Max Homa and Wyndham Clark have recently opened up regarding their experience at last week’s WM Phoenix Open. They expressed that nothing was shocking about the environment at TPC Scottsdale and nobody should have gone thinking that it would have played in a certain way.
The historic PGA Tour event is known for its party-like atmosphere. But the 2024 edition saw things going too far. The organizers had to shut down the entrance gates to fans because of ruckus behavior. Reports also suggested that a lot of places experienced fights among the spectators. Another notable incident that happened was a female fan falling off the famous 16th hole suffering non-life-threatening injuries.
Even Max Homa and Wyndham Clark’s captain at the 2023 Ryder Cup, Zach Johnson, was caught on camera fighting with a patron on the 15th-hole tee box. Meanwhile, Billy Horschel was also spotted defending his playing partner against some wild fans.
Max Homa and Wyndham Clark Share Their Experience Playing At The 2024 WM Phoenix Open
The 33-year-old Burbank-born player missed the cut at TPC Scottsdale. However, he did state that his experience at WM Phoenix Open was fine and crazy. While speaking on the PGA Tour’s Sirius XM, Max Homa said,
“I thought it was fine, it was crazy. Maybe it just depends if you go in assuming it’s going to be insane then I guess it’s hard to be overly surprised.”
Max Homa added that he did see people fighting this year but called it funny. The six-time PGA Tour champion said that he did not mind the atmosphere and acknowledged that it was “overwhelming” for some people.
“There did seem like more fighting this year, which was quite funny. But I don’t really mind [the atmosphere]. I get that for some people it’s probably overwhelming. Granted, I played two-and-a-half days so I didn’t have to endure it all four. But, I dunno, it’s just one week of chaos,” Homa said.
It’s raucous. But is it too much?
After a wild week in Scottsdale, Max Homa and Wyndham Clark, and Colt call into Gravy & The Sleeze to talk about the atmosphere at the WM Phoenix Open with Drew & Johnson.@Maxhoma | @Wyndham_Clark | @thesleezyman | @johnson_wagner | @ColtKnost pic.twitter.com/Yt2xlytdYs
— SiriusXM PGA TOUR Radio (@SiriusXMPGATOUR) February 13, 2024
Wyndham Clark’s opinion of playing at the WM Phoenix Open was slightly different from Homa’s. He said that playing at TPC Scottsdale has always been his favorite week. But added that on Saturday, things “got a little out of control”. The reigning US Open champion said on PGA Tour’s Sirius XM,
“It’s always one of my favorite events, I love the week. But with that said, a combination of the weather and the number of people who were let in on Saturday, I think it got a little out of control.”
Wyndham Clark added that experience of playing at the 2024 WM Phoenix Open was “fine”. But said that a few of his friends and family were complaining about the environment.
“For me, it was fine. But just like my friends and family that were out there, they were all complaining about it. I had some people saying to me “this might be my last [Phoenix Open] or whatever, just because it got a little too much,” Clark said.
Clark added that Saturday’s play was a “little too chaotic” but said that he was doubtful if it was the bad weather that caused it.
“I don’t know if that’s because of the weather and only being able to walk in certain areas because of all the mud, but I think it was maybe a little too chaotic on Saturday,” Clark said.
Well, it is unknown if top players will return to TPC Scottsdale to play at the WM Phoenix Open in 2025. But if they do, the organizers will have to look up security concerns and manage the crowd better.
