2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open

While volunteering for Angels Spring Training last year we met a guy, Alex, who volunteers for the Waste Management Phoenix Open at the end of January every year.  He wanted us to volunteer with him this year so we decided to give it a try.  We had to leave Casa Grande very early each morning in order to make the 50 minute drive to the event in Scottsdale, Arizona.  Then we had to park our truck at an offsite lot and take a shuttle to the event and be at our post before sunrise! 

The event is put on by an organization known as the Thunderbirds.  There are 55 active members and many more Life Thunderbirds.  The Thunderbirds raise money for local charities and raised $13.2 million at the 2019 event.  They are easily recognizable thanks to their distinctive royal blue, long-sleeve tunics, concho belts, and Thunderbird medallions.   

Also necessary to put on an event this large are the volunteers where there were about 5,100 of us.  As volunteers we got a baseball hat, a pin, free lunch, entry into the event, and another ticket for one day's entry to give away. 

This does not include the Marshals you might see at each hole who hold up the "quiet" signs and keep the crowd in control.  Those people with the straw hats pay money to work at the event and get a nice golf shirt, jacket, straw hat, and other goodies.  

Waste Management is the major sponsor of the event so they had the trash under control.

#greenestshow

Ariel view of the course

There was a giant putting area for the players to warming up and golf club manufacturers to show off their clubs. 

We don't follow golf and don't know any of the players so we didn't know what to expect.  Alex volunteers for clubhouse security so we signed up for his team for three days of the 7 day event.  We worked on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday giving ourselves a day off in-between in case we were exhausted.  

Tuesday was a practice round.  The golfers are grouped into threes and the tee times are staggered.  Some start at the first hole and others start half way through the course at the 10th hole and play 10 to 18 and then go to play 1-9.      

Our job was to check everyone's credentials that were trying to get in to the clubhouse area.  We worked two hour shifts and then had two hours off between shifts where we were free to walk around and check out the event.

Al and another volunteer at their stations at one of the entrances to the clubhouse area.

This Kids Zone is an area where kids can get autographs from the players.

Kids must be shorter than his hand in order to enter.

During our two hour breaks, we had time to grab some free lunch using our vouchers.

Our friend, Randy, was volunteering for this event too!

Break time!

On our first day observing the event, the Marshall at this tee mentioned to us to be careful of our shadow on the course.  Really?  This is not how I like to watch sports!  Too many rules for fans!

We learned that this event is known for their most exciting and loudest 16th hole which is known as "The Coliseum", "The Stadium", or "The Loudest Hole in Golf". At this hole there is seating for 16,000 fans which occupy the completely enclosed hole.

There was no way we could get in there on Saturday so we checked it out earlier in the week when it was WAY more quiet!

A photo of the 16th hole from Google Images

The tee is way down at the other end

Shadows in the sand

We continued on walking around getting the lay of the land.  Here is the 18th hole area from the tee. The hole is w.a.y.... down past the water. 
  

With a view of the 18th hold is the Birdies for the Brave Patriots Outpost.  This is a complimentary hospitality tent for all active duty, reserve and retired military from all five branches of the Armed Forces and their families to enjoy the event.

Guess what this sign is made with?????

Golf Tees!

We decided to take another one of our breaks back at the 16th hole and watch the action.  This time there were more people in the arena but it's still early in the week for the event.

 

At another hole, it's the Caddy's job to rake the sand after their player finishes with their putt. I assumed there was a groundskeeper at each green to keep an eye on things. 

We survived our first day of volunteering at the event and learned a lot about golf!  It was a tiring day since we had to get up so early and we were standing most of the day so we were glad we took off the next day.

On Wednesday there was the celebrities event which we missed.  

On Thursday we went for our second day of volunteering as clubhouse security.  The crowds were definitely bigger.

That day there were 132 golfers set to play in the first round.  They play in groups of three with half starting at 7:20 AM and the other half starting at 11:35 AM. 

We saw several people we knew from volunteers with the Angels.  Alex is quite the salesman in getting volunteers!

Al and Dennis (who also works at the Angels games with us).

We spent more of our breaks at the 16th hole.  I liked it there because there was noise and the people were more fun.  

This day was not long after Kobe, his daughter, and friends died in the helicopter crash so some players wore his Lakers jersey at the 16th hole as a tribute.
 

A scoreboard in the 16th hold area

Max Homa

The Thunderbirds cook and sell their famous Thunderdogs to raise more money for charity.

Al maintaining the area where the players and fans cross paths.

In the clubhouse area the players could sign autographs for fans and be interviewed for the media before going inside. 

A player signing autographs

This was the day we had a friend that we knew in the corporate sponsored suites.  It is certainly a party in those areas with a lot of free food and drinks. 

We scored!

Now that was a much better way to watch golf!

After playing stopped each afternoon, the groundskeepers parade would start from the clubhouse area.  I never saw so many different John Deere tractors!  There must have been 15-20 tractors in the parade.  Here are some samples....

More autographs....

On Friday was Round 2 of the event and we stayed home and rested.

On Saturday, it was time for Round 3.  Here is the tent for arriving Volunteers and Marshals where breakfast was provided.  It was mostly bagels, donuts, and coffee.

Round 3 is limited to the top 63 players with the others going home empty handed.

At 9:04 the first team starts at the 1st tee and the 13th group starts at the 10th tee. 

Saturday is the BIG event at the 16th hole! Those fans who are first to make it to the grandstands are part of the 16th Hole Breakfast Club and treated to free food, music, and T-shirts.  The first fans line up at the gate around 4:30 AM and many have already started drinking alcohol!  There were thousands of people waiting to make the sprint to the 16th hold and secure one of the coveted 3,700 general admission seats for the day!

Looks like a marathon start but it was the line up for the 16th hole sprint

At 7AM the gates were removed and it was a mad dash to the 16th hole to get their seats!  They were not supposed to run on the greens but there were no Marshals to stop them.  It was crazy!

Here's a 1 minute video of the gate opening that Al shot with his phone:  https://youtu.be/zPAELDA3LcM

Watching sunrise on this beautiful Saturday morning!  I can't say I'm up this early on too many occasions. 

I wouldn't want to mess with this Volunteer!

Brandon Grace (from South Africa, finished 2nd in last year's event and took home $766,800)

Jordan Spieth

Player John Rahm arrived at the clubhouse.  Last year he tied for 10th place at the event and took home $163,360.  He played for Arizona State so he's a local favorite and currently ranked 3rd in the world.  

While on a break we were walking around on the course and ran in to Rickie Fowler, last years winner where he brought home a prize of $1,278,000.

Rickie Fowler (green)  & Kevin Tway (blue)

Kevin Tway

Kevin Tway

Rickie Fowler

We watched them play a couple of holes.

Rickie Fowler

The line and the stairs at one entrance to the 16th hole!

Kevin Tway

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau

Rickie Fowler

Kevin Tway

Rickie Fowler

On another break we sat on the lawn by the 18th hole and enjoyed the atmosphere.

The Goodyear blimp made an appearance

It was a beautiful day to sit out in the sun

Sam Ryder, Mark Hubbard, and Gary Woodland at the 18th hole

18th hole

Sample of one of the scoreboards near the 18th hole

Crowd forming around the 18th hole

Randy, Nancy, and Al

JJ Spaun headed to the clubhouse after finishing his round

Name???

Towards the end of the round on Saturday, most of the people where now at the 18th hole to watch the last players finish up.  They asked some of us to help with security.  We walked the bridge from the clubhouse to the 18th hole.

Xander Schauffele, Webb Simpson, and Bubba Watson

Bubba Watson finished the 2019 Phoenix Open in 3rd place and won $482,800.

Securing the 18th hole

Our job was to keep people behind the ropes and off the greens and be a presence to keep order.  

Nate Lashley and his caddie raking the sand

One of the players hit a bad shot and it landed on the sidewalk full of fans.  People started yelling "don't touch it!"  The ball rolled and stopped at the sidewalk curb.  It was Byeong-Hun An's ball.

Hudson Swafford and his caddy

I had to be careful where I stood because I was blocking some tool that calculated the ball's distance.

Byeong-Hun An from South Korea

Cool photo from the sand

We had to move the ropes to secure the area around the ball on the sidewalk

Hudson Swafford

Byeong-Hun An hitting his shot from the curb area

Clubhouse in the background.
We worked in the area to the left of the clubhouse.

And that was the end of our day and our volunteer days at the event.

The last day of the event was Superbowl Sunday so we were home watching the game but later learned that Webb Simpson won.  I'm told it was quite an exciting finish which ended in a playoff with Tony Finau to decide the winner.

For Simpson’s effort, the now six-time PGA Tour winner, took home a prize money payout of $1,314,000  from the total purse of $7.3 million.

Here is the prize money payout for the top 10 golfers who made the cut this week at TPC Scottsdale.

Win: Webb Simpson, 267/-17, $1,314,000

P-2: Tony Finau, 267/-17, $795,700

T-3: Nate Lashley, 270/-14, $386,900
T-3: Justin Thomas, 270/-14, $386,900
T-3: Bubba Watson, 270/-14, $386,900

T-6: Max Homa, 271/-13, $255,500
T-6: Scott Piercy, 271/-13, $255,500

8: Adam Long, 272/-12, $228,125

T-9: Daniel Berger, 273/-11, $170,767.86
T-9: Branden Grace, 273/-11, $170,767.86
T-9: Billy Horschel, 273/-11, $170,767.86
T-9: Mark Hubbard, 273/-11, $170,767.86
T-9: Jon Rahm, 273/-11, $170,767.86
T-9: Byeong Hun An, 273/-11, $170,767.85
T-9: Hudson Swafford, 273/-11, $170,767.85

That's a lot of money!  Maybe I should take up golf!  Hahaha!

Next it's time to start thinking Baseball Spring Training.