The former US Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson was involved in an angry exchange with spectators on the final day of the WM Phoenix Open.
Johnson, 47, was filmed remonstrating with fans at TPC Scottsdale and could be heard telling them “I’m sick of it” before demanding they “just shut up”.
It was not apparent from the clip, which was posted on social media, what prompted the 2023 US Ryder Cup captain to lose his temper, although in a separate incident on Sunday another US player, Billy Horschel, was seen remonstrating with a spectator for calling out while one of his playing partners, qualifier Nicolo Galletti, was about to hit a shot.
“Buddy, when he’s over a shot shut the hell up man,” Horschel shouted. “He’s trying to hit a damn golf shot here – it’s our fucking job.”
The Phoenix Open is easily the best attended tournament in golf, but the behaviour of some fans has again attracted more attention than the golf itself. One man was arrested after jumping over the ropes and diving into a greenside bunker on the par-three 16th, where he proceeded to perform “snow angels” in the sand.
🚨🗣️🫨 #WATCH: Zach Johnson has had enough of the gallery at the WMPO - ‘SHUT UP’ pic.twitter.com/dJHJ5Kjax6
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) February 11, 2024
Tournament officials were forced to shut spectator gates earlier than planned after being overwhelmed by the turnout and sales of alcohol were temporarily halted.
The former BMW PGA Championship winner Byeong Hun An took to social media to brand the event a “shit show” which was “totally out of control on every hole”. He added: “Played here multiple times over the years and it was fine until today.”
On the course, Nick Taylor rode a late surge to secure his fifth PGA Tour title in the second hole of a playoff against Charley Hoffman.
The Canadian birdied three of his final four holes on Sunday to force the playoff against America’s Hoffman, who soared to the top of the leaderboard with a fourth-round score of 64.
After each man birdied the first extra hole, Hoffman left his birdie attempt short, leaving the window open for Taylor to sink a birdie putt from 11 feet and clinch the title to close out what had been a frantic final day.
