“The Greatest Show on Grass” takes place each PGA Tour season at TPC Scottsdale in Phoenix, with an action-packed weekend when the WM Phoenix Open tees off.
This prestigious PGA Tour stop is one of the season’s first major golfing calendar tournaments and one of the most popular.
The final round of the WM Phoenix Open coincides with Super Bowl Sunday, which has regularly assisted with the tournament’s crowd atmosphere and overall excitement.
And due to the growing popularity of the four-day events, it doesn’t just cater to golf fans but also the wandering fans who may not be usual spectators of the sport.
Over the years, the Phoenix Thunderbirds have done an excellent job adding events and activities to the Scottsdale event for the visitors looking beyond the PGA action.
Food, drink, music, and sports wagering, to name a few, as the WM Phoenix Open offers something for everybody.
Since moving from the Phoenix Country Club to the TPC Scottsdale course in the late eighties, this specific event has evolved into a fan-friendly course that welcomes everyone at this stop on the PGA Tour.
Often referred to as “The Greatest Show on Grass,” its evolution hasn’t slowed down in recent years, as the fan experience heightens each year, whether you’re there to see the world’s best golfers or for something more.
Pat Williams, the tournament’s chairman, said: “We like to challenge ourselves to see how we can get the venue to change from year to year. We’re happy the community comes out every year and supports us.”
Each year the tournament organizers deliver multiple pro-ams as a part of the pre-tournament activities.
The Carlisle Pro-Am begins on Monday and allows fans to play alongside PGA pros. The Annexus Pro-Am is on Wednesday, as local celebrities join the PGA’s finest professional golfers and sponsors of the tournament.
“The Shot of Glory” is the main event of the Annexus Pro-Am, when celebrities and sponsors tee off at the renowned par-3 16th for a charitable competition. Whoever hits their ball closest to the pin is gifted a donation to their chosen charity.
“The pro-ams are a great way to come out and see the golf course when it’s a little bit less crowded, but on Wednesday, we’re expecting to see over 100,000 fans,” Williams said.
WM Phoenix Open Music
Another common feature at the tournament is the Coors Light Birds Nest, as local music artists and bands get on stage to provide the masses with live music in the entertainment tent.
The tent has featured major-selling record artists, and the household names include Chainsmokers, Machine Gun Kelly, and Jason Aldean will perform during the four-day-long music event.
“We realized there was a demand for entertainment after the golf ended. It’s been a tradition to have the Birds Nest for 50-plus years,” Williams said.
“Since we moved to Scottsdale, we were able to build another venue on the campus to keep people entertained as well as provide another revenue source.”
A unique concert is held at the 16th hole, as the stadium and luxury suites have been built around the short hole and is known as the “Concert in the Coliseum”.
Sports Betting at the WM Phoenix Open
The latest addition to the TPC Scottsdale spectacle is an on-site DraftKings sportsbook. Construction was completed for the 2024 event and will make history as the first on-site sportsbook at a PGA Tour event.
“As part of the PGA’s partnership with DraftKings, DraftKings was given a choice to open one sportsbook at any tournament they wanted and decided to pick our tournament,” Williams commented.
It was the wisest decision for DK to select the tour, as the huge crowds and golf fans will undoubtedly generate interest in the sportsbook’s services.
The best legal online sportsbooks released future odds on the WM Phoenix in advance.