Every year the WM Phoenix Open throws wide the gates to the PGA Tour’s wildest show, and thousands sprint to find a spot at the par-3 16th hole. From there they consume adult beverages, cheer and jeer good shots and bad, and stumble back out the gates at the end of the day. The “Greatest Show on Grass” typically brings somewhere over 800,000 fans to the TPC Scottsdale course, and over the years fans have witnessed some great golf—and a lot of things you don’t regularly see at a PGA Tour event.
Great Golf And More
Last year, Canada’s Nick Taylor made several amazing putts in a playoff to win, a year after coming in second behind Scottie Scheffler. Of course, there’s the famed Tiger Woods ace on 16 during his rookie year that generated a massive roar from the crowd, and remains one of the most famed moments at the tournament. On the other hand—and far less about performance—there’s the instance when Joel Dahmen and Harry Higgs showed off their dad bods by going shirtless in 2022. “I may be fined. I’ve heard whispers of both but nothing official yet,” Higgs said after removing his shirt in the final round. “There was a phone call [from the PGA Tour] and a, ‘Hey, you know you’re not supposed to do that.’ I know I’m not supposed to do that. I’m 30 years old; I know I’m not supposed to lift my shirt up on national television in front of thousands of fans.”
The Coliseum
The area surrounding the 16th hole is called “The Coliseum, and while no one quite knows how many spectators it holds, estimates are upwards of 20,000. The concept has been lifted by the RBC Canadian Open for “The Rink,” though it the hockey-themed concept that has been run at recent national opens only holds a fraction of the people Phoenix sees. This year there’s a concert—Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani—and a “luxury retreat” called the “Global Ambassador. For $250,000 over two nights, you get private roundtrip air travel, two-night stay in the Presidential Suite, and tons of other perks, including cryotherapy if you want it.
Craziness In 2024
Last year a reported 54 people were arrested at the WM Phoenix Open, up from none two years earlier. That coincides with the increased interest in the event, and the wildness of the 16th hole. The situation got so challenging last year that ticket sales were paused as spectators had trouble getting around the property. Fans were seen shirtless, sliding down hills near the action, and thousands watched the videos of the madness on social media. “I’m just sick of it,” said Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson at one point during the tournament.
Bringing Calm In 2025
The Thunderbirds, the organization that hosts the tournament, reviewed its policies and says this year will be more like the golf tournaments you’re used to seeing. The organization blamed rain for limiting where fans could go on the course last year, leading to concentrations of spectators in specific areas. The tournament doesn’t provide accurate spectator numbers, but most estimates suggest more than 800,000 people come over the week, making it the best attended tournament on the PGA Tour.