PGA Tour caddie reveals "Kardashian-level security" at the WM Phoenix Open

The 2025 WM Phoenix Open, also fondly called the ‘Greatest Show on Grass,’ is set to begin on Thursday, February 6, 2025. PGA Tour caddie Willy Wilcox disclosed via X (formerly Twitter), that there will be a higher level of security this year compared to previous years.

The WM Phoenix Open is one of the most popular PGA Tour events owing to its atmosphere. It is also called ‘The People's Open’ because of its high attendance– nearly 500,000 spectators yearly.

However, with lots of fans can come rowdiness, which sometimes leads to problems. There have been incidents of overcrowding, unruliness, ejections, and even arrests, with last year’s tournament being one of the worst ever.

At the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, the Scottsdale Police Department reported 54 arrests as things got out of control. There were some unpleasant exchanges, some fans got into a fight, and one spectator fell from the stands.

This year, organizers of the WM Phoenix Open are taking measures to ensure that these unfortunate events don’t happen again. On this matter, Willy Wilcox, PGA Tour golfer Im Sung-jae's caddie, said:

"Happy to report there will be astronomically less shenanigans this year at the WMPO. We have Kardashian level security with us.”

To reduce the level of rowdiness, organizers of the tournament have added two additional fan spectating venues, several walkways, and an extra entrance to the course. They have also introduced full digital ticketing to improve the flow of entrance into the property, as per Cronkite News.

As part of the updated 2025 security procedures, spectators at the WM Phoenix Open will be subject to bag inspections and metal detectors upon entrance. They will not be allowed to carry glass cups, bottles, knives, firearms, or weapons of any kind.

2025 WM Phoenix Open round 1 tee times

Here’s a look at the tee times (EST) for the 2025 WM Phoenix Open round one:

1st tee

9:20 am - Trey Mullinax, Sam Stevens, Ben Silverman
9:31 am - J.J. Spaun, Bud Cauley, Patrick Fishburn
9:42 am - Greyson Sigg, Vince Whaley, Carson Young
9:53 am - Rafael Campos, Emiliano Grillo, Seamus Power
10:04 am - Kevin Yu, Patton Kizzire, Vincent Norrman
10:15 am - Mackenzie Hughes, Matt Kuchar, Ben An
10:26 am - Maverick McNealy, Peter Malnati, Chris Kirk
10:37 am - J.T. Poston, Lucas Glover, Nick Hardy
10:48 am - Erik van Rooyen, Corey Conners, Kurt Kitayama
10:59 am - Henrik Norlander, Max Greyserman, Joe Highsmith
11:10 am - Lanto Griffin, Max McGreevy, Paul Waring
2:00 pm - Sam Ryder, Taylor Montgomery, Sami Valimaki
2:11 pm - Beau Hossler, Ryan Fox, Chan Kim
2:22 pm - Mark Hubbard, Min Woo Lee, Andrew Novak
2:33 pm - Matt McCarty, Akshay Bhatia, Wyndham Clark
2:44 pm - Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim, Max Homa
2:55 pm - Billy Horschel, Sahith Theegala, Rickie Fowler
3:06 p.m. Robert MacIntyre, Harry Hall, Si Woo Kim
3:17 p.m. Austin Eckroat, Chris Gotterup, Adam Hadwin
3:28 pm - Joel Dahmen, Nate Lashley, Ryan Palmer
3:39 pm - C.T. Pan, Keith Mitchell, Rico Hoey
3:50 pm - Thriston Lawrence, Frankie Capan III, Josele Ballester

10th tee

9:20 am - Charley Hoffman, Ben Kohles, Matti Schmid
9:31 am - K.H. Lee, Kevin Kisner, David Skinns
9:42 am - Michael Kim, Will Gordon, Rasmus Hojgaard
9:53 am - Nick Dunlap, Justin Thomas, Luke Clanton
10:04 am - Nick Taylor, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth
10:15 am - Sepp Straka, Sam Burns, Sungjae Im
10:26 am - Jake Knapp, Luke List, Gary Woodland
10:37 am - Davis Thompson, Brandt Snedeker, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
10:48 am - Brendon Todd, Victor Perez, Chandler Phillips
10:59 am - Chad Ramey, Ben Griffin, Nicolai Hojgaard
11:10 am - Kris Ventura, Will Chandler, Jesse Mueller
2:00 pm - Ben Martin, Doug Ghim, David Lipsky
2:11 pm - Andrew Putnam, Denny McCarthy, Ryo Hisatsune
2:22 pm - Chez Reavie, Patrick Rodgers, Eric Cole
2:33 pm - Camilo Villegas, Tom Hoge, Adam Schenk
2:44 pm - Nico Echavarria, Matt Wallace, Taylor Moore
2:55 pm - Lee Hodges, Adam Svensson, Cameron Young
3:06 pm - Brian Harman, Matt Fitzpatrick, Webb Simpson
3:17 pm - Davis Riley, Brice Garnett, Matthieu Pavon
3:28 pm - Kevin Streelman, Alex Smalley, Jacob Bridgeman
3:39 pm - Daniel Berger, Thomas Detry, Mac Meissner
3:50 pm - Hayden Springer, Michael Thorbjornsen, Steven Fisk

About the author

Sarah Rishama Madaki is a dedicated Golf Writer at Sportskeeda with a passion for bringing fresh perspectives to the world of sports journalism. With five years of professional experience as a content writer and strategist, she has worked with global brands across diverse industries, including stints at Soot Africa, TWU, Ink Different Hub, and Attrock.

A devoted fan of golf, Sarah stays updated on the sport through platforms like ESPN, SS Golf, and esteemed publications such as Golf Digest and Golf.com. She combines her knowledge of the game with an ability to understand audience preferences, crafting stories that resonate deeply with readers.

Sarah credits Tiger Woods as her inspiration for entering the world of golf. His resilience, innovative contributions to the game, and achievements motivate her to push boundaries in her career.

Beyond golf, Sarah is an avid NFL enthusiast cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs, a fiction novel lover, and a budding gardener. She aspires to one day cover historic events like The Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, bringing fans closer to the heart of the action.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl