Drunkenness, arrests and chaos: the tournament that shows the wild side of golf

“We want beer!” chanted, furious, thousands of attendees at the WM Phoenix Open, the golf tournament known as “the largest grass event in the world.” That's what they call it, although what predominated during those days was the mud, in which many wallowed, and the reason why, as the police chief later explained on the FOX 10 news channel, the situation got out of control, and forced the authorities to prohibit the sale of alcohol, and stop the entry of fans around two in the afternoon. The weekend ended with 54 arrests and 211 attendees expelled, more than double the previous year.

Dozens of videos on social media document the chaos unleashed: alcohol-induced altercations, people urinating everywhere, public nudity and other disorders that culminated in arrests. American Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson was filmed saying “I'm fed up,” before demanding fans “just shut up.” Player Billy Horschel admonished a spectator who was interrupting a teammate's

swing

: “He's trying to hit a fucking golf shot, it's our fucking job.” Golfers Jordan Spieth and Byeong Hun An pointed out the unacceptable level of noise and chaos. An, in particular, described the tournament as “a shit show,” adding: “I've played here several times over the years and it was fine until today.”

It is common to associate this sport's tournaments with a marked sense of decorum and a silent respect for the players. This is usually true, except for this particular event held in Scottsdale, Arizona. It is part of the PGA Tour, which is the main golf circuit in the United States, but it has more in common with the San Silvestre Vallecana race than with the Wimbledon tennis tournament. Before the doors open, a queue of thousands of fans forms, some dressed as Snow White or Lincoln, who, with a mini beer in hand, run to get a place in the stands of the 16th hole, popularly known as The Colisseum.

These stands can accommodate 20,000 people, an exceptional architecture within the golf circuit. Players must try to put the ball in the hole under an atmosphere similar to that of a football stadium, where the applause, boos and effusive attitudes of the crowd are not only expected but encouraged. It is not uncommon, in fact, for grass to end up covered in residue and soaked in puddles of beer. Since the WM Phoenix Open moved to TPC Scottsdale in 1987, 11 holes-in-one have been recorded. Tiger Woods achieved it in 1997, at just 21 years old, with a legendary shot that marked the beginning of one of the most important careers in the history of golf. After seven years of drought, in 2023 Sam Ryder once again achieved a hole in one, and unleashed a rain of beer on the course that has remained one of the most iconic moments in the history of the competition.

The recent edition of the event has stood out, despite its notable lack of control, for marking a trend towards golf that is more focused on entertainment and with a more pronounced commercial appeal. This approach moves away from the traditional conception of sport, which has been struggling for years to get rid of its elitist label. The emergence of the LIV Golf series, financially backed by Saudi Arabia, has revolutionized several aspects of the competition, such as the introduction of four-player teams and unprecedented financial prizes.

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