WM Phoenix Open: Home of the Loudest Hole in Golf
The WM Phoenix Open is known for its raucous atmosphere and is the best attended golf event in the world. The tournament routinely draws crowds over 150,000-200,000 on any given day.
The 2024 WM Phoenix Open is Feb. 8-11, 2024, keeping its tradition of finishing on Super Bowl Sunday.
TPC Scottsdale & The Coliseum
TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Course hosts the tournament, a Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish designed track that features numerous grandstands and stadium bleachers surrounding the holes. It is arguably the most fan-friendly course and event on the PGA Tour. However, the focal point of much of the madness is at hole 16, widely accepted as the loudest hole in golf.
Earning the nickname “the Coliseum”, the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale is a straightforward 162-yard par-3. By any objective standard, it is one of the easiest holes on the PGA Tour. However, the hole is surrounded on three sides by grandstands that hold 20,000 fans. Fans line up for hours before the gates open at 7:00 AM for a chance at one of the 4,000 open seats available to fans with a grounds pass. In fact, fans literally sprint to the stands from the gate in order to get one of these seats.
The Coliseum gallery has earned a reputation for being a drunken frat party, and in many ways this description is pretty accurate. Many of the fans are Arizona State students who spend the entire day drinking. Complaints of drunken behavior are common, as is loud chanting that is unseen elsewhere in golf. In many ways, the atmosphere feels more like a music festival, complete with costumed fans.
The experience is very polarizing among professionals, but regardless the PGA Tour shows no signs of changing the atmosphere. Many have spoken out against the heckling that occurs on this and other holes, notably Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler. Famously, Justin Leonard flipped off the fans at the Coliseum after being heckled for a poor shot.
However, in the case of a great shot such as Tiger Woods’ 1997 ace or Jarrod Lyle’s 2011 ace, the gallery erupts in the kind of cheer that a golfer can’t experience anywhere else in the world.
Lyle, who unfortunately passed away in August 2018 from leukemia, is now honored at the 16th hole with a plaque. His golf bag and trademark yellow bucket hat will also be displayed on the hole, showing the magic that the Coliseum can generate.
There’s also some very weird traditions that occur at the hole, such as the now-banned caddie races. While officially banned, it is still relatively common to see caddies sprinting from the tee box to the green for the crowd’s amusement.
Likewise, many golfers hand out gifts to the crowd. Such gifts can range from frisbees and autographed memorabilia to foam curly fries, cans of Guinness or even golf balls wrapped in $10 bills. It truly is a one-of-a-kind experience, not only in golf but in all sport.
Waste Management Phoenix Open Cut Line
The top 65 players and those tied for 65th or better through 36 holes make the cut to the weekend.
Here's how the WM Phoenix Open cut line has trended in recent years.
| Year | Cut | Players to Make Cut |
| 2023 | E | 66 |
| 2022 | -2 | 67 |
| 2021 | -3 | 66 |
| 2020 | -1 | 67 |
| 2019 | -1 | 73 |
Phoenix Open History & Past Champions
| Year | Winner | Score | Purse | Winner's Share | |
| 2023 | Scottie Scheffler (2) | −19 | $20,000,000 | $3,600,000 | |
| 2022 | Scottie Scheffler | −16 | $8,200,000 | $1,476,000 | |
| 2021 | Brooks Koepka (2) | −19 | $7,300,000 | $1,314,000 | |
| 2020 | Webb Simpson | −17 | $7,300,000 | $1,314,000 | |
| 2019 | Rickie Fowler | −17 | $7,100,000 | $1,278,000 | |
| 2018 | Gary Woodland | −18 | $6,900,000 | $1,242,000 | |
| 2017 | Hideki Matsuyama (2) | −17 | $6,700,000 | $1,206,000 | |
| 2016 | Hideki Matsuyama | −14 | $6,500,000 | $1,170,000 | |
| 2015 | Brooks Koepka | −15 | $6,300,000 | $1,134,000 | |
| 2014 | Kevin Stadler | −16 | $6,200,000 | $1,116,000 | |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson (3) | −28 | $6,200,000 | $1,116,000 | |
| 2012 | Kyle Stanley | −15 | $6,100,000 | $1,098,000 | |
| 2011 | Mark Wilson | −18 | $6,100,000 | $1,098,000 | |
| 2010 | Hunter Mahan | −16 | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 | |
| 2009 | Kenny Perry | −14 | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 | |
| 2008 | J. B. Holmes (2) | −14 | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 | |
| 2007 | Aaron Baddeley | −21 | $6,000,000 | $1,080,000 | |
| 2006 | J. B. Holmes | −21 | $5,200,000 | 936,000 | |
| 2005 | Phil Mickelson (2) | −17 | $5,200,000 | $936,000 | |
| 2004 | Jonathan Kaye | −18 | $5,200,000 | $936,000 | |
| 2003 | Vijay Singh (2) | −23 | $4,000,000 | $720,000 | |
| 2002 | Chris DiMarco | −17 | $4,000,000 | $720,000 | |
| 2001 | Mark Calcavecchia (3) | −28 | $4,000,000 | $720,000 | |
| 2000 | Tom Lehman | −14 | $3,200,000 | $576,000 | |
| 1999 | Rocco Mediate | −11 | $3,000,000 | $540,000 | |
| 1998 | Jesper Parnevik | −15 | $2,500,000 | $450,000 | |
| 1997 | Steve Jones | −26 | $1,500,000 | $270,000 | |
| 1996 | Phil Mickelson | −15 | $1,300,000 | $234,000 | |
| 1995 | Vijay Singh | −15 | $1,300,000 | $234,000 | |
| 1994 | Bill Glasson | −16 | $1,200,000 | $216,000 | |
| 1993 | Lee Janzen | −11 | $1,000,000 | $180,000 | |
| 1992 | Mark Calcavecchia (2) | −20 | $1,000,000 | $180,000 | |
| 1991 | Nolan Henke | −16 | $1,000,000 | $180,000 | |
| 1990 | Tommy Armour III | −17 | $900,000 | $162,000 | |
| 1989 | Mark Calcavecchia | −21 | $700,000 | $126,000 | |
| 1988 | Sandy Lyle | −15 | $650,000 | $117,000 | |
| 1987 | Paul Azinger | −16 | $600,000 | $108,000 | |
| 1986 | Hal Sutton | −17 | $500,000 | $90,000 | |
| 1985 | Calvin Peete | −14 | $450,000 | $81,000 | |
| 1984 | Tom Purtzer | −16 | $400,000 | $72,000 | |
| 1983 | Bob Gilder (2) | −13 | $350,000 | $63,000 | |
| 1982 | Lanny Wadkins | −21 | $300,000 | $54,000 | |
| 1981 | David Graham | −16 | $300,000 | $54,000 | |
| 1980 | Jeff Mitchell | −12 | $300,000 | $54,000 | |
| 1979 | Ben Crenshaw | −14 | $250,000 | $33,750 | |
| 1978 | Miller Barber | −12 | $200,000 | $40,000 | |
| 1977 | Jerry Pate | −7 | $200,000 | $40,000 | |
| 1976 | Bob Gilder | −16 | $200,000 | $40,000 | |
| 1975 | Johnny Miller (2) | −24 | $150,000 | $30,000 | |
| 1974 | Johnny Miller | −13 | $150,000 | $30,000 | |
| 1973 | Bruce Crampton | −12 | $150,000 | $30,000 | |
| 1972 | Homero Blancas | −11 | $125,000 | $25,000 | |
| 1971 | Miller Barber | −23 | $125,000 | $25,000 | |
| 1970 | Dale Douglass | −13 | $100,000 | $20,000 | |
| 1969 | Gene Littler (3) | −21 | $100,000 | $20,000 | |
| 1968 | George Knudson | −12 | $100,000 | $20,000 | |
| 1967 | Julius Boros | −12 | $70,000 | $14,000 | |
| 1966 | Dudley Wysong | −6 | $60,000 | $9,000 | |
| 1965 | Rod Funseth | −14 | $65,000 | $10,500 | |
| 1964 | Jack Nicklaus | −13 | $50,000 | $7,500 | |
| 1963 | Arnold Palmer (3) | −15 | $35,000 | $5,300 | |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer (2) | −15 | $35,000 | $5,300 | |
| 1961 | Arnold Palmer | −10 | $30,000 | $4,300 | |
| 1960 | Jack Fleck | −11 | $22,500 | $3,150 | |
| 1959 | Gene Littler (2) | −12 | $20,000 | $2,400 | |
| 1958 | Ken Venturi | −10 | $15,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1957 | Billy Casper | −9 | $15,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1956 | Cary Middlecoff | −8 | $15,000 | $2,400 | |
| 1955 | Gene Littler | −5 | $15,000 | $2,400 | |
| 1954 | Ed Furgol | −12 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1953 | Lloyd Mangrum (2) | −12 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1952 | Lloyd Mangrum | −10 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1951 | Lew Worsham | −12 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1950 | Jimmy Demaret (2) | −15 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1949 | Jimmy Demaret | −6 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1948 | Bobby Locke | −16 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1947 | Ben Hogan (2) | −14 | $10,000 | $2,000 | |
| 1946 | Ben Hogan | −11 | $7,500 | $1,500 | |
| 1945 | Byron Nelson (2) | −10 | $5,000 | $1,000 | |
| 1944 | Jug McSpaden | −11 | $5,000 | $1,000 | |
| 1941–1943: No tournament | |||||
| 1940 | Ed Oliver | −8 | $3,000 | $700 | |
| 1939 | Byron Nelson | −15 | $3,000 | $700 | |
| 1936–1938: No tournament | |||||
| 1935 | Ky Laffoon | −3 | $2,500 | $500 | |
| 1934 | No tournament | ||||
| 1933 | Harry Cooper | −3 | $1,500 | $400 | |
| 1932 | Ralph Guldahl | −1 | $2,500 | $600 |