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2024 WM PHOENIX OPEN AND THE THUNDERBIRDS RAISE A RECORD $17.5 MILLION FOR ARIZONA CHARITIES

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The Thunderbirds – hosts of the WM Phoenix Open – announced the 2024 edition of “The People’s Open” raised a tournament record $17.5 million ($17,521,024) for Arizona charities.  This marks the seventh time in tournament history The Thunderbirds and the WM Phoenix Open have raised more than $10 million for charity in a single tournament.  The previous record was set last year ($14.5 million).

“Thunderbirds Charities and The Thunderbirds are proud to announce this record-breaking charitable donation exceeding $17.5 million from the 2024 WM Phoenix Open that will benefit Arizona charities,” said 2024 Tournament Chairman George Thimsen. “The WM Phoenix Open is a key philanthropic event that directly impacts organizations who support those in need, reflecting our ongoing commitment to the Arizona community. The hard work and collaboration with our city and state leaders, PGA TOUR players, sponsors, vendors, volunteers and enthusiastic fans has led to this enormously positive impact on our communities.”

The Thunderbirds and the WM Phoenix Open have now raised more than $142 million ($142,112,248) since 2010 when WM was named title sponsor, and more than $208 million ($208,158,814) for Arizona Charities in its 89-year history as one of the five longest-running events on the PGA TOUR.  In the last nine years alone, the tournament has raised more than $105 million.

“Congratulations to The Thunderbirds on their record-breaking donation to Arizona charities from the 2024 WM Phoenix Open,” said Scott Bradley WM Four Corners Area Vice President. “In the 15 years WM has served as title sponsor, The Thunderbirds and the WM Phoenix Open have raised more than $142 million for local charities, in turn making our community a better place for all residents.”

The announcement was made at the new Thunderbirds Charities Pediatric Burn Unit within the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center – Valleywise Health. Valleywise Health Foundation, a longtime charity partner of The Thunderbirds and Thunderbirds Charities, provides philanthropic support to Valleywise Health programs, education, research, and capital improvement projects. Valleywise Health (VH), Arizona’s only public teaching healthcare system serving all regardless of their ability to pay (more than 70 percent of VH patients are financially vulnerable), serves Arizona’s most critical healthcare needs by providing exceptional care, without exception, every patient, every time.

Thunderbirds Charities most recent donation of $500,000 went to Valleywise Health Foundation’s ALL IN Campaign that supports program and patient needs and helps augment voter-approved bonds designated solely for renovating and rebuilding aging facilities.  The Halle Arizona Burn Center and Thunderbirds Charities Pediatric Burn Unit is set to open this June. Treating some of the most complex and traumatic burn and wound cases, the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise Health is one of the nation’s largest and busiest academic burn centers with approximately 7,000 outpatient visits and more than 1,000 inpatient admissions each year. The new 75,000 square-foot Halle Arizona Burn Center will be a state-of-the-art facility, the epitome of excellence in burn care.

“Thanks to a generous gift from Thunderbirds Charities, the new Thunderbirds Charities Pediatric Burn Unit will be a safe space for children to heal, work through the trauma associated with their injuries, and get back to being a kid. This truly meaningful gift will help children and families for generations to come”, said Kate Fassett, Chief Advancement Officer for Valleywise Health Foundation.

“This long-standing partnership between Valleywise Health and Thunderbirds Charities is so special to us, and we’re immensely grateful for the more than $1.1 million Thunderbirds Charities has given Valleywise Health since 2010,” said Lia Christensen, Chief Administrative Officer at Valleywise Health.

2022 WM PHOENIX OPEN INJECTS MORE THAN $450 MILLION INTO ARIZONA’S ECONOMY

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An economic impact study conducted by Arizona State University found the 2022 WM Phoenix Open Presented by Taylor Morrison generated nearly a half billion dollars ($453.7 million) into the state of Arizona’s economy.  As part of the total economic impact, the study, commissioned by The Thunderbirds – hosts of the WM Phoenix Open – also reported a total State of Arizona GDP contribution of nearly $280 million ($276.8 million) and an annual employment impact of 4,290 jobs.

The study used an IMPLAN model to estimate economic impacts for the State of Arizona which is a commercially licensed input-output model developed and maintained by the Minnesota IMPLAN Group, Inc. (MIG) and widely used by professional economists to assess impacts of economic activities on a local economy.

““We’re proud to see our once small golf tournament in the middle of the desert grow into a crucial source for economic development and growth not only in the Phoenix area, but everywhere in Arizona,” said Michael Golding, 2022 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman and current President of Thunderbirds Charities. “We take great pride in the positive experiences we provide our fans, and together with our corporate partners, we will continue to draw all types of visitors and businesses to the Valley.”

The study defined and estimated economic impact as the increase in spending and therefore economic vitality in a community as a result of the existence of an event or organization. For the WM Phoenix Open and surrounding events, this included the expenditures of visitors who identified the WM Phoenix Open as the key factor in visiting Arizona, media from outside Arizona who cover the event, the “organizational spending” by The Thunderbirds, media and event production companies, diverse organizations and businesses involved in operations, event production and activation of sponsorships, plus the indirect and induced multiplier effects.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”35771″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”15px”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1675297573999{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The study focused on estimating the total gross economic impact (gross output) of the 2022 tournament, which includes the total amount of direct spending by out-of-town visitors and organizations in metro Phoenix, and indirect and induced impacts of those expenditures. For the purpose of the study, a visitor was defined as any individual who does not live in the metro Phoenix area for any portion of the year. As a result, no resident expenditure was used to generate the economic impact estimates. Dual-state residents were excluded from the study.

“The economic impact results reveal the power of professional sports and how a single event can have such a positive impact on a region,” said WM President and CEO Jim Fish. “WM is very proud of what we continue to accomplish together with The Thunderbirds through the WM Phoenix Open for the benefit of the community and the environment. Helping communities thrive and empowering people to live more sustainably is a key priority for WM.”

The Thunderbirds, the PGA TOUR and others associated with the tournament injected an additional $55.4 million in direct expenditures from staging and attending the tournament. These expenses are numerous and include tents and equipment, food and beverage, administration, signage, parking and security, hotel rooms leading up to and during the event for the players, caddies, PGA TOUR employees and out-of-town media, to name a few.

Economic activity of more than $220 million was induced by visitors’ and organizations’ expenditures – up from $195 million in 2017. The total gross output associated with visiting media, PGA participants and all other organizational expenditures is up 68.8% from the previous study. This figure was calculated using the IMPLAN economic assessment software with Arizona specific multipliers. This number is additional impact due to what is referred to as the multiplier effect, or the spending and re-spending of money through the local economy. When the indirect impact is combined with the direct impact, out-of-town media expenditure ($1.7 million) and total organizational expenditure, the total economic impact becomes $453.7 million.

In addition, the economic activity spurred by the event created incremental state and local sales tax revenues. The direct sales tax revenue generated from out-of-state visitors, media, and PGA participants at the 2022 WM Phoenix Open is estimated at $17.6 million. Direct sales tax revenue was estimated to be $13 million, through combined direct fiscal impacts in the City of Scottsdale ($2.9 million), Maricopa County ($1.9 million) and the State of Arizona ($9.3 million).

DAVIS THOMPSON AND RICKY BARNES RECEIVE FINAL TWO SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS FOR 2023 WM PHOENIX OPEN

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Tournament Chairman Pat Williams announced today PGA TOUR rookie Davis Thompson and 19-year PGA TOUR veteran Ricky Barnes will receive the fourth and fifth available sponsor exemptions for the 2023 [geoswitch][geoswitch_case country_code=”US” state_code=”AZ”]WM Phoenix Open Presented by Taylor Morrison[/geoswitch_case][geoswitch_case]WM Phoenix Open[/geoswitch_case][/geoswitch], which is scheduled to be played February 6-12 at TPC Scottsdale.

The 2022-2023 season is Thompson’s first on TOUR and he is already off to a promising beginning to his rookie campaign. The 23-year-old has made seven cuts in eight starts and has notched two Top-10’s, including his runner-up finish earlier in January at The American Express.   He held at least a share of the lead after each of the first three rounds and finished just one shot back of winner Jon Rahm.  During that run, he carded five eagles over the four days of play, becoming only the seventh player to make five eagles in a 72-hole event.  He currently ranks 20th in the FedExCup standings.

“Davis is a tremendous young talent and is already having an impressive rookie season, as we witnessed in his battle with Jon Rahm a few weeks ago in Palm Springs,” Williams said.  “He has put together a great stint so far on this West Coast Swing, we are excited to give him the chance to keep that going here at the WM Phoenix Open.”

Phoenix resident and University of Arizona alum Ricky Barnes has appeared in nine WM Phoenix Open’s, with a T-14 in his first ever start in 2004.  He has played in 335 events in his 19-year career on the PGA TOUR, notching 18 Top-10s, three third-place finishes and most notably, his runner-up outing in the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black.  A four-time All-American at Arizona, Barnes won the U.S. Amateur Championship in 2002 and earned the Ben Hogan Award in 2003 as the country’s best college golfer.

“Ricky has been a huge supporter of this tournament, we are excited to have him back,” Williams said.  “We are thrilled to support one of our local TOUR players and we look forward to a great week for everyone in the field this year.”

The Thunderbirds and title sponsor WM had a total of five exemptions to award for the 2023 WM Phoenix Open. The first three sponsor exemptions were awarded to PGA TOUR veteran Charley Hoffman, two-time WM Phoenix Open champion J.B. Holmes, and rising star Taylor Montgomery.

The competitive WM Phoenix Open field will vie for the increased purse of $20 million, the $3,6 million first-place check and 500 FedExCup points. PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, to commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. Eligible players are assigned one of 34 PGA TOUR priority ranking categories based on their past performance on TOUR. The field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. This year, the WM Phoenix Open is guaranteed to have the majority of the Top-20 players at its event thanks to the commitment from PGA TOUR players in the Player Impact Program. The 2023 WM Phoenix Open has been named one of the PGA TOUR’s “designated status” events.

THE THUNDERBIRDS ONCE AGAIN OFFER FREE ADMISSION TO FIRST RESPONDERS, MILITARY MEMBERS AND VETERANS TO THE 2023 WM PHOENIX OPEN

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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1675102378022{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]The Thunderbirds are once again inviting active First Responders as well as Active, Reserve, Veterans and Retired U.S. Military personnel and one accompanying individual to be their guest at the 2023 [geoswitch][geoswitch_case country_code=”US” state_code=”AZ”]WM Phoenix Open Presented by Taylor Morrison[/geoswitch_case][geoswitch_case]WM Phoenix Open[/geoswitch_case][/geoswitch]. This is the 21st year that the tournament host Thunderbirds have extended this free invitation as a small gesture of thanks to our nation’s heroes.

To take advantage of the free admission offer, First Responders and Active, Reserve, Veterans and Retired U.S. Military must first go to https://auth.govx.com/tickets/entertainer-events/a412f690-987f-ec11-8a0d-000d3ac50276/?display=popup to register through the GovX verification program.[/vc_column_text][mk_button corner_style=”rounded” size=”medium” url=”https://auth.govx.com/tickets/entertainer-events/a412f690-987f-ec11-8a0d-000d3ac50276/?display=popup” target=”_blank” align=”center” fullwidth=”true”]REGISTER HERE[/mk_button][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1674846736679{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Once qualified, they will receive a link as well as a unique one-time passcode to secure their mobile tickets.  Tickets are limited to two per day, per qualifying applicant. A mobile ticket will be required to enter the tournament.  Additional information can be found at https://wmphoenixopen.com/spectator-info/military-and-emergency-services-personnel/.

Additionally, the Birdies for the Brave Patriots Outpost will be open Wednesday through Sunday during tournament week and available to all Active, Reserve, Veterans and Retired U.S. military from all five branches of the Armed Forces. Located in a prime spot near the 18th tee, Patriots Outpost is a great venue where military personnel (+ one guest) can enjoy great food and drinks (complimentary) while watching PGA TOUR golf action in a relaxed and comfortable setting.

In order for all of our military heroes to get the chance to experience the Birdies for the Brave Patriots Outpost, official military ID’s will be required to gain access, and the one-guest maximum guideline will be enforced to help keep the crowds and wait times down.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

PGA TOUR ROOKIE TAYLOR MONTGOMERY RECEIVES THIRD SPONSOR EXEMPTION FOR 2023 WM PHOENIX OPEN

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Tournament Chairman Pat Williams announced today PGA TOUR rookie Taylor Montgomery will receive the third of five available sponsor exemptions for the 2023 [geoswitch][geoswitch_case country_code=”US” state_code=”AZ”]WM Phoenix Open Presented by Taylor Morrison[/geoswitch_case][geoswitch_case]WM Phoenix Open[/geoswitch_case][/geoswitch], which is scheduled to be played February 6-12 at TPC Scottsdale.

“Taylor is putting together an incredible rookie season and has clearly established himself as one of the PGA TOUR’s rising stars,” said 2023 Tournament Chairman Pat Williams. “We’re thrilled of offer him a sponsor exemption and can’t wait to see what he can do at his first WM Phoenix Open.”

The 2022-2023 season is Montgomery’s first on TOUR, but he is already off to an impressive start. In nine total events, Montgomery has made all nine cuts, finished in the Top-25 in eight events, four of which were Top-10 finishes including a third-place finish in the Fortinet Championship last September and a solo fifth at last week’s The American Express. The recent success could be attributed to his putting, in which he holds Top-10 rankings in five of six putting statistics measured by the PGA TOUR.  Montgomery ranks ninth in the current FedExCup standings and will make his first WM Phoenix Open appearance in 2023.

The Thunderbirds and title sponsor WM have a total of five exemptions to award for the 2023 WM Phoenix Open. The first two sponsor exemptions were awarded to PGA TOUR veteran Charley Hoffman and two-time WM Phoenix Open champion J.B. Holmes. The remaining two exemptions will be announced leading up to the tournament.

The competitive WM Phoenix Open field will vie for the increased purse of $20 million, the $3,6 million first-place check and 500 FedExCup points. PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, to commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. Eligible players are assigned one of 34 PGA TOUR priority ranking categories based on their past performance on TOUR. The field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. This year, the WM Phoenix Open is guaranteed to have the majority of the Top-20 players at its event thanks to the commitment from PGA TOUR players in the Player Impact Program. The 2023 WM Phoenix Open has been named one of the PGA TOUR’s “designated status” events.

TWO-TIME WM PHOENIX OPEN CHAMPION J.B. HOLMES RECEIVES SECOND SPONSOR EXEMPTION FOR 2023 WM PHOENIX OPEN

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Tournament Chairman Pat Williams announced today two-time champion of “The People’s Open” J.B. Holmes will receive the second of five available sponsor exemptions for the the 2023 [geoswitch][geoswitch_case country_code=”US” state_code=”AZ”]WM Phoenix Open Presented by Taylor Morrison[/geoswitch_case][geoswitch_case]WM Phoenix Open[/geoswitch_case][/geoswitch], set to tee it up February 6-12 at TPC Scottsdale.

“Not only is J.B. a two-time champion, he is an incredible supporter of our event,” Williams said. “We’re thrilled to give him another opportunity to tee it up at TPC Scottsdale and looking forward to seeing him here during tournament week.”

Holmes has racked up five PGA TOUR victories during his 18-year professional career including the 2006 and 2008 WM Phoenix Open, with his most recent win coming at the 2019 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles. Holmes also was part of two victorious U.S. Ryder Cup teams (2008, 2016) and was a member of the winning U.S. Presidents Cup team in 2015. This will be Holmes’ 17th appearance at “The People’s Open.”

The Thunderbirds and WM have a total of five exemptions to award for the 2023 WM Phoenix Open. PGA TOUR veteran Charley Hoffman received the first sponsor exemption earlier this month with the remaining three exemptions to be announced leading up to the tournament.

The competitive WM Phoenix Open field will vie for the increased purse of $20 million, the $3,6 million first-place check and 500 FedExCup points. PGA TOUR members have until 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, to commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. Eligible players are assigned one of 34 PGA TOUR priority ranking categories based on their past performance on TOUR. The field will continue to change as players with higher priority rankings commit to play in the WM Phoenix Open. This year, the WM Phoenix Open is guaranteed to have the majority of the Top-20 players at its event thanks to the commitment from PGA TOUR players in the Player Impact Program. The 2023 WM Phoenix Open has been named one of the PGA TOUR’s “designated status” events.