Chance Cozby Named Tournament Chairman for 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open
The Thunderbirds, hosts of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, have named Chance Cozby Tournament Chairman for the 2019 edition of “The People’s Open”, which will be played January 28 – February 3, 2019, at TPC Scottsdale. Additionally, The Thunderbirds announced that Tim Woods has been named Assistant Tournament Chairman for the 2019 event.
Cozby will lead The Thunderbirds in the planning and execution of every facet of the 2019 event, including meeting with current and potential sponsors, recruiting PGA TOUR players to the event and developing new on-course venues.
“It is a great honor to be able to lead the charge for one of the best tournaments on the PGA TOUR,” Cozby said. “I am looking forward to an exciting year and can’t wait to work alongside my fellow Thunderbirds to put on the 84th edition of The People’s Open.”
Cozby has been on the staff at PING since 1999, and is currently the Vice President of Sports Development, where he is responsible for player development, contract negotiations and management of the PING Worldwide Tour team. He also is heavily involved in other aspects of the PING business as a member of the leadership team. Locally owned and operated, PING has been a longtime partner as the exclusive golf brand of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, dating back to 1969.
Cozby received a B.B.A. degree from the University of Oklahoma in 1999, where he earned all-conference honors for three years as a member of the Sooners golf team. His family has a deep background in golf – his brothers Cary and Craig also played golf at Oklahoma, and his dad Jerry is a member of the PGA Hall of Fame and was the 1985 PGA Professional of the Year. A Thunderbird since 2010, Cozby lives in Phoenix with his wife Erica and their two sons, Campbell and Catcher.
Woods was named the 2019 Assistant Tournament Chairman and will assist Cozby with all tournament-related operations while being groomed to be Tournament Chairman in 2020. An Arizona native, Woods is a graduate of Brophy College Preparatory and The University of Arizona; and he is Co-Principal of Farmer Woods Group, supporting the risk management needs of a wide variety of businesses.
In addition to his full-time career in insurance brokerage, Major Woods is a Commissioned Officer and Black Hawk helicopter Pilot in Command in the Arizona Army National Guard, serving two tours in Iraq between 2005 and 2010. Woods maintains proficiency flying monthly and serves as the Battalion Operations Officer for the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion at Phoenix Papago Military Reservation. An active Thunderbird since 2011, Woods lives in Phoenix with his wife Bianca, and two sons, Henry and Peter.
The 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open will be held at TPC Scottsdale January 28 – February 3, 2019. “The People’s Open” is the best-attended golf tournament in the world and has gained legendary status for being the most unique stop on the PGA TOUR. The 2019 edition will mark the 84th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 10th as the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 250 “life” members. In 2017 The Thunderbirds raised a record $10.1 million for charity from proceeds from the 2017 tournament and have eclipsed $122 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932. For more information on The Thunderbirds, visit www.thunderbirdscharities.org.