Trotter: Everyone loses if PGA Tour fails to make changes to WM Phoenix Open
The 2024 WM Phoenix Open should be remembered for the stellar performance of Nick Taylor, who started with a course record 60 in the first round and finished with three straight birdies on Sunday, the last of which gave him a two-hole sudden death . playoff win over Charley Hoffman at TPC Scottsdale.
But years from now, when we think about what happened, we're more likely to remember the drunkenness, rudeness and unruliness of the fans than the brilliance of Taylor and the other golfers – and that's a problem that local tournament organizers and the PGA Tour need. to get things going before things get completely out of hand.
I understand; the WM Phoenix Open has always been known for its excess, especially at No. 16, where fans – some in costumes, drinking heavily – seemingly have more fun booing tee shots that miss the par-3 green than in the encourage those who stick. But this year went beyond that in an important way.
There was the idiot who jumped shirtless into a bunker, the man who drunkenly sat on a chair and urinated on himself while others walked by as if it was normal behavior, the woman who fell over the railing at number 16, the blacked-out customers who people's shoulders were carried, and the fans fought along the ropes of the gallery.
Now let's take a look at today's highlights from the Waste Management Phoenix Open… pic.twitter.com/WXlgs4KBTT
— Jimmy Orr (@JimmyOrr) February 11, 2024
On Saturday, tournament officials closed the entrance gates and stopped beer sales, probably because the crowds became too big and the situation too unmanageable. While it is a cause for concern, what should have the attention of PGA Tour officials is the reaction of players who were so put off by the rudeness that they confronted spectators in the middle of their round.
Zach Johnson, one of the gentler competitors on Tour and someone known for being unfailingly polite, lost his cool and confronted a fan who was heckling him about the Ryder Cup loss and his decisions as team captain.
“Don't mister me. Someone said it,” Johnson said, clearly frustrated and angry. “I'm just sick of it. Just keep your mouth shut.”
Billy Horschel warned someone in the gallery for talking loudly while his playing partner, Nicolo Galletti, was in his backswing. “Buddy,” Horschel said so everyone could hear, “if he's past a shot, shut the hell up.”
South Korean-born golfer Byeong Hun An said the following Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter: “S-show. Totally out of hand on every hole. …Yes, I know what I signed up for. I've played here several times over the years and it's been fun to this day.”
Clearly, 2023 was the pinnacle for the WM Phoenix Open. Have fun during the tournament, but not to the point where fan behavior has become the story. It will be interesting to see what this event looks like next year. pic.twitter.com/xH7F0yJfwp
— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) February 11, 2024
If the Tour (and/or the Thunderbirds, the local organization that puts on the event) doesn't take note, how long will it take before players feel like the hassle isn't worth it and skip the event? And if that happens, everyone loses – the Tour, which is competing with LIV Golf for audience retention; the players, who will miss out on one of the higher paying non-signature events; and the well-behaved fans who want to see some of the best golfers in the world and not some local Johnny knocking back pints like he's Homer Simpson.
For years the atmosphere was experienced as pleasant. It was unlike any other Tour event because fans were able to increase the energy by raising the roof. Players had fun with it too, like two years ago when Harry Higgs pulled up his shirt after parring No. 16 and groupmate Joel Dahmen took off his shirt and twirled it above his head as fans threw beer on the green. The tour may not have liked it, but Netflix did, when it made it a key part of Dahmen's episode of “Full Swing.”
Everyone seemed to enjoy the uniqueness of the tournament in general and the hole in particular. It allowed for a break from the stuffiness that normally accompanies what is known as the gentleman's game. The Tour even leaned into a frat party atmosphere, accepting it as a one-off event on the schedule and not pushing back on the unofficial name of the People's Open.
But Waste Management now looks like Waste Management. The organizers have failed to recognize that people are generally inclined to push the boundaries of their behavior. And every time some rudeness is tolerated or accepted, it becomes the impetus for the next act of debauchery, until we finally get what we got last weekend.
Some will attribute the excess to delays in the weather, which allowed for more drinking. While possible, could it be simpler than that? Could it be that people saw it as an opportunity to act like fools because there was no fear of major consequences?
Before this year, I was interested in attending the Phoenix Open and experiencing the controlled rowdiness of No. 16, although I never understood why anyone would spend more than $13 (2020 price) on a beer only to have it on the green to throw. But maybe that's better than people consuming them, because too many people like to use alcohol as an excuse for inappropriate behavior, which can lead to worst-case scenarios.
As a fan, I have had the opportunity to attend two games in recent years, one at Lambeau Field and the other at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. Neither was fun because of drunk fans who act like they are free to say and do whatever they want.
The Phoenix Open may be known as the People's Open, but the people should never be the story. Golfing is a must. Unfortunately that was not the case this year.
“I think the Thunderbirds should probably do something about it,” Johnson told reporters afterward. “I guess they're embarrassed because at some point someone is going to get really, really hurt or worse.”
(Photo: Ben Jared/PGA Tour via Getty)