SCOTTSDALE, AZ (AZFamily) — The WM Phoenix Open officially kicked off Saturday with a concert at the 16th hole, drawing thousands of spectators for the first event of a busy eight days in Scottsdale.
The Killers headlined the opening night concert, following a performance by Tyler Hubbard. A massive drone show flew overhead as part of the production.
The tournament draws crowds that almost double Scottsdale’s population on busy days, bringing visitors from across the Valley and country seeking golf and favorable weather conditions.
Nick Henderson traveled from Rosemary Beach, Florida, for the concert and tournament.
“The weather here is 75 and amazing, no humidity, in Florida right now it’s like 44, so we left. It was an easy decision,” Henderson said.
Rachael Joyce came from Oklahoma City, where conditions were significantly colder.
“I believe today it’s 18 degrees. We just got 8 inches of snow,” Joyce said.
Law enforcement coordinates Valley-wide response
The massive crowds require an “all hands on deck” approach from fire and police departments, according to Scottsdale Police Officer Aaron Bolin.
“This really does end up being a city within a city,” Bolin said.
Scottsdale police are working with law enforcement partners from around the Valley to patrol for drunk drivers through next week.
“Have that plan ahead of time, have that safe sober ride home, so you don’t even get yourself in that situation,” Bolin warned.
Officers also enforce rules within the tournament.
“Where we really get involved is if a code of conduct violation breaks what would be a law,” Bolin said. “If you go out onto the course, if you go into the water, if you throw something onto part of the golf course, you’re potentially going to face criminal charges.”
Scottsdale police recently launched a new emergency alert system for the tournament, allowing people to receive text notifications if any emergency occurs during the event. Attendees can subscribe by texting GOLF26 to 67283.
Scottsdale firefighters are concentrating on crowd control and eliminating bottlenecks on the course, as seen in previous years.
Captain Dave Folio said course improvements include widening the 18th hole area and adding a walkover at holes 10 and 11 for players.
“They’ve put a walkover at 10 and 11 to not hold up the traffic that flows through there, so players can walk right over to that next tee,” Folio said.
Fire prevention remains a priority, especially with additional kitchens at the tournament this year.
“That means there’s more cooking oil, more flames that we have to worry about,” Folio said.
Golfers will be practicing on Monday and Tuesday, with a special Pro-Am tournament kicking off Wednesday.
For a full guide to the WM Phoenix Open, click/tap here.
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