SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — WM Phoenix Open announced Monday attendees of the annual golf event can expect several changes in 2025.
The 2024 event attracted lots of attention after police reported making dozens of arrests and customers with tickets were turned away at the front gate. Tournament officials issued an apology and vowed to make changes.
“We're focused on being better, not bigger," said 2025 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman Matt Mooney. “Our focus has really been on, how do we make this a better experience for the players and how do we make it a better experience for the fans?”
Mooney said the days of beating attendance records are in the past.
"We've just reached the point, it's a great problem to have, but we just have so much demand for the tournament that we're really having to focus on what our max capacity is for a given day, and then how do we really continue to elevate the fan experience for those fans that are there on a given day?" Mooney said. "And we feel like if we can do that, it will continue to drive success as we as we move the event forward."
Additional entrance coming to WM Phoenix Open
Officials said visitors will be able to utilize a new "fan entrance" added at Greenway Hayden Loop to help improve crowd flow. It will be near the 18th tee.
In 2024, there was a bottleneck of fans near the main entrance. It's part of the reason why law enforcement ultimately closed the entrance down early on Saturday of the tournament.
Officials believe this additional entrance, combined with expanded walkways, will prevent that from happening again.
“This entrance will provide relief at our main entrance and offer a much shorter walk for those fans in high-demand areas near holes 16, 17 and 18," Mooney said.
Several food and alcohol vendors will also be strategically relocated to balance foot traffic and encourage fans to disperse more throughout the large course.
Tournament officials said attendees can expect to see a redesign of the Taylor Morrison Fairway House at the 12th hole and improvements at the Desert Oasis BBQ and Beer Garden near the 7th hole.
Ticketing changes include price increases and elimination of good-any-day tickets
A fully digital ticketing format will be implemented in 2025 to expedite crowd flow at entrances.
The tournament is also getting rid of good-any-day tickets. Moving forward, fans will select which day to attend when they purchase a ticket.
"Previously, fans could buy a ticket and sort of select at the last minute which day they wanted to attend the tournament. This year, we're only selling single-day tickets and so we're really able to control the crowd every specific day to kind of exactly what we feel like it needs to be," Mooney said. "We think that's, while it sounds like a simple change, actually really impactful to being able to monitor that over the course of the year."
Mooney said for the first time in three years, prices for tickets on Friday and Saturday will increase to $125.
"When we look at sports and what we're seeing with event prices now, concerts, everything else, the Ryder Cup just released their Saturday tickets. They're $750 for a general admission ticket. So we have tried to really continue to focus on the fact that this is the People's Open and that we want people to feel that, that it's attainable and that it's something that they're excited to attend, while at the same time making sure we continue to elevate the quality," Mooney explained.
The changes come after tournament, city and PGA leaders have worked tirelessly to prevent problems from this year's tournament from repeating.
"We have, fortunately, a great relationship with the players and with the PGA Tour. We spend a tremendous amount of time building relationships with the players themselves, but also speak essentially daily with the tour to make sure that as we evaluate the tournament and make changes year to year, that we're really hitting the the right notes for the players," Mooney said.
Tournament responds to player concerns, adding new elevated walkway
In response to complaints from golfers, Mooney said they've made significant investments and will have an elevated walkway that extends all the way from the clubhouse to the putting green. It will prevent volunteers from having to hold crowds back with ropes up as the players navigate the course.
“We put committees together where people literally have been meeting every Tuesday and Wednesday to figure this out," said Captain Dave Folio of the Scottsdale Fire Department.
Folio and first responders are in strong support of the new improvements and believe they will have a better sense of just how many people they can expect each day. They also believe changes like the additional entrance and expanded walkways will allow their crews to be able to move through the course easier.
“It's all about public safety, the fan experience, giving them a great venue to come out to where they feel like they're safe," Folio said. "We're happy with all the changes that they recommended and put out the press release on today. It's a huge help for public safety and the Thunderbirds."
The 2025 WM Phoenix Open and the tournament's 90th edition is scheduled to take place Feb. 3-9.
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