WM Phoenix Open issues apology for temporarily closing entrance on Saturday

The WM Phoenix Open released a statement to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, apologizing for having to close gates temporarily on Saturday.

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— WM Phoenix Open (@WMPhoenixOpen) February 11, 2024

Due to crowds being too large, the gates were closed around 2 p.m. on Saturday. The tournament also stopped serving alcohol at multiple spots around TPC Scottsdale for a short period of time.

The Thunderbirds, the event organizers and hosts of the WM Phoenix Open, explained in the statement their decision to close the gates.

“The stadium-style course layout at TPC Scottsdale which features large banks for crowds to stand and sit, were soggy and unusable,” the Thunderbirds said. “This pushed patrons who would normally congregate in those areas into high-foot-traffic areas causing severe congestion at key points on events grounds including the entrance and exit.

“After consulting with event partners and officials, we made the decision to temporarily close the tournament entrance to alleviate crowding in those areas in the interest of public safety.”

The Thunderbirds went on to state that they are still working on a solution for fans with Saturday tickets who were turned away.

“We know that fans with Saturday tickets were turned away. The Thunderbirds as an organization are gathering more details and discussing options on how to remedy their concerns.

“To the greatest fans in golf, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused as we always strive to create the best event possible.”

The WM Phoenix Open has dealt with numerous weather delays this week. The tournament is finishing the third round and playing the fourth round all on Sunday.

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