The WM Phoenix Open by no means ceases to amaze.
Yearly, this event at TPC Scottsdale captivates {the golfing} world due to its well-known par-3 sixteenth, the place a 20,000-seat stadium greets each participant.
They’re both cheered or jeered, relying on the end result of their tee photographs. Generally, at any time when a hole-in-one happens, followers will serenade the fortunate participant with alcoholic drinks.
However loads of different notable occurrences have occurred at TPC Scottsdale over time, so we at Playing Through have determined to rank the highest 5 most memorable moments from the WM Phoenix Open:
5. Phil Mickelson wins for third time; ties scoring document
Phil Mickelson, who attended close by Arizona State College, opened the 2013 WM Phoenix Open with an 11-under 60 and didn’t look again.
The previous Solar Satan blitzed TPC Scottsdale, as seemingly each considered one of his strategy photographs landed inside a few toes of the opening. He gained a preposterous 19.807 photographs that week, ending the event at 28-under. That spectacular mark tied the scoring document set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001.
TPC Scottsdale is a ball-striking course requiring gamers to hit greens in regulation to succeed. Mickelson did simply that, hitting 63-of-72 greens that week to win by 4 photographs over Brandt Snedeker.
His win in 2013 served as a harbinger of issues to return as he went on to have a profitable summer season. He gained The Open Championship at Muirfield one month after ending second within the U.S. Open to Justin Rose at Merion.
4. Dozens of gamers honor Kobe Bryant in 2020
4 days earlier than the opening spherical of the 2020 WM Phoenix Open, five-time NBA Champion Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and 7 others misplaced their lives in a devastating helicopter crash in Southern California.
The tragedy hit the sports activities world exhausting, as skilled athletes throughout the nation paid tributes to Bryant and those that perished.
That sentiment utilized within the golf world, with quite a few gamers paying tribute to Bryant by sporting his signature Los Angeles Lakers jersey on the sixteenth gap.
Tony Finau and Aaron Smart wore his #8 jersey, whereas Justin Thomas wore Bryant’s highschool jersey from Decrease Merion in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Max Homa and others donned Bryant’s #24 Laker jersey as nicely.
Then, on Sunday, the agronomy workforce at TPC Scottsdale created a flag that displayed Bryant’s numbers on the sixteenth gap.
These tributes had been particular, albeit heartbreaking.
3. Andrew Magee did the unthinkable in 2001
4-time PGA Tour winner Andrew Magee recorded a hole-in-one on the par-4 17th, the one ace on a par-4 in PGA Tour historical past!
It occurred through the first spherical, however humorous sufficient, no video of this accomplishment exists.
As an alternative, a number of eyewitnesses can confirm what occurred in what’s undoubtedly the strangest ace in skilled golf historical past.
Coming off a double bogey on the fifteenth, Magee was steaming. His persistence had worn skinny, and thus, he grew uninterested in the group forward of him. So, he determined to uncork a driver on the 332-yard par-4, which went means farther than anticipated.
His ball rolled onto the inexperienced, ricocheted off Tom Byrum’s putter, and went proper into the opening. Steve Pate—part of Byrum’s group on the inexperienced—needed to bounce out of the best way of Magee’s ball!
Growth.
Ace.
However that miracle didn’t assist Magee that a lot. He tied for forty fourth that week as Mark Calcavecchia gained at 28-under, eight photographs forward of Rocco Mediate.
2. Tiger Woods information an ace
Within the third spherical of the 1997 WM Phoenix Open, 21-year-old Tiger Woods arrived on the par-3 sixteenth at TPC Scottsdale.
He pulled out his 9-iron and hit a picture-perfect shot. His ball bounced twice, then dropped into the opening for a spectacular ace, thus eliciting a deafening noise from the gang.
At that time, the stadium surrounding the well-known sixteenth gap didn’t exist. However 1000’s upon 1000’s of individuals witnessed this superb shot, which is among the greatest Woods ever hit.
In fact, only a few months later, Woods went on to win the 1997 Masters in document trend. He decimated Augusta National, successful by 12 photographs at 18-under par.
1. Gary Woodland and Amy Bockerstette unite
Throughout the 2019 WM Phoenix Open, Amy Bockerstette and Gary Woodland met on the sixteenth gap through the Tuesday pro-am.
Bockerstette, a 20-year-old golfer with Down Syndrome, performed the opening alongside Woodland and Matt Kuchar.
After hitting her tee shot into the greenside bunker, Bockerstette hit up onto the inexperienced and confronted a 10-foot putt for par.
However earlier than approaching her putt, she turned to Woodland and stated, “I acquired this.”
True to her phrase, Bockerstette rolled it into the middle of the cup, eliciting a large roar from the gang readily available. The second additionally went viral on social media, as her “I acquired his” mantra turned an web sensation.
A couple of months later, Woodland gained the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Seashore by three photographs over Brooks Koepka. After holing the ultimate putt, Woodland FaceTimed Bockerstette, telling her he relied on her “optimistic vitality.”
Two days later, Woodland, Bockerstette, and the U.S. Open trophy appeared side-by-side on The At this time Present, with Woodland confidently saying that the 2 of them “gained this collectively.”
At this time, Bockerstette and her non-profit, aptly named the I GOT THIS Foundation, assist present golf instruction and enjoying alternatives whereas creating lasting reminiscences for people with mental disabilities.
Jack Milko is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By means of. Comply with him on X @jack_milko.