The combination of an entertainment-starved crowd happy to be returning to live golf, picture-perfect weather and a star-studded field made the famous 16th hole at the WM Phoenix Open a site to behold once again.
TPC Scottsdale’s iconic par-3 has become one of the bucket-list events for pro golfers and fans alike.
It only plays about 140 yards but it’s surrounded by an estimated 17,000 fans, many who get louder as the day grows longer. Saturday is traditionally the wildest day at 16, so if you’re among the lucky who will be in attendance, buckle up.
What’s it like to step into the coliseum during the tournament? These PGA Tour pros have some opinions.
Keegan Bradley
“I love it. The thing about this week I always tell people is, you’re ready for it, this is the week. It’s not that big of a deal when they boo you, people think it is, but I think, like Brooks (Koepka) says, it’s kind of nice to feel that — like I always imagine that’s what, that’s my only time I get feel like what it might be in Fenway Park for me, you know, my life-long dream. So I try to enjoy my time in there. But over the years it’s not just that hole anymore, I mean the whole back side is pretty loud and pretty fun.”
Talor Gooch
“There’s nothing like it in golf, we all know it. It’s such a cliche, but it’s so true, there’s nothing like it and it’s the only time you feel like you’re at Lambeau Field or somewhere that’s not golf. So it’s a fun energy and it gets you hyped up. With a last name like Gooch there’s a few comments that you get. The best outfit that I’ve seen it was actually not from this year it was two years ago maybe, and actually didn’t see it on 16 but I saw them, it was a group running to 16 at 6 a.m. and it was a bunch of bananas and then a gorilla. So that was the best, the gorilla chasing the bananas. So that was probably the best.”
Somers:Has Phoenix Open’s 16th hole become a bucket list item for sports fans?
Sahith Theegala
We asked him what was the goofiest outfit you saw out there today on 16 or any other hole?
“Well, 16 specifically, I tried not to make eye contact with too many people. Maybe a couple by the green. But I don’t know, honestly I don’t even remember. I was just kind of focused on what was ahead.”
Stewart Cink
“There’s no way to control the adrenaline, you have to learn how to deal with the adrenaline. So you know that when you walk through those doors on 16 and walk into that whatever they call it, that stadium, you’re going to have adrenaline. So you got to figure out how you’re going to handle that. And you kind of become a different golfer for that one hole. So, but yeah it’s definitely something you learn, you learn what not to do. I definitely took some knocks on that hole over the years. But it’s fun. I don’t think I would want every shot of the year to be like that, but it’s cool that there’s one here and you know what you’re going to get every time.”
Tiger’s ace:25 years ago Tiger Woods made the most famous hole-in-one at the Phoenix Open
Justin Thomas
“I enjoy it. It’s what I play for, it’s what a lot of us play for. I think the hardest part is the fact that it’s a wedge. It would be a lot more fun if we could hit a driver because we’re so amped up and so much adrenaline and it definitely took me a couple years to understand just how to play that. You almost have to play or at least I play a couple yards for that adrenaline when I’m feeling it. There’s going to be times when I don’t.”
Charley Hoffman
“I’m glad it’s one week a year, I think if it was every week it might be a little intense, but definitely one week a year this is a lot of fun and I embrace it.”
