It’s Open Season

Will the 2015 WM Phoenix Open beat last year’s record attendance mark of 563,000? With the tournament sandwiched between the NFL Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl, expect the fairways and greens to be lined with fans. Inset: 2014 WM Phoenix Open champion Kevin Stadler will return to the TPC Scottsdale to defend his title.
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With all the talk of the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl being played in Glendale the last week of January, some may forget the world’s largest golf tournament is also being played across town in Scottsdale that very same week. The Greatest Show on Grass, a.k.a. the Waste Management Phoenix Open, returns to TPC Scottsdale January 26 through February 1, 2015.

The 2015 WM Phoenix Open promises to be one of the biggest in the tournament’s 80-year history. Not only is the PGA TOUR field expected to be stellar, with big names like Mickelson, Watson, Fowler and Horschel playing, but the celebrity and people-watching factor is expected to be off the charts.

Topping 2014 will be hard to do as last year’s event had record attendance during Saturday’s 3rd round (189,700) and 563,000 for tournament week. 2014 Tournament Champion Kevin Stadler is back to defend his title. Stadler’s win at the last year’s Waste Management Phoenix Open was his first in 239 professional tournament starts.

Last year’s tournament was also huge for local charities as the host Thunderbirds distributed more than $7 million to more than 100 non-profits through proceeds raised from the 2014 event. While last year’s donation was a staggering number it’s only a small portion of the overall charitable contributions the tournament has made in its 80-year history. Since its inception dating back to 1932, the event has raised more than $93 million for charity with more than $67 million coming since October 2003 when the tournament first brought on a title sponsor. The true winners each and every year of the Waste Management Phoenix Open are the hundreds of Arizona charities the tournament supports.

So, what’s new at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open? The golf course is essentially brand new. After undergoing a 7-month renovation, TPC Scottsdale reopened in November to rave reviews. Original course architect Tom Weiskopf was brought-in to oversee the project which included resurfacing all greens; relocating greens on holes 2, 3, 4 and 14; reshaping bunkers, greens and tees; rerouting new cart paths; planting new turf; replacing sand in bunkers; and installing a new irrigation system. More than 250 trees were planted and mounding was softened to allow for better viewing. Plus, the clubhouse was also updated with new locker rooms, larger meeting space, and facility-wide interior touches.

The 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open continues to be one of the most iconic and unique holes on TOUR. The “Coliseum” has 200 skyboxes and 5,000 general-admission seats that hold more than 15,000 fans. For 2015, the newly added Loge Section promises to be one of the coolest “hangs” at the tournament. Requiring a special ticket for entry, it’s literally built into the stadium with couches, HD TVs, views of 15 and 16, and an incredible food-and-beverage spread.

When the sun sets on the TPC Scottsdale the party heats up at the Coors Light Birds Nest – now bigger and better than ever. Open Wednesday (1/28) through Saturday (1/31) from 3:30 -10-ish, the 2015 Coors Light Birds Nest will feature Capital Cities on Wednesday night, country star Darius Rucker on Thursday night, Kid Rock on Friday night, and Dutch DJ Afrojack will play on Saturday, the final night.

While the actual Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament will be played Thursday – Sunday (January 29-February 1), there will still be plenty of things to see and do at TPC Scottsdale all week long. Many of the PGA TOUR pros will play morning practice rounds on Tuesday of tournament week. There are also other special activities that will feature PGA TOUR professionals, including the Kyocera Pro-Am on Monday, the R.S. Hoyt Jr. Family Foundation Dream Day and Outfront Media Special Olympics Open on Tuesday and the ever-popular Annexus Pro-Am on Wednesday. On Saturday, January 31, the tournament is inviting everyone to participate in the fifth-annual GREEN OUT. Waste Management and The Thunderbirds encourage players and tournament attendees to wear green in support of the many green/sustainability initiatives that the company is doing to make the event not only the greenest tournament on the PGA TOUR, but one of the most charitable. For every person who wears green on Saturday, tournament host, The Thunderbirds, will donate “green” to three local charities.

Of all the big numbers swirling around the tournament, perhaps the most impressive is the smallest – zero – as in zero waste. In 2013 and 2014, ZERO tournament waste was sent to landfills. Instead, 100 percent was recycled, composted or sent to waste-to-energy facilities. These efforts have been independently validated by The Council for Responsible Sport and UL Environmental, as well as recognized by Beyond Sport.

January 26 through February 1 is the week and The Greatest and Greenest Show on Grass is the place to be. For more information or tickets to the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.