The WM Phoenix Open is sometimes referred to as The People’s Open, and that nickname offers a big hint as to its popularity, with fans regularly flocking to all four days of the PGA Tour event, as well as the three days leading up to it, which includes the popular pro-am on the Wednesday.
Nowadays, it’s harder than it used to be to gauge exactly how many fans attend each year as neither the daily nor weekly attendance statistics are recorded. That practice ended in 2018, but the official numbers from that year reveal that the event saw an incredible 719,120 fans pass through the gates.
The caveat is the figure includes the three days before the main action got underway, which accounted for 142,313 fans, with an enormous 576,807 fans watching the four rounds over the days that followed.
The records also reveal that, not surprisingly, the Saturday is traditionally by far the most popular of the week. For example, the Saturday of the 2018 edition packed in a whopping 216,818 fans – not too far short of the 260,000 fans who reportedly attended the entirety of the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool in 2023.
The figures also show that the event has only grown in popularity over the years. The final year the tournament was played at Phoenix Country Club there was a then record attendance of 186,000, but the move to TPC Scottsdale immediately made that seem sparse, with 257,000 fans in 1987. By 2002, the attendance was higher than the 500,000 mark for the first time across all seven days, before surpassing 600,000 in 2016.
Attendances have increased considerably over the years
While we don’t have the precise figures for more recent editions of the tournament, it remains a hugely popular occasion, adding to an already momentous few days of sport in the US with the Super Bowl taking place on the day of the final round. Given that, it’s safe to say the tournament's status as The People’s Open is likely to remain unthreatened for many more years to come.
How Many People Can Sit At The 16th Hole At The Phoenix Open?
TPC Scottsdale’s stadium hole, the 16th, is known as the “loudest hole in golf” for a reason. While the official capacity of The Coliseum is not confirmed, reports state it seats anywhere from 16,000 to 20,000 people.
What Is The Best Day To Go To The Phoenix Open?
To get the full experience of a day at the Phoenix Open, Saturday is traditionally the one that attracts the highest attendance, with figures of over 200,000 not uncommon in recent years.
