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The fans made a huge impact on the WM Phoenix Open, from getting in players' heads to fighting in the crowds. This is one event where they are encouraged to make their presence felt, so it's one that they try to get out for. It may not be a Major championship, but it's somewhere they can be fans.
Thanks to the weather and a few other fans, things had to change dramatically. The Thunderbirds, the organizers of the event, had to remove spectators and issue an alcohol ban to try and make things work. Bad conditions made it hard for them to have a place to watch.
All of that, plus the numerous instances of golfers being frustrated with fan behavior, have led to calls for change in the future. Those changes may not come, but the Thunderbirds promise that things will be better in the future.
Executive director of The Thunderbirds, Chance Cozby, said via Golf Magic that everything would be correct again for the next iteration of the tournament:
"Well, we are going to make changes. I think everyone probably agrees that we have a very unique culture of our event and we've been doing this for 89 years. The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937, and this was our 89th playing and I don't think any of us dreamed it would grow to this level of attention and excitement, but the fine line was really when we felt like we were at a point on Saturday where our fans could not move around the golf course, and at that moment the right thing to do was to take the steps that we did."
The statement went on to say that they had some challenges with the weather primarily, and that the safety of the fans and the players had to come first, which led to some of the issues spectators may have had. Things will be better in 2025, the Thunderbirds promised.
Thunderbirds address player concerns at WM Phoenix Open
With all the fan controversy, it would not be a shock to see some players eschew the WM Phoenix Open next year. More than a few were frustrated with them and their behavior. Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson and others may be leaning towards opting out in 2025.
However, that would harm the tournament. If good players don't play it because of the fans, it dilutes the WM's quality. The Thunderbirds don't want that, so Cozby also addressed their concerns via Golf Magic:
"You can count on the Thunderbirds to get this right. We know that you've come and supported our event and the 16th hole is really unlike anything else in golf. We acknowledge we did not have a good Saturday and we are committed to making the experience at the WM Phoenix Open better for you, your families, for our fans, for our volunteers."
This isn't the first challenge the Thunderbirds have seen in their 89 years of doing the event, and it's not going to be the last, but they have assured everyone that they will correct everything.
