The WM Phoenix Open is one of the biggest events in the PGA Tour schedule, and not just because it regularly attracts some of the biggest names.
It is also home to golf's most boisterous atmosphere, while it is the best-attended event in the sport, with around 500,000 fans expected across the four days of action each year.
The tournament, held at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, is dubbed the "greatest show on grass" and it is particularly famous for its raucous scenes at the 16th, an iconic stadium hole known as The Coliseum. There, players are greeted by a wall of noise from "the loudest hole in golf."
One of the things that makes the par-3 so special is the stadium complex, which surrounds it, with fans packed into stands on either side of the tee box and up to and around the green. But how many fans does it hold?
There are no official figures on its capacity, although reports put it at anywhere between 16,000 and 20,000 people. For context, a similar party hole constructed for LIV Golf's maiden event in Las Vegas in the 2024 season, which was held over the same weekend, had a capacity of around 3,000.
The 16th wasn't always known for its stadium-style layout, which includes almost 300 skyboxes. In fact, it took one of the 11 holes-in-one on the 16th at the WM Phoenix Open to bring that about.
By the time Tiger Woods made his ace at the 1997 edition of the tournament, the hole was already known for its big atmosphere, but the moment his ball disappeared into the hole, the reaction was so wild that it inspired the idea of fully enclosing it with a stadium-style construction. Since then, its reputation has continued to grow and nowadays, it's undoubtedly the place to be at the tournament.
It's not hard to see why. As well as the possibility of seeing a hole-in-one, the huge crowds have contributed to some particualrly wild scenes through the years. The 2022 event stands out in particular, when the over-exuberance of fans in the stands led to the frequent showering of beer cans onto the green, while two of the players even got carried away, with Harry Higgs and Joel Dahmen going topless at the hole - a decision Higgs later admitted he regretted "almost immediately."
To help ensure there wasn't a repeat of the scenes in 2023, the PGA Tour came up with a genius idea of serving beer in commemorative plastic cups, and it had the desired effect, with fans still creating a truly special atmosphere, without it spilling over onto the course.
How Do You Get A Seat At The 16th Hole At The WM Phoenix Open?
There are 3,750 general admission seats for the 16th hole, which are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Beyond that, there are corporate hospitality packages available for its skyboxes.
How Much Does It Cost To Sit On Hole 16?
General admission tickets cost between $75 and $125 depending on the day you attend. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
How Many Fans Attend The WM Phoenix Open?
While official attendance numbers recording how many fans attend the Phoenix Open have not been released since 2018, across the whole week of that year's tournament, almost 720,000 fans came through the gates, with over 500,000 to watch the four rounds of action. The biggest day is traditionally Saturday, and in 2018, a huge 216,000 attended for the third round.
What Is The Nickname Of The 16th Hole At The Phoenix Open?
The iconic 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale, which is the permanent home of the PGA Tour's WM Phonenix Open, is nicknamed The Coliseum and is known for its party atmosphere.
