The Waste Management Phoenix Open was named the PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR at the TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on November 20 in La Quinta, California. The tournament earned a total of three awards, also picking up honors for “Most Engaged Community” and “Best Sales – Year Over Year (Dollars)”.

“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am delighted to congratulate the Waste Management Phoenix Open for the special recognition it has received with these three awards,” said Andy Pazder, PGA TOUR executive vice-president and chief of operations. “The tournament staff should be extremely proud of its hard work and for being recognized as the PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year.”

As the PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year, the Waste Management Phoenix Open fulfilled its goal of providing an exceptional experience for every constituency involved in its event while producing significant funds for charity. Highlights of the 2014 event included: With one of the most unique fan and sponsor experiences on the PGA TOUR, the tournament set personal records for both fan attendance and total sponsors. In fact, the tournament had a
97 percent renewal rate for the year, while increasing its total sponsors from 1,370 to 1,462.

The tournament gave $7 million to more than 100 charities, while providing their daily unused food to Waste Not, a local Arizona non-profit which collects excess perishable foods.

In winning the “Best Sales – Year over Year (Dollars)” award, the tournament increased sales by $2.9M over 2013, increased overall skybox sales by 33 percent and more than doubled the number of Greenskeeper Cabanas sales.

As the recipient of the “Most Engaged Community” award, the tournament boasted a volunteer corps of 4,200 in 2014, credentialed 605 members of the media and engaged fans throughout the year with 20 different social media outlets, earning itself a spot inside the top 10 in both Facebook and Twitter in terms of total number followers.

“On behalf of Waste Management, The Thunderbirds and more than 4,000 volunteers, we are honored and thankful for the recognition from the PGA TOUR,” said Thunderbirds Big Chief Tom King. “The community and corporate support of the Waste Management Phoenix Open is truly remarkable and in turn allows us to aid hundreds of local charities.”


The 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open, will be held January 26-February 1 at TPC Scottsdale.

Note: The Waste Management Phoenix Open shared PGA TOUR Tournament of the Year honors with the BMW Championship.