‘Respect goes a long way’ – PGA Tour chiefs lay out long list of demands to avoid Phoenix Open carnage where alcohol was banned
Last year’s Phoenix Open descended into chaos with boozy golf fans going wild in Arizona. Already known as the People’s Open due to its rowdy scenes, the event at TPC Scottsdale ended up having to stop alcohol sales on the Saturday. GettyThe Phoenix Open draws a less traditional crowd[/caption] Scottsdale Police revealed a shocking 54 arrests over six days, while 211 attendees were ejected from the event. Those numbers were a significant increase from 18 arrests and 102 ejections in 2023, while in 2022 there were zero arrests and 90 ejections. Canadian Nick Taylor won the event, but it was drunk and disorderly dominated the coverage. A report said a female patron was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after falling at the infamous 16th hole where some of the most raucous activity occurs. Viral clips showed topless fans sliding in the mud, while footage of fights even hit the internet. “The course conditions were not normal due to the mud and rain, revealed a police spokeswoman. “This resulted in the large crowds only occupying a small portion of the course and caused a large buildup of crowds.” The PGA Tour is desperate to avoid a repeat of the carnage and there will be a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in effect as well as an increased police presence. Golf bosses have also released a long list of instructions for fans. They include everything from the usual advice on arriving early and where to park, as well as some more event-specific details on the need for respect and safety. View Tweet: https://twitter.com/hashtag/thepeoplesopen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Some fighting was seen around the course@NUCLRGOLF One supporter became a hero for his mudsliding abilitiesTikTok - @addisonbare His mates gave him plaudits for his sliding skillsTikTok - @addisonbare The beer snake was on-pointX - @NUCLRGOLF In one clip from last year, two golf fans were spotted grappling away from the course with others trying to intervene. Elsewhere around the course, numerous fans created mudslides, flinging themselves down embankments while being showered by booze. One man in particular was seen by hundreds of thousand across social media for his shirtless slide. In more sedate scenes, a potential world record was broken with a beer snake stretching for as far as the eye could see. But the antics, which saw overcrowding briefly pause entries to course, continued around the clock. One reporter claimed 30 people had blacked out at the event, causing some alcohol sales to be temporarily stopped. View Tweet: https://t.co/XGML0GuzD9 This led to ‘We want beer’ being chanted at some holes before the ban was lifted. Tournament director Matt Mooney has warned fans 2025 will be a different event. “It’s one of the things that concerns me the most as an avid golfer is that you have these outlier individuals who want to have their viral moment and so we’re also really making an emphasis this year again on our fan code of conduct,” Mooney said. “Our general admission fans will have to click on a code of conduct acknowledgment and we’re going to have a zero-tolerance policy for people that cross those procedures. “Unfortunately, there’s a small segment of our society that wants to create these viral moments and it’s to the detriment of the event, the detriment of the other fans and most importantly the athletes themselves.” Mooney also confirmed there will be an increased police presence this year in an attempt to control the rowdy crowds.
Last year’s Phoenix Open descended into chaos with boozy golf fans going wild in Arizona.
Already known as the People’s Open due to its rowdy scenes, the event at TPC Scottsdale ended up having to stop alcohol sales on the Saturday.
Scottsdale Police revealed a shocking 54 arrests over six days, while 211 attendees were ejected from the event.
Those numbers were a significant increase from 18 arrests and 102 ejections in 2023, while in 2022 there were zero arrests and 90 ejections.
Canadian Nick Taylor won the event, but it was drunk and disorderly dominated the coverage.
A report said a female patron was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries after falling at the infamous 16th hole where some of the most raucous activity occurs.
Viral clips showed topless fans sliding in the mud, while footage of fights even hit the internet.
“The course conditions were not normal due to the mud and rain, revealed a police spokeswoman.
“This resulted in the large crowds only occupying a small portion of the course and caused a large buildup of crowds.”
The PGA Tour is desperate to avoid a repeat of the carnage and there will be a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in effect as well as an increased police presence.
Golf bosses have also released a long list of instructions for fans.
They include everything from the usual advice on arriving early and where to park, as well as some more event-specific details on the need for respect and safety.
In one clip from last year, two golf fans were spotted grappling away from the course with others trying to intervene.
Elsewhere around the course, numerous fans created mudslides, flinging themselves down embankments while being showered by booze.
One man in particular was seen by hundreds of thousand across social media for his shirtless slide.
In more sedate scenes, a potential world record was broken with a beer snake stretching for as far as the eye could see.
But the antics, which saw overcrowding briefly pause entries to course, continued around the clock.
One reporter claimed 30 people had blacked out at the event, causing some alcohol sales to be temporarily stopped.
This led to ‘We want beer’ being chanted at some holes before the ban was lifted.
Tournament director Matt Mooney has warned fans 2025 will be a different event.
“It’s one of the things that concerns me the most as an avid golfer is that you have these outlier individuals who want to have their viral moment and so we’re also really making an emphasis this year again on our fan code of conduct,” Mooney said.
“Our general admission fans will have to click on a code of conduct acknowledgment and we’re going to have a zero-tolerance policy for people that cross those procedures.
“Unfortunately, there’s a small segment of our society that wants to create these viral moments and it’s to the detriment of the event, the detriment of the other fans and most importantly the athletes themselves.”
Mooney also confirmed there will be an increased police presence this year in an attempt to control the rowdy crowds.
