Golfing in a goldfish bowl

Phoenix Open golf tournament

The Phoenix Open takes place at the end of January in Scottsdale, Arizona. The host golf club is the Tournament Players Club, called TPC Scottsdale, and the tournament held on its Stadium Course. It is a high-end public golf course in the Sonoran Desert, with the McDowell Mountains forming a scenic backdrop. The tournament set a record this year for one day attendance at 189,722. Like any PGA tournament, some of the best golfers from around the world participated. What sets this tournament apart from other PGA tournaments is the 16th hole.

The Coliseum

For professionals this is not a difficult hole on paper—being only 162 yards from the back tees. The par three 12th hole at Augusta National or the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass play much harder. What makes the 16th hole a challenge is the coliseum atmosphere. The hole is completely surrounded by bleachers and skyboxes, just like a small football field or coliseum. There are 15,000 seats, 177 skyboxes, two scoreboards and multiple TV cameras. The players enter and exit by way of a tunnel under the stands.

Thousands of people fill the seats and interact with the golfers. Hit a good shot and the crowd cheers. Hit a bad shot and the crowd boos loudly. No golfer is exempt. There is a student section from Arizona State University who have done their homework, chanting a player’s name or last tournament won and even singing a few lines of O Canada for the Canadian players. It is one big party, with noise levels equal to a Sun Devils’ football game.

The players’ response

Most players look forward to the hole and become part of the show. Padraig Harrington kicked a football off the tee box. James Hahn sank a long putt and then performed Psy’s Gangnam style dance. Caddies have participated with a race from tee to the green, carrying their bags. Some players respond by throwing golf balls, hats, sunglasses, etc. into the crowd. Phil Mickelson returned footballs thrown from the stands.

Golfer Geoff Ogilvy said “it’s the funnest hole of the year when you make birdie or hit a good shot, but the least fun if you make a bogey.” 

Some players, however, have disliked the antics of the crowd, with Justin Leonard giving the crowd the finger. Most golfers realize this hole is unique to the tour, a local phenomenon and not duplicated on any other golf course.

Traditionalist?

If you are a golf traditionalist and believe a good shot deserves a polite applause, then it is best to skip this hole. Concentrate on holes 15, 17 and 18, where the tournament is usually won or lost. Many people feel that the crowd is too rowdy and disrespectful and that the spectators have crossed the line. At times the behavior of both the students and the public gallery is hardly golf decorum, with officials struggling to maintain control. As a golfer and journalist covering the event, I felt the 16th hole was entertaining and certainly made for television. Keep in mind, golf is entertainment.

The 2014 tournament

In 2013, Phil Mickelson, who attended Arizona State University, won his third Phoenix Open and his 41st PGA tournament. The question was, could he repeat in 2014?  The answer was no. Dealing with a sore back from the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, Phil was never in contention, finishing in 42nd place. 

For the first three rounds, crowd favorite Bubba Watson led the field of 132 golfers, but it was Kevin Stadler who finished 16 under with a one-stroke victory. Canadian Graham DeLaet of Weyburn, Saskatchewan, finished in a tie for second place. The real winner, however, is the 16th hole.