The WM Phoenix Open: A Golfing Party Like No Other
It’s hard to find two consecutive weeks on the PGA Tour calendar that offer more disparate experiences than the WM Phoenix Open and the Genesis Invitational. These two tournaments couldn’t be more different in terms of atmosphere, spectator engagement, and player preferences.
At the WM Phoenix Open, held at a modern course designed with spectator flow in mind, the party vibe is not just tolerated but embraced. Tour players understand that TPC Scottsdale is the place to let loose and have fun. The event attracts and engages fans at a level that most tournaments envy, with merchandise offerings celebrating the boozy bro culture. It’s not uncommon to see fans proudly wearing T-shirts proclaiming that they got hammered at the infamous 16th hole.
However, this scene is not for everyone, and many players choose to skip the WM Phoenix Open. But the festivities of last week proved two things: giving free rein to unruly fans doesn’t end well, and the PGA Tour’s new reality will force an uncomfortable reckoning for its most popular event.
The Rise of Disruptive Fan Behavior
In the age of social media, a disease has spread across many sports. A handful of spectators believe that buying a ticket entitles them to be part of the entertainment. They seem convinced that there’s an audience dying to hear their slurred witticisms or watch them guzzle beer from a shoe. In most venues, this group of disruptive fans is thankfully small. However, at the WM Phoenix Open, they have become a significant presence.
Tour players, to an extent greater than they’re accustomed to, need to tune out the oafs riding the rope lines and offering unsolicited commentary. It’s part of being a professional athlete. However, the issue at TPC Scottsdale is that the rope line is no longer the final frontier. Players won’t—and shouldn’t—tolerate people running onto the course or yelling during shots to distract competitors.
The standard defense of WMPO loyalists—that if you don’t like it, stay home—is no longer valid. Walking away is a luxury that only the stars can afford. For everyone else, securing starts in Tour events is tougher than ever. If the quality of the field declines due to boorish fan behavior, that’s a problem. If female staff members feel unsafe because of groups of rowdy drunks, that’s a problem. If spectators are emboldened to breach the ropes, that’s a problem. And when fans gleefully initiate and record conflicts with competitors, that’s a problem.
Whose problem is it? It’s partially the PGA Tour’s problem, as it’s their brand that suffers. However, the Thunderbirds organization, which runs the WM Phoenix Open, bears the brunt of the responsibility.
A Call for Responsible Conduct and Effective Policing
The WM Phoenix Open doesn’t need to become a somber affair, and it’s important to remember that fans matter just as much as players. However, there must be a line on appropriate conduct that is effectively policed. Right now, that line has been not just blurred but entirely erased. Unless action is taken, we can expect more elite players to opt out of the tournament, more fans to reconsider attending with their children, and more reluctance from the Tour and its partners to fully embrace the entire experience.
Perhaps, in contrast, the Genesis Invitational could benefit from a little more of the TPC Scottsdale party vibe. But TPC Scottsdale needs a lot more of the professionalism and decorum seen at Riviera. It may be futile to expect party-seeking spectators to act responsibly, but it’s certainly not too much to ask of the tournament organizers.
By: Eamon Lynch
Title: The Clash of Contrasting Experiences: WM Phoenix Open vs. Genesis Invitational
Sourced From: golfweek.usatoday.com/2024/02/13/lynch-nasty-hangover-tpc-scottsdale-last-call-phoenix-open/
Published Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2024 00:41:15 +0000
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