Location | Scottsdale, Arizona |
---|---|
Established | 1932, 85 years ago |
Course(s) | TPC Scottsdale |
Par | 71 |
Length | 7,266 yards (6,644 m) |
Organized by | The Thunderbirds |
Tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Format | Stroke play |
Prize fund | $6.7 million |
Month played | February |
Aggregate | 256 Mark Calcavecchia (2001) 256 Phil Mickelson (2013) |
To par | −28 Mark Calcavecchia (2001) −28 Phil Mickelson (2013) |
Hideki Matsuyama |
The Phoenix Open (known as the Waste Management Phoenix Open for title sponsorship reasons) is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held in late January/early February at the Tournament Players Club (TPC) of Scottsdale, Arizona.
The tournament was originally the Arizona Open, but was known for most of its history as the Phoenix Open until the investment bank Friedman Billings Ramsey became the title sponsor in October 2003, when it was known as the FBR Open. The event's relaxed atmosphere, raucous by the standards of professional golf, has earned it the nickname “The Greatest Show on Grass” and made it one of the most popular events on the PGA Tour calendar.
The Phoenix Open began 85 years ago in 1932 but was discontinued after the 1935 tournament. The rebirth of the Phoenix Open came in 1939 when Bob Goldwater, Sr. convinced fellow Thunderbirds to help run the event. The Thunderbirds, a prominent civic organization in Phoenix, were not as enthusiastic about running the event as he was, leaving Goldwater, Sr. to do most of the work in getting a golf open started.
The event was played at the Phoenix Country Club in Phoenix (33°28′55″N 112°03′47″W / 33.482°N 112.063°W), both in its earlier incarnations and after Goldwater resuscitated it. Beginning in 1955, the Arizona Country Club (also in Phoenix) (33°29′06″N 111°57′32″W / 33.485°N 111.959°W), alternated as event host with Phoenix Country Club; this arrangement lasted until Phoenix Country Club took The Arizona Country Club's turn in 1975 and became the event's permanent home again.