Phoenix Open chief plays down LIV Golf threat after party hole rivalry formed
The chairman of the Waste Management Phoenix Open has revealed event organisers are not fazed in the slightest by LIV Golf's attempts to recreate their own party holes.
The WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale hosts one of the most iconic holes in golf, the par-three 16th. The remarkable stadium hole boasts a ringed grandstand that wraps right around the tee and green, and has become synonymous with its party atmosphere.
Some of the PGA Tour's most recognisable aces have been made at the Scottsdale par-three, as those in attendance celebrate by launching their drinks into the air, littering the playing surface.
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Whilst the celebrations are not for everyone, those over at LIV Golf have attempted to recreate something similar at their own events. This weekend is set to be the battle of the party holes, with the Phoenix Open taking place at the same time as LIV Las Vegas.
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The breakaway league have made the trip to Sin City on the same weekend as the Super Bowl, with the NFL season finale taking place just six miles away from Las Vegas Country Club. Despite the atmosphere building around the bumper weekend in Vegas, Phoenix Open chief George Thimsen believes nothing comes close to their event at Scottsdale.
Asked whether he was concerned about the hype surrounding LIV's trip to Vegas, he told The Arizona Republic: "Absolutely not... There's nothing that touches — especially in golf but in a lot of sporting events — that touches what we do here.”
LIV Golf have looked to replicate the party hole atmposphere (Getty Images)Thimsen went on: "You've got some great players coming here and it's really a testament to the community. And when we talk about (the motto), ‘We Are The People's Open,’ the players come back because of the history and the relationship that they have with us, the tournament and the fans here.
"And the fact that this is not like any other tournament.” Like their PGA Tour rivals, LIV will also stage a party hole at this week's event, albeit on a smaller scale, which has been pitched at the par-three eighth of Las Vegas Country Club.
This is not the first time the Saudi-backed league have facilitated a stadium hole, having had previous success. The idea was lauded at LIV's first trip to Australia in Adelaide last summer, when the crowds packed at the 12th hole at The Grange.
Replicating their Scottsdale rivals, the Aussie crowd were treated to an ace on tournament week, made by Brooks Koepka's younger brother Chase in the final round. The hole-in-one sparked wild scenes, as drinks scattered across the tee box.
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