SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Just before the conclusion of the weather-delayed second round just before 2 p.m. Saturday at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, tournament organizers temporarily closed all of the entrances to TPC Scottsdale. No more fans were being allowed into the tournament.
This is the first time this has happened in event history. It’s unclear what fans with tickets will do for now but if enough fans leave, then more fans could be allowed in.
The grassy hillsides of the Stadium Course normally can accomodate thousands of fans watching the tournament but those slopes became muddy slip-n-slides, which pushed all the fans on the walkways, creating massive logjams where fans who were on site struggled to move about.
That didn’t stop some late-arriving fans from finding ways to circumvent the rules. Videos posted to social media showed fans climbing fences of nearby apartment complexes to get onto the tournament grounds.
Because of all the congestion around the course, golf carts were parked. Typically, TV crews with big cameras or tournament or PGA Tour officials motor around the property throughout the day but with so much foot traffic, golf carts are being put away.
In addition, alcohol sales were halted. For a while fans could be seen lined up at the beer tubs around the course, awaiting the good word they could start buying again, but that didn’t happen.
Due to larger than usual crowds, the WM Phoenix Open entrance gates are temporarily closed and shuttle service to the event is on hold. Shuttle service back to parking lots will remain running. Regularly check our channels for updates. pic.twitter.com/NAi1nYuuCu
— WM Phoenix Open (@WMPhoenixOpen) February 10, 2024
Sunday morning, tournament organizers posted a message on social media, explaining their Saturday decision and stating that they’re trying to determine the best way to make it up to the fans not allowed in.
— WM Phoenix Open (@WMPhoenixOpen) February 11, 2024
The tournament’s Friday and Saturday rounds were declared sellouts a few days before the tournament.
In 2019, tournament organizers stopped announcing daily attendance numbers. In 2018, the Phoenix Open reported the largest single-day crowd of 216,818 for Saturday’s third round as well as an overall attendance for the week at 719,179.
