In a week where weather has played as much a part of the game as the golfers themselves, the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale has seen its fair share of disruptions. The tournament, famed for its vibrant atmosphere and challenging play, has been at the mercy of Mother Nature, showcasing a variety of weather conditions from hail and heavy rain to frost delays that have tested the patience and adaptability of players and organizers alike.
The latest hiccup came on Friday morning when a frost delay pushed back the resumption of the first round by 30 minutes, a decision announced at 7:05 a.m. local time as temperatures hovered in the high 30s at sunrise. This delay meant that half of the field, yet to finish their opening rounds, faced an unexpected chill in their preparations. The delay extended further, with play eventually scheduled to commence at 8:30 a.m., highlighting the brisk conditions that greeted players with a temperature of 37°F.
This interruption follows a string of weather-related setbacks that began on Wednesday, when hail and rain interrupted the tournament's pro-am event, prompting players and spectators to seek shelter. Andrew Putnam's reaction on social media, likening the conditions to his native Tacoma, Washington, captured the surreal nature of the week's weather.
Thursday saw the tournament's schedule further disrupted when heavy rain and subsequent flooding made the course unplayable, leading to a suspension of play at 12:32 p.m. local time. Despite a brief resumption later in the day, the weather conditions have undoubtedly played a pivotal role in this year's event.
The weather challenges at TPC Scottsdale are not isolated, coming just days after a dangerous storm forced the final round of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am to be scuttled, marking a turbulent start to the golf season. The conditions in Scottsdale, with temperatures significantly lower than usual for this time of year, have introduced an additional layer of complexity to the tournament. The forecast had predicted a mixed bag of weather, including a 70% chance of rain for Thursday and a possibility of more showers on Saturday, though Sunday is expected to bring mostly sunny skies albeit with cool temperatures that could lead to more frost delays.
