Phoenix Open: 5 most memorable moments at TPC Scottsdale, ranked

The Waste Management Phoenix Open never ceases to amaze.

Held annually at TPC Scottsdale, this tournament captivates the golf world thanks to the famous par-3 16th, where a 20,000-seat stadium greets all players.

Depending on the result of the tee shot, they cheer or jeer. Every time a hole-in-one occurs, fans may even serenade the lucky player with an alcoholic beverage.

But many other notable things have happened at TPC Scottsdale over the years, so Playing Through decided to rank the top five most memorable moments from the WM Phoenix Open.

5. Phil Mickelson wins for the third time.Tie score record

Phil Mickelson, who attended nearby Arizona State University, opened the 2013 WM Phoenix Open with an 11-under 60 and never looked back.

The former Sun Devil blitzed TPC Scottsdale, and every one of his approach shots seemed to fall within a few feet of the hole. That week, he shot a whopping 19.807 and finished the tournament at 28 under. This impressive mark tied the scoring record set by Mark Calcavecchia in 2001.

TPC Scottsdale is a ball-striking course that requires players to hit the greens according to regulations to be successful. Mickelson shot 63 of 72 that week, winning by four strokes over Brandt Snedeker.

His win in 2013 boded well for the summer that followed. He won the British Open Championship at Muirfield a month after finishing second to Justin Rose at the U.S. Open at Merion.

4. Dozens of players honor Kobe Bryant in 2020

Photo credit: Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour (Getty Images)

Four days before the opening game of the 2020 WM Phoenix Open, five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others lost their lives in a devastating helicopter crash in Southern California.

The tragedy was a huge blow to the sports world, with professional athletes across the United States paying tribute to Bryant and those who lost their lives.

That sentiment applies to the golf world, where many players paid tribute to Bryant by wearing his signature Los Angeles Lakers jersey on the 16th hole.

Tony Finau and Aaron Wise wore No. 8 jerseys, while Justin Thomas wore his high school jersey at Bryant in Lower Merion, Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Max Homa and others also wore Bryant’s No. 24 Lakers jersey.

And on Sunday, TPC Scottsdale’s agronomy team created a flag displaying Bryant’s jersey number on the 16th hole.

These eulogies were heartbreaking but special.

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

3. Andrew McGee did the unthinkable in 2001.

Four-time PGA Tour winner Andrew McGee Hole in one on the 17th par 4It’s the only ace on a par 4 in PGA Tour history.

It happened during the first round, but interestingly, no video exists documenting this accomplishment.

Instead, multiple witnesses can verify what happened to arguably the strangest ace in professional golf history.

McGee was riding high with a double bogey on the 15th. His patience wore thin and he began to grow tired of the group in front of him. So he decided to uncork his driver on the 332-yard par-4, and it went much farther than expected.

His ball rolled onto the green, bounced off Tom Byram’s putter and went straight into the hole. Steve Pate, part of Byram’s group on the green, had to jump out of the way of McGee’s ball.

boom.

Ace.

However, the miracle was of little use to Maggie. That week, Mark Calcavecchia won at 28 under par, eight strokes ahead of Rocco Mediate, and tied for 44th place.

2. Tiger Woods hits an ace

In the third round of the 1997 WM Phoenix Open, 21-year-old Tiger Woods arrived at the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.

He pulled out his 9-iron and hit a picture-perfect shot. His ball bounced twice and then fell into the hole for a stunning ace, causing a deafening noise from the crowd.

At this time, the stadium surrounding the famous 16th hole did not exist. However, thousands of people witnessed this amazing shot. This is one of the best Woods has ever hit.

Of course, just a few months later, Woods went on to win the 1997 Masters in record fashion. He dominated Augusta National, winning by 12 strokes at 18 under par.

1. Gary Woodland and Amy Bockerstette unite

Photo credit: Tracy Wilcox/PGA Tour (Getty Images)

Amy Bockerstedt and Gary Woodland faced off on the 16th hole of Tuesday’s Pro-Am during the 2019 WM Phoenix Open.

Bockerstette, a 20-year-old golfer with Down syndrome, played the hole with Woodland and Matt Kuchar.

After hitting his tee shot into a greenside bunker, Bockerstette stepped onto the green and faced a 10-foot par putt.

But before approaching Pat, she turned to Woodland and said, “I get this.”

True to his word, Bockerstätte rolled the ball into the center of the cup, causing a loud roar from the audience.Even at that moment spread rapidly on social mediaher “I got him” mantra became an internet sensation.

A few months later, Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by three strokes over Brooks Koepka. After holed his final putt, Bockerstette, of Woodland, decided to FaceTime her and said he was relying on her “positive energy.”

Two days later, Woodland, Bockerstette and the U.S. Open trophy appeared side by side on the Today Show, with Woodland confidently saying the two had “won it together.”

Today, Bockerstedt and her nonprofit organization are appropriately I got this foundationhelps provide golf instruction and playing opportunities while creating lasting memories for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.