The LIV Golf League might claim to be “golf but louder,” but there is perhaps no place in the sport more raucous than the par-3 16th hole of the Stadium Course at TPC Scottsdale, the site of this week’s WM Phoenix Open.
The scene figures to be even more raucous with NFL fans coming to town for Super Bowl LVII on Sunday. This week marks the fourth time the Phoenix metropolitan area has been the site of both the Super Bowl and WM Phoenix Open. It also hosted the doubleheader in 1996, 2008 and 2015.
It figures to be one heck of a party, as usual, at the tournament known as the “Greatest Show on Grass.”
“Very few sporting events in the world can comfortably happen in the same week as the Super Bowl and still have the impact that they have like this one,” said Jon Rahm, an Arizona State graduate, who still lives in the area.
“With that said, I don’t think it’s everybody’s favorite. I think either you love it or hate it. There’s no in between.”
There’s no other atmosphere in golf quite like the 16th hole, “The Coliseum,” which is surrounded by a stadium that seats more than 17,000 fans. Last year, after Sam Ryder aced the hole in the third round, he was showered with what might have been a couple thousand aluminum beer cans and bottles.
Rain delay. pic.twitter.com/iTg3ftTOTG
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 12, 2022
It’s also where Harry Higgs and Joel Dahmen famously flashed the crowd and went topless, respectively, after Higgs sank a 10-footer to save par last year.
@Joel_Dahmen with the helicopter! pic.twitter.com/55iKoJhMWH
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 13, 2022
“I love it,” said Patrick Cantlay, who lost to Scottie Scheffler in a three-hole playoff in his first start in the WM Phoenix Open last year. “I think it’s…
