In a truly unprecedented moment, fans are not being admitted through the gates to the 2024 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
There are so many faces at TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale police and tournament officials are not allowing more fans to the facility until some number of fans leave the facility, according to Golfweek.
The tournament is typically sold out throughout the course of the week, and there were lots of fans who wanted to get to the venue to see the completion of the second round, which was extended into Saturday because of weather delays during each of the first two days of the tournament. Apparently, for the first time in tournament history, there were simply too many people at the Stadium Course.
It's unclear when new fans will be admitted to TPC Scottsdale.
Officials also reportedly cut off beer and alcohol sales, at least temporarily, on Saturday afternoon, according to Golf.com. The likely reason for that is the delay between the second and third rounds, in tandem with the venue being at capacity. With the tournament venue overrun with people, it was likely in the best interest of the organizers to simply stop selling beer for a limited time while some of the crowd changes over between the second and third rounds.
While the WM Phoenix Open doesn't announce attendance figures like they once did, it's widely believed there are nearly 200,000 people who attend the tournament on Saturday, which is the most popular day for the event. In recent years, the final day of the tournament on Sunday coincides with the Super Bowl, which means some fans stay home or go elsewhere to prepare for the big football game instead of the golf tournament. That the venue reached maximum capacity for perhaps the first time in tournament history, dating back to TPC Scottsdale starting as host in 1986, is an indicator that this tournament is as strong as ever.
