Record-setting Saturday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open

For the third year in a row the Waste Management Phoenix Open has set a new attendance record, as 216,818 fans were welcomed on Saturday.

The attendance numbers surpassed last year’s numbers by nearly 12,000 fans, as it was also the third-straight year the tournament saw more than 200,000 fans on Saturday.

Spectators started piling into the the course in the early hours of the morning on Saturday, most of which eager to secure a seat at the famous 16th hole. Once there, fans waited nearly seven hours for the first group of golfers to make their way to No. 16.

However, once the action started it was worth the wait.

Arizona State alums Jon Rahm, Chez Reavie and Phil Mickelson were crowd favorites at No. 16, as Rahm once again wore an Arizona State Pat Tillman jersey while he teed off.

Mickelson finished the day tied for 5th at 12-under while Rahm and Reavie finished tied for 2nd at 13-under.

Rickie Fowler took the lead after he birdied on the final three holes, finishing 14-under.

Many fans adorned the color green for the tournament’s eighth annual “Green Out” day, which benefits the Bonneville Environmental Foundation’s “Change the Course,” the Arizona Recycling Coalition and the Arizona Chapter of Solid Waste Association of North America.

After Saturday’s record-setting day, the attendance for the week has risen to 654,906 and is only 528 fans away from tying last year’s record-setting week of 655,434.

The final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open starts on Sunday at 9:05 a.m.

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