Was it the sand angel in the bunker? A fan falling out of the grandstand? Players yelling at fans?
Whatever the breaking point was, the Waste Management Phoenix Open has appeared to reach it.
Officials from the Thunderbirds, the civic organization that hosts the now-controversial event, said they are already looking for ways to change the event after the atmosphere spiraled out of control Friday and Saturday.
The PGA Tour stop has long been known for rowdy fans — particularly on the par-3 16th — but a line may have been crossed this year as some players grew frustrated with the conditions.
“I think that you will see a complete operational change of how we manage, really, our Friday and Saturday, but the entire week,” Thunderbirds executive director Chance Cozby told Golf Channel. “We’re very proud of what we’ve built. I think, we’ve been tournament of the year on the PGA Tour five of the last seven years. But we don’t like what happened on Saturday. The players don’t like what happened on Saturday. Our fans don’t like what happened on Saturday, and, so, nothing is off the table.”
With fans’ behavior deteriorating and the course overcrowded, the gates were closed Saturday and alcohol sales were cut off.
Cozby said the overcrowding issues arose partly due to the rainy conditions causing congestion in certain areas of the course, as it was difficult to navigate slick, grassy hills.
“The fine line was really when we felt like we were just at a point on Saturday where our fans could not move around the golf course,” Cozby said. “And at that moment, the right thing to do was to take the steps that we did.”
Cozby said he and his team met Saturday for a lengthy brainstorming session as they look to rework their “complete security plan.”
Though there seemed to be far less chaos Sunday, players still grew frustrated as Zach Johnson, Billy Horschel and Jordan Spieth all had issues with fans.
Johnson may not be around to see the changes next year as he told the Arizona Republic that he is “done” with the event.
“I don’t know what the line is, but you have people falling out of the rafters, you have fights in the stands,” Johnson told the newspaper.
“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 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.”
