Wednesday’s Annexus Pro-Am Always an Incredible Time at the Waste Management Phoenix Open
From Olympians to World Series Champions and even Fortune 500 CEOs, the 2020 Annexus Pro-Am at the Waste Management Phoenix Open brought some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to TPC Scottsdale on Wednesday. The combined group of PGA TOUR professionals Jon Rahm and Adam Hadwin – also playing with Michael Phelps – took top honors this year shooting a 17-under-par 54, one shot better than Andrew Putnam and Wyndham Clark.
In a touching reunion, 2018 WM Phoenix Open champion and 2019 U.S. Open Champion Gary Woodland met once again with national hero Amy Bockerstette at the 16th hole for the second year in a row. In a touching display, Amy walked out to a surprised crowd of more than 12,000 people cheering and wearing shirts adorned with her family charity, the I GOT THIS Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to sharing the game of golf with those with intellectual disabilities.
The stands at the iconic 16th hole stayed full of rowdy golf fans after the celebrity pro-am to catch the Phoenix Suns Charities Shot at Glory, a closest-to-the-pin contest for a chance at $1 million for charity. An overhead rumble grew closer and louder as fans looked to the skies to see a skydiving team parachute into the coliseum, landing gracefully on their feet to the roar of the crowd. The aerial entertainment wasn’t over, as four Blackhawk helicopters provided a flyover to the accompaniment of the Star-Spangled Banner performed by Phoenix Children’s Choir. Never discount experience – Waste Management CEO Jim Fish leaned on his years of practice at the Shot at Glory to take top honors with a tee shot coming to rest just 10 feet, three inches from the cup. With the stellar tee shot, Fish earned $40,000 to his charity of choice The Freedom Alliance. Senior Executive with Discovery Land Company J.J. Dudum came in second place at 14 feet, 10 inches, accruing $25,000 for his charity. And Adam Pritchett of Pacific Office Automation came in third at 15 feet, nine inches, securing a cool $15,000 for his favorite charity.
Will Rickie repeat as The People’s Open Champion, or will a new challenger emerge during Thursday’s first round at the 2020 WM Phoenix Open? First groupings tee off at 7:20 a.m. with the afternoon groupings beginning at 11:35 a.m.