billy Casper |
271 | −9 | 3 strokes | Cary Middlecoff Mike Souchak |
15,000 | 2,000 | |
| Phoenix Open | ||||||||
| 1956 | Cary Middlecoff |
276 | −8 | 3 strokes | Mike Souchak |
15,000 | 2,400 | |
| 1955 | Gene Littler |
275 | −5 | 1 stroke | Billy Maxwell Johnny Palmer |
15,000 | 2,400 | |
| 1954 | Ed Furgol |
272 | −12 | Playoff | Cary Middlecoff |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1953 | Lloyd Mangrum (2) |
272 | −12 | 6 strokes | Johnny Bulla Ted Kroll Bo Wininger |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1952 | Lloyd Mangrum |
274 | −10 | 5 strokes | Dutch Harrison |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1951 | Lew Worsham |
272 | −12 | 1 stroke | Lawson Little |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| Ben Hogan Open | ||||||||
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret (2) |
269 | −15 | 1 stroke | Sam Snead |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| Phoenix Open | ||||||||
| 1949 | Jimmy Demaret |
278 | −6 | Playoff | Ben Hogan |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1948 | Bobby Locke |
268 | −16 | 1 stroke | Jimmy Demaret |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1947 | Ben Hogan (2) |
270 | −14 | 7 strokes | Lloyd Mangrum Ed Oliver |
10,000 | 2,000 | |
| 1946 | Ben Hogan |
273 | −11 | Playoff | Herman Keiser |
7,500 | 1,500 | |
| 1945 | Byron Nelson (2) |
274 | −10 | 2 strokes | Denny Shute |
5,000 | 1,000 | |
| 1944 | Jug McSpaden |
273 | −11 | Playoff | Byron Nelson |
5,000 | 1,000 | |
| 1941–1943: No tournament | ||||||||
| 1940 | Ed Oliver |
205 | −8 | 1 stroke | Ben Hogan |
3,000 | 700 | |
| 1939 | Byron Nelson |
198 | −15 | 12 strokes | Ben Hogan |
3,000 | 700 | |
| 1936–1938: No tournament | ||||||||
| 1935 | Ky Laffoon |
281 | −3 | 4 strokes | Craig Wood |
2,500 | 500 | |
| 1934 | No tournament | |||||||
| Arizona Open | ||||||||
| 1933 | Harry Cooper |
281 | −3 | 2 strokes | Ray Mangrum Horton Smith |
1,500 | 400 | |
| 1932 | Ralph Guldahl |
285 | −1 | 5 strokes | John Perelli |
2,500 | 600 | |
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[12][13][14]
Notes edit
- ^ Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.
References edit
- ^ "Waste Management to sponsor Phoenix Open". PGA Tour. December 9, 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
- ^ "Golf". Phoenix Country Club. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ "Golf". Arizona Country Club. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ "Waste Management Phoenix Open attendance records". AZ Central. February 7, 2016.
- ^ "Jones maintains Phoenix lead; Woods records ace on No. 16". Victoria Advocate. (Texas). January 26, 1997. p. 6B.
- ^ "Watch: Sam Ryder makes an ace on 16 at WM Phoenix Open, coliseum nearly explodes and beer cans come raining down". Golfweek. February 12, 2022.
- ^ "PGA Tour Bans Popular Caddie Races at TPC Scottsdale, Colonial | Golf Channel". www.golfchannel.com. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014.
- ^ "Crampton's birdie nets Phoenix win". Wilmington Morning Star. (North Carolina). Associated Press. January 15, 1973. p. 16.
- ^ "NBC's Post-Super Bowl LVI Show Will Be the Winter Olympics". ca.movies.yahoo.com. November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ "Mickelson grinds out another win". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. January 28, 1996. p. 3F.
- ^ Kelley, Brent. "The Amazing Story of the Only Par-4 Hole-in-One in PGA Tour History". thoughtco.com. Retrieved October 4, 2017.
- ^ 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open Media Guide – Section 14: Top Finishers 1932–2014 – at wmphoenixopen.com
- ^ Phoenix Open – Winners Archived 2014-06-01 at the Wayback Machine – at www.pgatour.com
- ^ Phoenix Open – Winners – at golfobserver.com