SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA | If there was a golf tournament Shooter McGavin from Happy Gilmore would unequivocally hate, it would be the WM Phoenix Open. Damn you people! This is golf, not a rock concert! Well, this tournament is like a rock concert, where golfers and nongolfers alike show up to have fun, drink alcohol and watch golf, sometimes in that order.
“My first experience on the 16th hole was the coolest thing ever,” said Emma Rousello, a nongolfer but seven-time spectator at this event. “Everybody was screaming, yelling and throwing things on the green, which was cool for a golf tournament.”
However, the party atmosphere can get out of hand. Last year, after a week of heavy rain, TPC Scottsdale was soaked and muddy for Saturday. An uncontrollable number of fans flocked to the course, ready to party. As a result, alcohol sales were temporarily stopped. According to the Scottsdale Police Department, there were 54 arrests, triple the 2023 amount.
Something had to change. It was up to the Thunderbirds, the tournament organizers, to find a way to keep the spirit of the Phoenix Open while preventing it from getting out of hand.
“We want to be the biggest and the best,” said Drew Stoltz, an active member of the Thunderbirds and the tournament’s player liaison. “We also want to be safe and enjoyable.”
The Thunderbirds announced a list of changes to the event in October. They got rid of any-day passes, meaning fans now have to purchase tickets for a specific day. The ticketing systems are all digital, making attendance easy to control and monitor. Stoltz says the Thunderbirds also invested heavily in infrastructure, making it easier for fans to get around. There is also a large emphasis on vendors not selling alcohol to those who seem intoxicated.
“We’re trying to eliminate a few bad apples,” Stoltz said. “Don’t mess up the experience for everyone else.”
“The Phoenix Open is in a class by itself.” – Bob Smith
And yet, for the fans, part of what makes the Phoenix Open special are the crazy events that transpire every year. Bob Smith is a volunteer who is often stationed on the 11th hole. It’s his second year volunteering at this event, but he has volunteered at PGA, LPGA and collegiate events for quite some time.
“The Phoenix Open is in a class by itself,” Smith said.
The volunteer has a lot of stories from 2024.
“Some guy wanted to buy my ‘Quiet’ sign,” Smith said. “I wanted to discourage him so I said $400. He pulls out his wallet and starts pulling out 20s. Of course, I couldn’t sell it.”
Last year, Smith remembers being on the 11th hole. The players had already teed off and were headed down the walkway when there was a commotion. A spectator had gotten inside the ropes. A policeman told the intruder to stop and chaos ensued.
“He turned around, dropped his pants and mooned the cop,” Smith said. “The cop then tackled him. It was a better tackle than any Super Bowl tackle that weekend.”
Stoltz recognizes rowdy fan behavior can be a problem.
“We don’t see a streaker and think that’s great,” Stoltz said. “But it comes with being the biggest golf tournament in the world.”
Stoltz says they are doing all they can to protect fans and players. There is security walking with every group to make sure nothing bad happens. However, security can’t stop everything. Stoltz points to last year’s Super Bowl, a sporting event with a massive amount of security, where two streakers got onto the field.
“You can have infinite levels of security,” Stoltz said. “If someone decides to do something dumb nothing can stop them.”
Much of the unsavory fan behavior can be traced to alcohol, which is sold in large amounts at the Phoenix Open. There is even a hydration zone, where fans can fill up their water bottles … sponsored by Jack Daniel’s.
Matthew Wells is a 25-year-old spectator who loves to play golf. This is his second Phoenix Open, his first being in 2023. With a sparkling water in hand, Wells is here to watch the golf and have fun. He recognizes that a lot of the fans don’t care about that first part.
“The Phoenix Open draws a different group of people who don’t care about the golf,” Wells said. “They care more about the drinking aspect and being out in the sun with their friends.”
“Everyone sees the partying, the drinking and the concerts. What they sometimes forget is every single dollar of this goes back to helping people.” – Drew Stoltz
Stoltz says alcohol can certainly cause problems. At the same time, it’s also a big revenue generator, which the Thunderbirds donate to local charities. The WM Phoenix Open raised $17.5 million in 2024, a tournament record.
“Everyone sees the partying, the drinking and the concerts,” Stoltz said. “What they sometimes forget is every single dollar of this goes back to helping people.”
With the 2025 Phoenix Open underway, Stoltz hopes the good weather and changes to event organization will mitigate some of the chaos. He projects a fun week.
“Our mission is to be the best, biggest and most enjoyable golf experience you can have,” Stoltz said. “We truly want to be a bucket list item for all golfers and nongolfers out there.”