The Common Man's Golf Tournament Is Here: 2019 Waste Management Preview
It’s Waste Management week, boys and girls. The biggest shitshow on the PGA Tour by a MILE.
This week will be no different. It’s absolute chaos out there and, this week, it works. You expect it, accept it, and deal with it.
Sing it Poults!
Which was followed up by…
The Event
Hundreds of thousands of folks turn up in Scottsdale in late January/early February every year to booze their faces off and watch golf. Over 800,000 people turned out last year. They make A LOT OF NOISE, and in a game traditionally laced with “QUITE PLEASE” signs and death sentences for unsilenced camera clicks, what goes on at TPC Scottsdale’s 16th hole (and 17 other holes) is a wild change of direction.
It’s awesome. The fans go nuts, and even the caddies used to.
This has since been barred.
The loudest, craziest hole on Tour? Tiger obviously aced it.
As did this dumb robot.
History
The Phoenix Open (previously the Arizona Open and the FBR Open) is an oldie. Established 85 years ago, it’s long been one of the staples of the early part of the PGA Tour season. It’s seen a lot, but one of its more recent notable moments was Phil’s 59 & 1/2.
(which all adds to the lore of golf’s gatekeepers HATING Phil, when combined with this 62 & 1/2 at the 2017 Open Championship)
Phil didn’t win the Open that year but did win the Waste Management in 1996, 2005 and 2013 (tying Arnold Palmer, Gene Littler, and Mark Calcavecchia as the only players to have won here three times).
Gary Woodland is our defending champ. He beat local hero Chez Reavie a playoff last year, an unfortunate trend over the last 3 years that’s seen the finish of this thing creep into the beginning of the Super Bowl.
The Track
This place gets covered way more so for the MASSIVE crowds that lose their minds here (over 200k people per day) and huge grandstands than it does for its architecture or course features.
Built in 1987 by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, this 7,266-yard, par-71 has played host to the Phoenix Open for 30 years. Generally 14 to 18-under wins around here.
Notable Holes
12th, 192-yard par 3
15th, 553-yard par 5
16th, 163-yard par 3
18th, 442-yard par 4
Clubhouse
Actually, kinda like this thing. Looks badass.
Clubhouse grade = 7.0.
Fore Play Guys
Here are our Fore Play guys in the field this week:
– Kevin Kisner
– Bubba Watson
– Justin Thomas
– Keegan Bradley
– Bud Cauley
– Stewart Cink
– Austin Cook
– Brian Harman
– Jim Herman
– Charley Hoffman
– Colt Knost
– Patton Kizzire
– Ryan Palmer
– Ollie Schniederjans
Predictions
Winning Score
19-under.
Winner
Gary Woodland.
Dark Horse
I don’t like Billy Horschel. I think he’s a dickhead. But he’s 40/1 this week, so…
Dark horse, Billy Horschel.
The Steven Bowditch Memorial DFL Award
Rayhan Thomas is 500/1 this week. God bless him.
DFL, Rayhan Thomas.
Coverage
Johnny Miller’s last tournament. I’ll be bawling my eyes out. GOAT commentator and it’s not even close.
Final Thoughts
If you haven’t heard, we had Bubba Watson and caddie Ted Scott on Fore Play this week. A full hour with the two of them. We discussed their relationship, heard stories from winning the Masters (twice), got a few tears, and MUCH more.
Also, I played the 16th on Sunday. Easy.
Enjoy the Waste Management.