PGA Tour Presents "Best Of" Awards for Events

The Waste Management Phoenix Open was one of 10 tournaments recognized with “Best Of” awards by the PGA TOUR at the TOUR’s annual Tournament Meetings.

For the second consecutive season, the Waste Management Phoenix Open was named the PGA TOUR “Tournament of the Year,” marking the fourth time (2014, 2015, 2018 and 2019) in the last six years the event has taken top honors. The Phoenix-area tournament also won the “Best Integrated Marketing” award for its engaging and creative year-round integrated marketing plan.

The 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open, won by Rickie Fowler, continued to reach new levels with its fan experience, marketing and social media strategy, and charitable impact. In recent years, the tournament has enhanced the overall experience for general admission holders, adding and expanding public venues along the closing stretch of holes at TPC Scottsdale, beginning with its famous coliseum-style 16^th hole. As part of a sold-out, four-night concert series, more than 38,000 fans enjoyed 11 musical acts, with headliners including Old Dominion, Jake Owen, The Chainsmokers and Snoop Dogg.

Working closely with the PGA TOUR, Skratch and Golf Channel, the tournament reached new audiences with engaging content through the “Legends of the Green” campaign, celebrity influencers and an unforgettable moment shared between 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open champion Gary Woodland and Special Olympics golfer Amy Bockerstette. More than 50 million people have since watched Amy, who has Down Syndrome, sink a par putt on the 16^th hole during a practice round with Woodland, making it one of the most viewed Facebook videos in PGA TOUR history. The moment has been covered by all major sports and news outlets, and garnered new attention when Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open and reunited with Amy on the TODAY Show.

As the tournament continues to grow, so does the charitable impact. Proceeds from the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open generated a record $13.2 million for local charities, the highest single-year charitable donation in tournament history. Since Waste Management became title sponsor in 2010, the tournament has raised more than $81 million for local charities.

 “On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am thrilled to congratulate the Waste Management Phoenix Open on once again being named the ‘Tournament of the Year,’” said PGA TOUR Chief Tournaments and Competitions Officer Andy Pazder. “The Thunderbirds and title sponsor Waste Management continue to reach new heights each year with an unparalleled fan experience, seamless title sponsor integration and record charitable impact, all while continuing their mission as a zero-waste event.”

Below is a complete list of award-winning tournaments:
Most Fan-First Event 
The Honda Classic

Best Use of Players
Barracuda Championship

Most Engaged Community
John Deere Classic

Best Tournament Sales
Rocket Mortgage Classic

Best On-Site Staging 
THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES

Best Title Sponsor Integration
John Deere Classic

Best Product
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Clint’s Saloon)

Best Integrated Marketing Plan
Waste Management Phoenix Open

Best-in-Class Element
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Arnold Palmer Experience)

Best Special Event
Rocket Mortgage Classic (Area 313 Celebrity Challenge)

Best Charity Integration
Sanderson Farms Championship

Fair Way Award
Rocket Mortgage Classic (Diversity & Inclusion)

Tournament of the Year
Waste Management Phoenix Open

Players Choice
Wells Fargo Championship

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The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR Series-China. Members on the PGA TOUR represent the world’s best players, hailing from 28 countries and regions (93 members are from outside the United States). Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to 226 countries and territories in 23 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving. In 2018, tournaments across all Tours generated a record $190 million for local and national charitable organizations, bringing the all-time total to $2.84 billion.

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