Phoenix Open News and Notes

Scott Behmer, Southern Arizona Bureau Chief

January 28, 1999
TUCSON, Az - With Tiger Woods' addition to the field, an extra 50,000 to 100,000 tickets are expected to be sold. Here's more news and notes from the annual golf tournament that's also the most-attended sporting event in the world. Tickets Anyone? To make the Phoenix Open accessible to everyone, children 17 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a paying adult. General admission tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the tournament gate. But if you stop by any Van's Golf Shop in Arizona you can purchase a ticket for just $15. An even better deal, though, is put on by Cox Clubs for Kids. Thursday through Sunday adults who donate a club to the National Minority Golf Foundation will receive free admission. The NMGF's booth is in the America West Airlines Expo, adjacent to the main east side entrance. So if you've got any extra clubs, donate them, and they will be cut down to size and given to local junior golfers.

The Field: 96 of the top 125 players in the world will be teeing it up this week. Much of this renewed enthusiasm for the West Coast Swing can be attributed to the new World Golf Championships and its $5 million purses. Players need to get into the top 64 before the Andersen Consulting Championships begin on February 25. Steve Pate's second place finish last week will move him up from #72. Another solid week from Pate should bump #64 Craig Stadler out of the field. This week, too, look for #60 Paul Azinger to make a push and cement a spot in the top 64. Also, watch out for the rejuvenated John Daly. After two consecutive hot starts and cold finishes, if he can sustain his charge this week, a win would move him into the top 64 as well.

Inside the Ropes: However, not even the lure of increased prize money can bring in everyone. Fred Couples, notorious for skipping the Arizona events, is not in the field again. He says he needs to rest, but insiders believe that he doesn't like the party atmosphere that only added to the heckling galleries during Freddy's 1988 playoff defeat to Sandy Lyle. He returned twice more, then gave it up. On the other hand, it's good to see that Justin Leonard, who was taunted by the same galleries in a '96 playoff against ASU-graduate Phil Mickelson, is in the field once again.

Trapped Between the Ropes: For the first time at the Phoenix Open, Golf Watch will be in place. For $1500 a ticket, businesses can charm a client with an inside track on the galleries' regular blue ropes. Special seats are provided so as to not obstruct anyone's view. However, that means that the casual fan will be pushed another six feet, and at certain times much further, from the action. Besides the inside track, you'll see luxurious mini-club houses created for them, so when they break a sweat they can go inside, cool down, and have their free shoe shine...Speaking of breaking a sweat, expect a cold and wet Wednesday and Thursday, then clearing up for perfect golfing weather in the 70's starting Friday.

Behind the Ropes: Bank of America, sponsor of the West Coast Swing, has created a unique charge card for your days at the Phoenix Open. It's the only way you can make purchases of any kind. Called the Passport, you can use cash, credit card, or debit card at one of several sales booths and they will issue you a Passport with that "dollar credit." Then, you can use it to purchase anything at the tournament. But if you want your remaining credit returned, you must contact your local Bank of America. Otherwise, the money will be donated to junior golf.

It's setting up to be a great week of golf, and I'm hoping for another ace on #16 by Tiger to really get things going.