SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — It's known as the "Greatest Show on Grass" and "The People's Open." It's the best-attended tournament on the PGA Tour, drawing more than 700,000 fans. And once again, the WM Phoenix Open (WMPO) is officially the Tournament of the Year.
The PGA TOUR named the WMPO as the Tournament of the Year at the TOUR's annual meetings on December 7, according to a press release.
It was not the only tournament earning the distinction, however. The title was shared with the BMW Championship, the second tournament in the three-tournament FedEx Cup Playoffs.
The Tournament of the Year award is presented to a tournament that "excels in every facet of the event" including the experience for fans and players, community impact and how the title sponsor is integrated into the event.
The WMPO was also given awards for the Best Special Event (the Concert in the Coliseum at the 16th hole) and the Best Title Sponsor Integration due to the tournament's "unparalleled sustainability initiatives."
"On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am thrilled to congratulate the WM Phoenix Open on being recognized with multiple 'Best Of' awards for the 2022-23 PGA Tour Season," PGA TOUR Chief Competitions Officer Tyler Dennis said in the press release. "After several years of challenges related to the pandemic and its impacts on event operations, I’m pleased we are able to once again celebrate the incredible work all PGA TOUR tournaments have accomplished to elevate the experience for players and fans. Our award winners should be extremely proud to be recognized as top among their peers on TOUR."
This is the fifth time the WMPO has won Tournament of the Year, with the others coming in 2013-14, 2014-15, 2017-18, and 2018-19. The PGA Tour did not give out their 'Best of' awards since the 2018-19 season due to COVID.
"We’re extremely proud to be nominated three times by the PGA TOUR in its ‘Best of Awards’. This is possible due to our great fans, sponsors, and the community for their commitment to our event," Pat Williams, the Big Chief of the Thunderbirds and Tournament Chairman for the 2023 WMPO said. "The success of the WM Phoenix Open is only possible through the efforts of so many involved, starting with our title sponsor WM and The Thunderbird organization. Our goal each year is to make the WM Phoenix Open better than the prior year so we can continue to grow our charitable give to the metro Phoenix area."
The Concert in the Coliseum was first held at the 16th hole in 2021 with Thomas Rhett and Old Dominion taking the stage. Walker Hayes headlined the concert in 2022 and Maroon 5 played in the Coliseum last year. Post Malone is scheduled to perform at the upcoming Concert in the Coliseum on February 3.
The 2024 WM Phoenix Open will be held February 5-11, 2024 at TPC Scottsdale.
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to five major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks and NHL's Arizona Coyotes.
The Cardinals have made the State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers also play at the Footprint. Phoenix has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the Waste Management Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall; and Cactus League Spring Training.
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