The scene at the WM Phoenix Open this weekend was less about the birdies and bogeys, and more about the chaos and congestion. Scottsdale's premier golf event hit a rough patch on Saturday afternoon when organizers had to halt entry due to an overwhelming number of attendees, as FOX 10 Phoenix reported. With conditions on the ground deteriorating because of bad weather, The Thunderbirds, who run the tournament, blamed the unplayable soggy terrain for the bottleneck.
"This pushed patrons who would normally congregate in those areas into high-foot-traffic areas causing severe congestion at key points on event grounds including the entrance and exit," the organization said in a statement. As if adding insult to injury, the overspill of crowds led the Scottsdale Police to suspend alcohol sales at several hotspots and the shuttle service to the event at around 2:05 p.m., stirring further discontent among golf fans, who took to social media to vent their frustration. "This has been done in previous years when there are larger than usual crowds," police explained, attempting to reassure that such measures were not without precedent.
Online reactions ranged from confusion to outright outrage, with some attendees reporting total suspensions of alcohol sales, while others highlighted additional issues such as ticket scans getting bypassed and lack of access to basic amenities like water and sustenance. "It was sold out, they knew how many people were coming. Guess what? It didn't happen. Too many people came in... no more beer. That's it. So now we're just going to have fun without any beer the rest of the day," one disappointed fan told Ground News.
Meanwhile, some out-of-towner visitors felt particularly let down, having made the trip specifically for Saturday's fully booked event. "There are people that came out of town specifically to come on Saturday," another attendee lamented. Amidst the chaos, The Thunderbirds were compelled to address the situation, expressing their apologies for the inconvenience caused and stating, "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused as we always strive to create the best event possible." But for many of the eager spectators left outside the ropes, it was a day cut short on the promise of what the Phoenix Open had previously delivered.
