The WM Phoenix Open has built a reputation as the most unpredictable and raucous event on the PGA Tour calendar. Players know that stepping onto the course at TPC Scottsdale means stepping into a very different environment.
The WM Phoenix Open has built a reputation as the most unpredictable and raucous event on the PGA Tour calendar.
Players know that stepping onto the course at TPC Scottsdale means stepping into a very different environment.
Nowhere is that more apparent than on the famous par-3 16th hole, where every shot is judged instantly by thousands of fans packed into grandstands.
It was on that stage that Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, experienced a reaction that may have raised eyebrows among those unfamiliar with the tournament.
Scottie Scheffler draws boos on TPC Scottsdale’s par-3 16th
The par-3 16th at TPC Scottsdale is golf’s closest thing to a stadium, with towering grandstands and a crowd that expects entertainment.
Scheffler, the world number one, arrived on the tee knowing exactly what comes with that stage. His tee shot, however, failed to meet the crowd’s lofty expectations.
Scheffler found the green but finished 38 feet from the hole, a perfectly acceptable result by normal standards, but not enough to satisfy the 16th-hole audience.
Boos quickly rang out from the stands, a reaction less about Scheffler himself and more about the theatre of the hole.
The noise returned moments later when Scheffler’s birdie attempt came up nine feet short.
Once again, the crowd voiced their disappointment, treating the miss as part of the spectacle rather than a serious criticism.
Scheffler remained composed, rolled in the par putt, and moved on without incident.
This is not an uncommon experience at the 16th. Players are cheered for great shots, jeered for anything less, and often encouraged to embrace the chaos.
Tiger Woods’ hole-in-one set an impossible standard on the same hole
The expectations on the 16th hole were shaped by one of the most iconic moments in golf history.
In 1997, a 21-year-old Tiger Woods produced a hole-in-one at the Phoenix Open that transformed the hole forever.
Woods hit a 9-iron from 162 yards that disappeared straight into the cup, triggering a wild eruption from the crowd.
Beer cans and cups flew through the air as the grandstands shook, creating an image that remains etched into golf folklore.
Although Woods did not win the tournament, with Steve Jones taking the title, the ace became one of the defining highlights of his career.
That shot was Woods’ second hole-in-one on the PGA Tour and one of 20 he has recorded in total.
More importantly, it set a benchmark for drama on the 16th that players are still judged against today.
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Category: General Sports
