
PGA TOUR event also co-honored as “Most Fan-First Event”
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The Waste Management Phoenix Open (Scottsdale, Arizona) was honored by the PGA TOUR at the TOUR’s Tournament Meetings on December 6.
For the third time in five years, the Waste Management Phoenix Open was named PGA TOUR “Tournament of the Year.” The 2018 event also tied with the Safeway Open for “Most Fan-First Event.”
“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am pleased to congratulate the Waste Management Phoenix Open for these special recognitions,” said PGA TOUR Chief Tournaments and Competitions Officer Andy Pazder.
“The Thunderbirds and Waste Management worked tirelessly to continue and raise the bar across all facets of the event, and the fans responded. With the TOUR’s renewed focus on the fan experience onsite at TOUR events, we are excited to recognize the Waste Management Phoenix Open on its efforts to improve and innovate the experience at PGA TOUR events.”
The 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open, won by Gary Woodland in a playoff, saw record attendance, social media engagement and charitable impact. Held at TPC Scottsdale and known for its famous coliseum-style 16th hole, the Waste Management Phoenix Open continues to shatter attendance records, with the 2018 event drawing a weekly total of 720,000 fans, nearly 63,000 more than the previous year. As part of a four-day concert series, nearly 10,000 fans attended a sold-out performance by Florida Georgia Line after Thursday’s opening round, and fans took to social media to share their experience. Tournament channels saw an influx of more than 20,000 followers, a 36-percent increase.
As fan numbers increased, so did the charitable impact, with the 2018 event raising a record $12.2 million for local charities, eclipsing $12 million for the first time.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by the PGA TOUR for our commitment to our fans, sponsors and communities,” said Carlos Sugich, 2018 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman. “The Thunderbirds and our title sponsor Waste Management work tirelessly to make each WM Phoenix Open better than the last, not only in overall fan experience, but also in charitable giving and innovation. We’re extremely proud of these acknowledgements, and we look forward to setting the bar even higher in the years to come.”