Zach Johnson appears to make 'emotional' PGA Tour decision

Former U.S. Ryder Cup captain is not listed among the field for the PGA Tour's biggest party at TPC Scottsdale.

Zach Johnson
Zach Johnson

PGA Tour member Zach Johnson appears to be done with the WM Phoenix Open. 

Johnson questioned if he was ever going to return after things got out of hand 12 months ago at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. 

The field for the 2025 event was confirmed on Friday, with Scottie Scheffler headlining.

Johnson's name, perhaps unsurprisingly, was not listed. 

The 48-year-old was involved in a heated exchange with a spectator last year after he was reportedly goaded about his Ryder Cup captaincy. 

Johnson was filmed walking away saying he was 'sick of it'. 

The golfer also wasn't happy with what was going on elsewhere. 

Security was stretched to the limit to keep an increasingly inebriated crowd under control. 

One fan ran shirtless onto the famed 16th hole, stopping to make a snow angel in the greenside bunker. 

Another fell from the rafters. A video emerged of one fan wetting himself. 

There were also fights in the stands. 

Johnson later told reporters: "This tournament has been inappropriate and crossed the line since I've been on Tour, and this is my 21st year."

He added: "I don't know what the line is, but you have people falling out of the rafters, you have fights in the stands. 

"It's to the point where now, how do you reel it in? Because it's taken on a life of its own.

"I think the Thunderbirds [the tournament organisers] probably need to do something about it. 

"I'm assuming they're ashamed. Because at some point, somebody's either gonna really, really get hurt or worse. You've got a woman falling down 20 feet.

"I don't have any idea of if I'm gonna come back or not.

"You're hitting me at a very emotional point right now so if I were to say if I'm gonna come back, I'd probably say no. But at the same time, I have no idea."

Zach Johnson
Zach Johnson

The Thunderbirds have announced several changes for next week's event. 

A new entrance has been erected near the 18th to help crowd flow over the weekend. 

Also new for 2025 is a fully digital ticketing platform with no third-party vendors allowed to sell them. 

Tickets are only permitted for the specific day of attendance.

Take a look at the field here:
Watched our latest YouTube video?
Remote video URL

Sponsored Posts