Organisers of PGA Tour event announce plans to prevent chaos
The organisers of the PGA Tour's WM Phoenix Open have announced a series of new measures that will be introduced for the 2025 edition of the tournament.
The organisers of the PGA Tour's Waste Management Phoenix Open have announced a series of measures that will be introduced in 2025.
The Thunderbirds were slammed last February after messy scenes overshadowed Nick Taylor's win at TPC Scottsdale.
Social media videos went viral of the drunken scenes, which even led to alcohol sales being briefly suspended across the entire event.
One clip showed a man wetting himself. Other videos also showed spectators making snow angels in the mud there were even reports of violence.
On the final day of the event, last year's U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson was involved in a heated exchange with spectators.
Johnson could be heard saying that he was 'sick of it' and told the hecklers to 'just shut up'.
In a separate incident, Billy Horschel grew agitated with another spectator for making too much noise as his playing partner tried to play a shot.
The crowd trouble has been getting worse over the years.
After last year's debacle, The Thunderbirds vowed to 'fix the event'.
Matt Mooney, the tournament chairman, has now outlined what changes will be made to prevent further chaos.
They include:
- A new entrance, designed to improve the crowd flow over the weekend
- New walkways around the course
- A fully digital ticketing platform
- The elimination of 'good-any-day' tickets
- Upgrades to the Taylor Morrison Fairway House, near the 12th, and the Desert Oasis BBW and Beer Garden, near the 7th
Mooney said: "We've been working closely with the PGA Tour, Scottsdale Police and Fire, title sponsor WM and our other valued partners to make impactful changes for 2025.
"We are excited to announce these enhancements as the countdown to 'The People's Open' begins."
He added: "The additional entrance will significantly improve the flow of fans entering and exiting TPC Scottsdale.
"This entrance will provide relief at our main entrance and offer a much shorter walk for those fans in high-demand areas near holes 16, 17 and 18.
"We are upgrading technology to provide a more seamless experience for our fans who purchase general admission tickets.
"By eliminating physical general admission tickets, good-any-day tickets and tickets sold by third-party partners, we not only improve the buying and scanning process, we also improve our oversight of crowd management."
The 2025 Waste Management Phoenix Open will be played over Super Bowl weekend next February.
