The 2024 WM Phoenix Open needs to be remembered for Nick Taylor’s magnificent efficiency, which started with a course record-tying 60 within the first spherical and ended with three consecutive birdies on Sunday, the final of which gave him a two-hole, sudden-death playoff victory over Charley Hoffman at TPC Scottsdale.
However years from now, when reflecting on what occurred, we usually tend to keep in mind the drunkenness, boorishness and unruliness of followers than we’re the brilliance of Taylor and the opposite golfers — and that’s a problem native event organizers and the PGA Tour must wrap its arms round earlier than issues get fully uncontrolled.
I get it; the WM Phoenix Open has all the time been identified for its excessiveness, notably on No. 16 the place followers — some in costumes, many consuming — seemingly take extra pleasure in booing tee pictures that miss the par-3 inexperienced than they do in cheering those that stick. However this yr went past that in a major method.
There was the fool who jumped shirtless right into a bunker, the person who sat on a chair in a drunken stupor and urinated on himself whereas others walked by as if it had been regular conduct, the girl who fell over the railing on No. 16, the blacked-out patrons who had been carried out on folks’s shoulders, and the followers who fought alongside the gallery ropes.
Now let’s evaluation right now’s highlights from the Waste Administration Phoenix Open… pic.twitter.com/WXlgs4KBTT
— Jimmy Orr (@JimmyOrr) February 11, 2024
On Saturday, event officers closed the doorway gates and halted beer gross sales presumably as a result of the crowds had been rising too giant and the scenario too unruly. Whereas a trigger for concern, what ought to have the eye of PGA Tour officers is the response of gamers who had been so postpone by the incivility that they confronted spectators in the course of their spherical.
Zach Johnson, one of many Tour’s extra mild-mannered contributors and somebody who is thought for being unfailingly well mannered, misplaced endurance and confronted a fan who was heckling him in regards to the Ryder Cup loss and his choices as group captain.
“Don’t sir me. Someone stated it,” Johnson stated, clearly pissed off and offended. “I’m simply sick of it. Simply shut up.”
Billy Horschel admonished somebody within the gallery for speaking loudly whereas his enjoying associate, Nicolo Galletti, was in his backswing. “Buddy,” Horschel stated for everybody to listen to, “when he’s over a shot, shut the hell up.”
South Korean-born golfer Byeong Hun An stated the next Saturday on X, previously often called Twitter: “S—present. Completely uncontrolled on each gap. … Sure, I do know what I signed up for. Performed right here a number of instances over time and it was enjoyable till right now.”
It’s apparent 2023 was the excessive water mark for the WM Phoenix Open. By all means have time on the event, however to not the purpose the place the fan’s behaviour has turn out to be the story. It’ll be attention-grabbing to see what this occasion seems like subsequent yr. pic.twitter.com/xH7F0yJfwp
— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) February 11, 2024
If the Tour (and/or the Thunderbirds, the native group that runs the occasion) fails to take be aware, how lengthy earlier than the gamers start to really feel the trouble isn’t value it and skip out on the occasion? And if that occurs, everybody loses — the Tour, which is in a battle with LIV Golf for viewers retention; the gamers, who will miss out on one of many higher-paying non-signature occasions; and the well-behaved followers who need to see among the world’s greatest golfers and never some native Johnny throwing again pints like he’s Homer Simpson.
For years, the ambiance was thought of good enjoyable. It was completely different from every other Tour occasion as followers had been capable of elevate the vitality by elevating the roof. Gamers additionally had enjoyable with it, like two years in the past when Harry Higgs pulled up his shirt after parring No. 16 and group mate Joel Dahmen eliminated his shirt and twirled it above his head, all whereas followers tossed beers onto the inexperienced. The tour could not preferred it, however Netflix certain did when it made it a significant a part of Dahmen’s episode of “Full Swing.”
Everybody appeared to benefit from the uniqueness of the event typically and the outlet specifically. It allowed a break from the stuffiness usually related to what’s often called the gentleman’s sport. The Tour even leaned into the frat-party ambiance, accepting it as a one-off on the schedule and never pushing again on the unofficial moniker of the Folks’s Open.
However the Waste Administration now resembles the Wasted Administration. Organizers have failed to acknowledge that individuals typically are predisposed to push the boundaries of conduct. And every time some boorishness is tolerated or accepted, it turns into the ground for the subsequent act of debauchery till we lastly get what we acquired final weekend.
Some will attribute the excessiveness to climate delays that allowed for extra consuming. Though attainable, may it even be easier than that? Might or not it’s that individuals seen it as a chance to behave like fools as a result of there was no concern of main consequence?
Earlier than this yr, I used to be occupied with attending the Phoenix Open and taking within the managed rowdiness of No. 16, although by no means understanding why anybody would spend greater than $13 (2020 value) on a beer solely to throw it on the inexperienced. However possibly that’s higher than folks consuming them, as a result of too many individuals like to make use of alcohol as an excuse for inappropriate conduct, which can lead to worst-case situations.
I’ve had an opportunity to attend two video games as a fan within the final couple of years, one at Lambeau Area, and the opposite in Golden 1 Middle in Sacramento. Neither was fulfilling due to inebriated followers who act as if they’re free to say and do no matter they need.
The Phoenix Open could also be often called the Folks’s Open, however the folks ought to by no means be the story. The golf ought to. That was not the case this yr, sadly.
“I feel the Thunderbirds most likely must do one thing about it,” Johnson informed reporters afterward. “I’m assuming they’re ashamed as a result of, in some unspecified time in the future, any person’s both gonna actually, actually get harm or worse.”
(Photograph: Ben Jared / PGA Tour through Getty)