Phoenix Open

Phoenix Open

Tournament information
Location	Scottsdale, Arizona
Established	1932, 84 years ago
Course(s)	TPC Scottsdale
Par	71
Length	7,261 yards (6,639 m)
Organized by	The Thunderbirds
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	$6.5 million
Month played	February
Tournament record score
Aggregate	256 Mark Calcavecchia (2001) 256 Phil Mickelson (2013)
To par	−28 Mark Calcavecchia (2001) −28 Phil Mickelson (2013)
Current champion
Hideki Matsuyama

TPC Scottsdale

Location in the United States

TPC Scottsdale

Location in Arizona

The Phoenix Open (known as the Waste Management Phoenix Open for title sponsorship reasons)^[1] is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held in late January/early February at the Tournament Players Club (TPC) of Scottsdale, Arizona. The tournament was originally the Arizona Open, but was known for most of its history as the Phoenix Open until the investment bank Friedman Billings Ramsey became the title sponsor in October 2003, when it was known as the FBR Open. The event's relaxed atmosphere, raucous by the standards of professional golf, has earned it the nickname “The Greatest Show on Grass” and made it one of the most popular events on the PGA Tour calendar.

History

The Phoenix Open began 84 years ago in 1932 but was discontinued after the 1935 tournament. The rebirth of the Phoenix Open came in 1939 when Bob Goldwater, Sr. convinced fellow Thunderbirds to help run the event. The Thunderbirds, a prominent civic organization in Phoenix, were not as enthusiastic about running the event as he was, leaving Goldwater, Sr. to do most of the work in getting a golf open started. The event was played at the Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix, both in its earlier incarnations and after Goldwater resuscitated it. Beginning in 1955, the Arizona Country Club (also in Phoenix) alternated as event host with Phoenix Country Club; this arrangement lasted until Phoenix Country Club took The Arizona Country Club's turn in 1975 and became the event's permanent home again.

The tournament was moved in 1987 to its current home, the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, northeast of downtown Phoenix. The approximate average elevation of the course is 1,530 feet (470 m) above sea level.

Popularity

The four-day attendance of the tournament is usually around a half million. It is the best-attended event in golf. In 2016, it set a PGA Tour and Phoenix Open single day attendance record with 201,003 fans in attendance on Saturday, February 6 and set a tournament week attendance record of 618,365 fans.^[2]

The most popular location for spectators is the par-3 16th hole, nicknamed "The Coliseum." One of the shortest holes on tour at 162 yards, during tournaments the 16th is temporarily enclosed by a 20,000-seat grandstand. The hole could be described as "one big party," with many students from the nearby Arizona State University in Tempe in attendance. Poor shots at the 16th hole receive boos, because the hole is very easy by the PGA's standards. Good shots, however, are cheered loudly. Famous moments at the 16th include Tiger Woods' hole-in-one in 1997, which caused the gallery to erupt, throwing cups and other objects in celebration, and Justin Leonard giving the finger to the gallery after a poor shot. In 2011 Australian golfer Jarrod Lyle aced the hole, causing the stands to erupt in excitement.

In 2013, the PGA Tour banned the practice of caddies racing the 150 yards from the tee box to the green, citing injury concerns.^[3]

The most popular golfer at the Waste Management Phoenix Open is unquestionably Phil Mickelson, an Arizona State alumnus. In addition to the golf, there is a concert/party held in the Scottsdale area called the Birds Nest, at which music artists like Huey Lewis and the News play.

The Thunderbirds are still highly active in the organization of the tournament. Portions of the proceeds are used by the Thunderbirds to fund Special Olympics activities in Phoenix.

Conflicts with the Super Bowl

In recent years, the Phoenix Open has been played on the weekend of the Super Bowl. In 1996, the tournament was played Wednesday through Saturday, as Super Bowl XXX was held at Sun Devil Stadium in nearby Tempe. In 2009, the tournament overlapped with Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida, when Kenny Perry and Charley Hoffman went to a playoff. That denied the spectators a chance to watch the beginning of the game on NBC, featured the local Arizona Cardinals. Because of the Super Bowl weekend status, the PGA Tour's television contracts with CBS and NBC include an alternating tournament. Usually a CBS tournament, the Phoenix Open airs on NBC when CBS has the Super Bowl, and NBC's WGC-Dell Match Play Championship airs on CBS in Winter Olympic years.

Records – scoring and victories

The tournament's lowest 72-hole score was set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001 with 256 (–28), which was matched by Mickelson in 2013. In the second round Calcavecchia scored a 60 (–11), which equalled the lowest score at the Phoenix Open (by Grant Waite in 1996) and subsequently matched by Mickelson in 2005 and 2013. Calcavecchia had 32 birdies in the tournament, which was also an all-time record.

There have been only two double eagles in the history of the Phoenix Open. Tom Pernice, Jr. made the first one on the 558-yard par-5 15th hole in 1990. Andrew Magee scored the second on the 332-yard par-4 17th hole in 2001. Magee's shot is believed to be the first-ever hole in one on a par-4 in PGA Tour history.

Four men have won three times at the Phoenix Open: Arnold Palmer won three consecutive (1961, 1962, 1963), then Gene Littler (1955, 1959, 1969), Calcavecchia (1989, 1992, 2001), and Mickelson (1996, 2005, 2013).

Winners

Year	Player	Country	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	1st prize ($)	Purse ($)
Waste Management Phoenix Open
2016	Hideki Matsuyama	Japan	270	−14	Playoff	Rickie Fowler	1,170,000	6,500,000
2015	Brooks Koepka	United States	269	−15	1 stroke	Hideki Matsuyama Ryan Palmer Bubba Watson	1,134,000	6,300,000
2014	Kevin Stadler	United States	268	−16	1 stroke	Graham DeLaet Bubba Watson	1,116,000	6,200,000
2013	Phil Mickelson (3)	United States	256	−28	4 strokes	Brandt Snedeker	1,116,000	6,200,000
2012	Kyle Stanley	United States	269	−15	1 stroke	Ben Crane	1,098,000	6,100,000
2011	Mark Wilson	United States	266	−18	Playoff	Jason Dufner	1,098,000	6,100,000
2010	Hunter Mahan	United States	268	−16	1 stroke	Rickie Fowler	1,080,000	6,000,000
FBR Open
2009	Kenny Perry	United States	270	−14	Playoff	Charley Hoffman	1,080,000	6,000,000
2008	J. B. Holmes (2)	United States	270	−14	Playoff	Phil Mickelson	1,080,000	6,000,000
2007	Aaron Baddeley	Australia	263	−21	1 stroke	John Rollins	1,080,000	6,000,000
2006	J. B. Holmes	United States	263	−21	7 strokes	J. J. Henry Steve Lowery Ryan Palmer Scott Verplank Camilo Villegas	936,000	5,200,000
2005	Phil Mickelson (2)	United States	267	−17	5 strokes	Scott McCarron Kevin Na	936,000	5,200,000
2004	Jonathan Kaye	United States	266	−18	2 strokes	Chris DiMarco	936,000	5,200,000
Phoenix Open
2003	Vijay Singh (2)	Fiji	261	−23	3 strokes	John Huston	720,000	4,000,000
2002	Chris DiMarco	United States	267	−17	1 stroke	Kenny Perry Kaname Yokoo	720,000	4,000,000
2001	Mark Calcavecchia (3)	United States	256	−28	8 strokes	Rocco Mediate	720,000	4,000,000
2000	Tom Lehman	United States	270	−14	1 stroke	Robert Allenby Rocco Mediate	576,000	3,200,000
1999	Rocco Mediate	United States	273	−11	2 strokes	Justin Leonard	540,000	3,000,000
1998	Jesper Parnevik	Sweden	269	−15	3 strokes	Tommy Armour III Brent Geiberger Steve Pate Tom Watson	450,000	2,500,000
1997	Steve Jones	United States	258	−26	11 strokes	Jesper Parnevik	270,000	1,500,000
1996	Phil Mickelson	United States	269	−15	Playoff	Justin Leonard	234,000	1,300,000
1995	Vijay Singh	Fiji	269	−15	Playoff	Billy Mayfair	234,000	1,300,000
1994	Bill Glasson	United States	268	−16	3 strokes	Bob Estes	216,000	1,200,000
1993	Lee Janzen	United States	273	−11	2 strokes	Andrew Magee	180,000	1,000,000
1992	Mark Calcavecchia (2)	United States	264	−20	5 strokes	Duffy Waldorf	180,000	1,000,000
1991	Nolan Henke	United States	268	−16	1 stroke	Gil Morgan Curtis Strange Tom Watson	180,000	1,000,000
1990	Tommy Armour III	United States	267	−17	5 strokes	Jim Thorpe	162,000	900,000
1989	Mark Calcavecchia	United States	263	−21	7 strokes	Chip Beck	126,000	700,000
1988	Sandy Lyle	Scotland	269	−15	Playoff	Fred Couples	117,000	650,000
1987	Paul Azinger	United States	268	−16	1 stroke	Hal Sutton	108,000	600,000
1986	Hal Sutton	United States	267	−17	2 strokes	Calvin Peete Tony Sills	90,000	500,000
1985	Calvin Peete	United States	270	−14	2 strokes	Morris Hatalsky Doug Tewell	81,000	450,000
1984	Tom Purtzer	United States	268	−16	1 stroke	Corey Pavin	72,000	400,000
1983	Bob Gilder (2)	United States	271	−13	Playoff	Rex Caldwell Johnny Miller Mark O'Meara	63,000	350,000
1982	Lanny Wadkins	United States	263	−21	6 strokes	Jerry Pate	54,000	300,000
1981	David Graham	Australia	268	−16	1 stroke	Lon Hinkle	54,000	300,000
1980	Jeff Mitchell	United States	272	−12	4 strokes	Rik Massengale	54,000	300,000
1979	Ben Crenshaw	United States	199*	−14	1 stroke	Jay Haas	33,750	250,000
1978	Miller Barber	United States	272	−12	1 stroke	Jerry Pate Lee Trevino	40,000	200,000
1977	Jerry Pate	United States	277	−7	Playoff	Dave Stockton	40,000	200,000
1976	Bob Gilder	United States	268	−16	2 strokes	Roger Maltbie	40,000	200,000
1975	Johnny Miller (2)	United States	260	−24	14 strokes	Jerry Heard	30,000	150,000
1974	Johnny Miller	United States	271	−13	1 stroke	Lanny Wadkins	30,000	150,000
1973	Bruce Crampton	Australia	268	−12	1 stroke	Steve Melnyk Lanny Wadkins	30,000	150,000
1972	Homero Blancas	United States	273	−11	Playoff	Lanny Wadkins	25,000	125,000
Phoenix Open Invitational
1971	Miller Barber	United States	261	−23	2 strokes	Billy Casper Dan Sikes	25,000	125,000
1970	Dale Douglass	United States	271	−13	1 stroke	Howie Johnson Gene Littler	20,000	100,000
1969	Gene Littler (3)	United States	263	−21	2 strokes	Miller Barber Don January Billy Maxwell	20,000	100,000
1968	George Knudson	Canada	272	−12	3 strokes	Julius Boros Sam Carmichael Jack Montgomery	20,000	100,000
1967	Julius Boros	United States	272	−12	1 stroke	Ken Still	14,000	70,000
1966	Dudley Wysong	United States	278	−6	1 stroke	Gardner Dickinson	9,000	60,000
1965	Rod Funseth	United States	274	−14	3 strokes	Bert Yancey	10,500	65,000
1964	Jack Nicklaus	United States	271	−13	3 strokes	Bob Brue	7,500	50,000
1963	Arnold Palmer (3)	United States	273	−15	1 stroke	Gary Player	5,300	35,000
1962	Arnold Palmer (2)	United States	269	−15	12 strokes	Billy Casper Don Fairfield Bob McCallister Jack Nicklaus	5,300	35,000
1961	Arnold Palmer	United States	270	−10	Playoff	Doug Sanders	4,300	30,000
1960	Jack Fleck	United States	273	−11	Playoff	Bill Collins	3,150	22,500
1959	Gene Littler (2)	United States	268	−12	1 stroke	Art Wall, Jr.	2,400	20,000
1958	Ken Venturi	United States	274	−10	1 stroke	Walter Burkemo Jay Hebert	2,000	15,000
1957	Billy Casper	United States	271	−9	3 strokes	Cary Middlecoff Mike Souchak	2,000	15,000
Phoenix Open
1956	Cary Middlecoff	United States	276	−8	3 strokes	Mike Souchak	2,400	15,000
1955	Gene Littler	United States	275	−5	1 stroke	Billy Maxwell Johnny Palmer	2,400	15,000
1954	Ed Furgol	United States	272	−12	Playoff	Cary Middlecoff	2,000	10,000
1953	Lloyd Mangrum (2)	United States	272	−12	6 strokes	Johnny Bulla Ted Kroll Bo Wininger	2,000	10,000
1952	Lloyd Mangrum	United States	274	−10	5 strokes	E. J. Harrison	2,000	10,000
1951	Lew Worsham	United States	272	−12	1 stroke	Lawson Little	2,000	10,000
Ben Hogan Open
1950	Jimmy Demaret (2)	United States	269	−15	1 stroke	Sam Snead	2,000	10,000
Phoenix Open
1949	Jimmy Demaret	United States	278	−6	Playoff	Ben Hogan	2,000	10,000
1948	Bobby Locke	South Africa	268	−16	1 stroke	Jimmy Demaret	2,000	10,000
1947	Ben Hogan (2)	United States	270	−14	7 strokes	Lloyd Mangrum Ed Oliver	2,000	10,000
1946	Ben Hogan	United States	273	−11	Playoff	Herman Keiser	1,500	7,500
1945	Byron Nelson (2)	United States	274	−10	2 strokes	Denny Shute	1,000	5,000
1944	Jug McSpaden	United States	273	−11	Playoff	Byron Nelson	1,000	5,000
1941–43: No tournament (hosted Western Open in 1941 and 1942)
1940	Ed Oliver	United States	205^	−8	1 stroke	Ben Hogan	700	3,000
1939	Byron Nelson	United States	198^	−15	12 strokes	Ben Hogan	700	3,000
1936–38: No tournament
1935	Ky Laffoon	United States	281	−3	4 strokes	Craig Wood	500	2,500
1934	No tournament
Arizona Open
1933	Harry Cooper	United States	281	−3	2 strokes	Ray Mangrum Horton Smith	400	1,500
1932	Ralph Guldahl	United States	285	−1	5 strokes	John Perelli	600	2,500

*Rain-shortened to 54 holes
^Scheduled 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources^[4][5][6]

Multiple winners

Thirteen men have won this tournament more than once.

• 3 wins
  • Phil Mickelson: 1996, 2005, 2013
  • Mark Calcavecchia: 1989, 1992, 2001
  • Gene Littler: 1955, 1959, 1969
  • Arnold Palmer: 1961, 1962, 1963
• 2 wins
  • J. B. Holmes: 2006, 2008
  • Vijay Singh: 1995, 2003
  • Bob Gilder: 1976, 1983
  • Miller Barber: 1971, 1978
  • Johnny Miller: 1974, 1975
  • Lloyd Mangrum: 1952, 1953
  • Jimmy Demaret: 1949, 1950
  • Ben Hogan: 1946, 1947
  • Byron Nelson: 1939, 1945

References

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site

Coordinates: 33°38′17″N 111°54′40″W / 33.638°N 111.911°W / 33.638; -111.911