The new DraftKings Sportsbook at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona is changing the line at the 2023 WM Phoenix Open even though the facility doesn’t open until this fall.
Construction of the 12,000-square-foot upscale sports bar, located across the street from the TPC Stadium Course, is taking place in an empty parking lot that has long served as the tournament’s main entrance. The development has altered where spectators will line up outside TPC Scottsdale this week, including the few thousand who famously gather in the pre-dawn darkness before Saturday’s third round to sprint a half-mile for one of the coveted 3,750 general-admission seats at the 16th hole on the tournament’s busiest day.
The always raucous scene on that stadium-style par-3, which is encircled by stands, grabbed international attention last year when Sam Ryder and Carlos Ortiz each aced the hole, setting off wild celebrations as spectators littered the tee and green with cans and cups of beer and water. The chaotic scenes reinforced the tournament’s reputation as a place where the majority of ticketholders come for the party atmosphere rather than the golf. One change for this year: all beers served on 16 will be poured into commemorative plastic cups to reduce their potential flying capability.
Adding to the spectacle this year is perhaps the tournament’s strongest field ever, with 18 players ranked in the world top 20, a byproduct of its elevated status as a “designated event” by the PGA Tour and a purse increase from last year’s $8.2 million to $20 million this year.
The slight detour at the main entrance via a green carpeted ramp will give fans a sneak peek of the foundation being laid for what will be the first sportsbook built at a PGA Tour venue. It’s a new tactic for the Boston-based DraftKings, which is also debuting another brick-and-mortar location at Wrigley Field this year.
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