SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Traffic was bad, the course was crowded and the 16th hole was raucous and rocking. The WM Phoenix Open felt like its usual, pre-pandemic self.
“We don’t keep track of the attendance,” tournament chairman Michael Golding said, “but it certainly feels like a Thursday.”
Only it was Wednesday, the day of the Annexus Pro-Am, one day before the tournament begins in earnest and two days before crowds historically have swelled.
For anyone who walked the course at TPC Scottsdale, the size and mood of the proceedings left little doubt that this week’s event has a chance to serve, at best, as a marker of a Valley-wide return to normalcy — or, perhaps more modestly, as at least a momentary reprieve following nearly two years of pandemic restrictions.
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Unlike last year, the timing of the event worked out well for organizers. A year ago, with vaccines still not fully available, the tournament proceeded with caution, limiting attendance numbers. Though things looked dicey when the Omicron variant was surging a month ago, numbers have come down — and the thinking about how to proceed seems to be shifting as well.
Earlier this week, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden administration’s top medical advisor for COVID-19, indicated his belief that the country soon could be exiting the “full-blown” pandemic phase. States across the country are further easing restrictions.
On the course on Wednesday, there were few indications the virus was on anyone’s mind. The weather was beautiful, drinks were flowing and masks were few and far between, mostly seen in the form of straps peeking out of jacket pockets.
“Look at everybody partying,” said Mark Golub, 75, of Scottsdale, motioning toward a crowded area along the 18th fairway. “It’s like the old days. I wonder what Saturday is going to be like. That’ll be the test.”
Golub would know. He had come to the Phoenix Open for 16 consecutive years before opting out last year. It had been an annual tradition for him to bring his grandkids to the event on Sunday, the tournament’s final day. He is planning to resume the tradition this year.
If the weekend is anything like it used to be, crowds could approach 200,000 on Friday and Saturday.
With the event taking place on a 200-acre course with spectators either outdoors or in open-air enclosures, several attendees on Wednesday said they didn’t feel like they were taking health risks.
“Nothing is actually enclosed,” said Phoenix resident Denisse Sandoval, 25. “It’s made it feel safe to be here. Everything is outside. It depends on everyone’s views, but for me it feels back to normal.”
“I feel safe to the extent that we’re all outdoors,” said Dave Mrocek, 76, of Sun City West. “My theory is that we’re all going to get it. I’ve been vaccinated; I try to do all the right things. But I know we’re going to get it eventually. If we get it out here, at least we got it in good company.”
Tournament organizers are encouraged by what they have seen already this week, with anecdotal evidence supporting the idea that attendance could return to pre-pandemic levels.
“I’m very excited for the weekend,” Golding said. “When we’re busy like this, it means we’re going to give a lot of money back to the community.”
In 2019, the event generated a record $14.2 million for local charities and organizations. Last year, that number fell to $3.8 million. Golding expects the number to be at least $10 million — and it could be larger, at least if Wednesday’s crowd is an indication of what’s to come.
“We’re back,” Golding said. “It’s good to be back.”
