- Slug: Sports–WM Phoenix Open Celebrities, 850 words.
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By Daniel Rios
Cronkite News
SCOTTSDALE – A sea of green mixed with snakes littered the viewing areas of the TPC Scottsdale course as golfers took their swings.
A typical scene for a golf course but in this instance, those views were fans representing their fandom for athletes in the WM Phoenix Open Annexus Pro-Am Wednesday, a warm-up event before the real competition starts Thursday. Packers legend and New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers was one of them, as jerseys were seen near him every time he prepared to tee off.
Arizona Diamondbacks merchandise added a red hue as the local representation was felt with pitching aces Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, along with manager Torey Lovullo and team radio analyst Tom Candiotti. Not only the Diamondbacks but also the Arizona Cardinals, as legendary receiver Larry Fitzgerald took part, along with coach Jonathan Gannon.
“It’s all about the fun and interacting with the fans,” Gannon said. “And what’s cool is (we’re) guys in different arenas. This is not our arena, and we’re playing with (Byeong Hun An) and you watch him and you’re like, well, that’s why he’s a pro, and I am not. So it’s fun. It’s just a great time.”
For others, the goal is simple: “Not to hit anybody,” Olympic gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps said.
It was also time for some to lament the craziness of the sports world. Chaos has ensued in the past three days, especially in the NBA, with former Dallas superstar Luka Doncic now on the Lakers.
That sense of shock made its way into the minds of some of the WM Phoenix Open’s best. The No. 1 ranked golfer in the world, Scottie Scheffler, a Dallas Mavericks and Cowboys fan, shared his emotions about the trade.
“It’s a bit challenging,” Scheffler said. “Losing Luka, I think this is one of the first times I’ve ever been genuinely sad with a move that has been made in Dallas. We were spoiled with Dirk for so long, and Dirk in my opinion is like the greatest sportsman ever. He’s a great guy and great for the city of Dallas.”
It’s not just the NBA dominating headlines; the NFL prepares for the biggest game in the nation, the Super Bowl on Sunday.
The Philadelphia Eagles will compete for a championship against the Kansas City Chiefs this year. The same matchup took place just two years ago in Arizona. The defensive coordinator for the Eagles in that Super Bowl was, in fact, Gannon.
“It’s going to be a great game,” Gannon said. “The best two teams, and I’m looking forward to watching.”
The pro-am presents a unique opportunity for fans to see their idols in a new light. The course provides a more laid-back way for fans to approach the athletes that are surrounded in their respective sports.
For locals who are fans of national stars such as Rodgers, the tournament provides the potential to meet legends like him. It also can lure more of a crowd on the non-tournament days for spectators who aren’t the biggest fans of golf.
“I like golf, but I don’t really care a ton about, like, the professional golfers coming through,” pro-am spectator Nick Labella said. “And so this is my first time coming on Wednesday for the celebrity pro-am. … There’s not too many situations where you’d be in that spot to meet one of your favorite athletes. And so it’s cool where you only have to drive 20 minutes.”
Retired NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick, who played for nine different teams, has fans who come up to him from all different parts of the country. The Gilbert Highland High School product also interacted with people he hadn’t seen in a while, including talking with coaches from his eighth-grade football team.
Fitzpatrick is thankful to everyone who has worked hard to make this event happen. Old connections are fun to see, but spending unique time with family is always an eventful experience.
“I got my dad here with me, and my oldest son caddying for me,” Fitzpatrick said. “A couple good shots and a lot of bad ones. My son doesn’t let me hear the end of the bad ones. But it’s fun for me.”
It’s fun for these celebrities to participate in a PGA Tour course with the sports professionals. The fun is met with challenges as the amateurs show off their inexperience at points on the course.
On the eighth hole, Gannon and Burnes were up to the tee; each of them swung hard, and the ball flew out of bounds into the dirt. Laughs were shared between the group as they walked off the green to hit their balls back into play.
Inexperienced, yes, but for guys like Burnes, he’s still a professional athlete. He swung and hit his ball directly into the fairway, and following it were cheers from the spectators around him.
It wasn’t like that for everyone. Singer Jelly Roll shanked his tee shot at 16.
Ultimately, most seemed happy to be here.
“It’s probably the biggest party in golf,” Bryan said.
