- Slug: WM Phoenix Open
- Runtime: 3:28
- Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download
THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS KEPT THE EXPECTED NUMBER OF FANS FROM WALKING ONTO THE GROUNDS OF TPC SCOTTSDALE. THAT’S THE HOME OF THE WMASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN. BUT THIS PAST WEEKEND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP TO CHEER ON THEIR FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS AND CRONKITE NEWS JUSTIN TORRES WAS THERE.
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<NAT SOUND>
Driver hitting the golf ball (3 SECONDS)
THE WM OPEN IS KNOWN FOR BEING THE LOUDEST AND MOST ROWDY TOURNAMENT ON THE ENTIRE PGA TOUR.
AND THAT ROWDINESS HAPPENS AT HOLE 16.
<NAT SOUND>
Fans cheering (2 SECONDS) (USE MONO 11)
FAN SOUND UP HERE THEN BACK DOWN
IT’S LIKE A SCENE FROM A GLADIATOR MOVIE, AS NEARLY 17,000 FANS FILL BLEACHERS ON ALL SIDES OF THE HOLE, CHEERING WHENEVER THE PLAYERS MAKE IT ONTO THE GREEN.
<NAT SOUND>
Fans cheering with suspense (5 SECONDS)
AND RAINING DOWN A TIDAL WAVE OF BOOS WHEN THE PLAYERS COME UP SHORT.
<NAT SOUND>
Fans booing (5 SECONDS)(USE MONO 16)
THE HOLE IS ESSENTIALLY PROFESSIONAL GOLF’S VERSION OF THE ROMAN COLOSSEUM.
IT’S HERE AT THE 16TH HOLE WHERE PRO-GOLFER SAM RYDER FROM WINTER PARK, FLORIDA, DID THE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE – SINKING A HOLE-IN-ONE. HE JOINS ELITE COMPANY WITH NAMES LIKE TIGER WOODS AND FRANCESCO MOLINARI WHO BOTH HAVE ACED THE FAMOUS HOLE.
<NAT SOUND>
Fans cheering (5 SECONDS)
A HOLE-IN-ONE ON 16 HASN’T HAPPENED IN SEVEN YEARS. AND THIS YEAR THERE WERE ACTUALLY 2 HOLE-IN-ONES. FOR FANS, LIKE CALLUM MENDOZA, THEY WERE HAPPY TO WATCH THE GAME IN PERSON.
<Callum Mendoza/Fan>
“Oh, I mean, it’s awesome. Like, it’s great. Like the stadium was packed, you know, everybody’s getting loud. It’s a really great time. Like you can feel the energy.” (9 SECONDS)
MENDOZA CHEERED WITH HIS FRIENDS AT THE OPEN AND FOR HIM, THE 16TH HOLE WAS WHERE THE ACTION WAS AT.
<Callum Mendoza/Fan>
“That was my favorite part of the whole day. I wish I said to these guys like next time we’ll probably go there and spend the whole day there, get some seats and park up in there.” (7 SECONDS)
BUT BY HOLE 17 …
<NAT SOUND>
Driver hitting the golf ball (3 SECONDS)
….THE CALM YOU NORMALLY ASSOCIATE WITH GOLF, RETURNED….
BEFORE COVID-19 SHUT FANS OUT, THE 2020 ATTENDANCE FOR THE WM PHOENIX OPEN WAS OVER 700,000. HOWEVER, LAST YEAR THE OPEN ONLY ALLOWED IN 5,000 FANS PER DAY
THIS YEAR, TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS PREDICTED THAT OVER 250,000 PEOPLE WOULD ATTEND ON SATURDAY ALONE.
[ HERE’S WHERE YOU COULD BRING UP CROWD SOUND OR OUTDOOR SOUND BRIEFLY, AND THEN DUCK INTO NEXT SCENE ]
THOSE FANS MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE PLAYERS. BROOKS KOEPKA ,WAS ONE OF THE PRO GOLFERS ON THE TOUR FROM WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA HE SAYS HE LOVES HAVING THE FANS BACK.
<Brooks Koepka/PGA Golfer>
“I like playing in front of a lot of people. They cheer you when you hit a good one and they boo you when you hit a bad one, which is what you deserve.” (11 SECONDS)
LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN , ANOTHER PRO GOLFER ON THE TOUR FROM SOUTH AFRICA, AGREES WITH HIM.
<Louis Oosthuizen/PGA Golfer>
“It’s really great to have fans back and you know, that first, first six months playing without any fans felt so weird, I felt like you were back in the little junior tournament again.” (11 SECONDS)
KOEPKA AND OOSTHUIZEN FINISHED IN THIRD AND FOURTEENTH RESPECTIVELY AT THE OPEN, WITH SCOTTIE SHEFFLER WALKING AWAY WITH FIRST PLACE ON THE FINAL DAY OF PLAY.
JANETTE MICELLI DIRECTS EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT AND SHE HAD A ROLE IN OVERSEEING THE PRODUCTION PROCESS FOR THIS YEAR’S OPEN. MICELLI SAYS THE IMPACT OF FANS RETURNING STOOD OUT IN A BIG WAY THIS YEAR.
<Janette Micelli/Director of External Affairs for WM>
“I think the WM Phoenix open was hugely successful this year. I do think it is what we expected. We expected, um, great fans, great golf, great weather. We got all of that this week. Phenomenal.” (11 SECONDS)
JUST HOW SUCCESSFUL HASN’T QUITE BEEN DETERMINED. THE MONEY RAISED THROUGH THE OPEN GETS DISTRIBUTED TO CHARITIES AND THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION – THE THUNDERBIRDS – THEY QUIT TRACKING ATTENDANCE YEARS AGO BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE. BUT MICELLI SAYS THERE’S NO QUESTION THEY ARE ALREADY LOOKING AHEAD TO NEXT YEAR’S OPEN.
<Janette Micelli/Director of External Affairs for WM>
“The WM Phoenix open is known as the greenest show on grass, but also the people’s open. And as part of that, there is a huge campaign to, you know, respect the game and respect the players. And so we wanna make sure that continues to happen.”(14 SECONDS)
JUSTIN TORRES, CRONKITE NEWS.