Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
News Desk | Sports
The 2026 Waste Management Phoenix Open began Thursday at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona, bringing one of the PGA Tour’s most attended and high-energy tournaments back to the desert with a full field of top golfers, expanded fan experiences and updated venue features, according to organizers and broadcast schedules. The four-day event runs from Feb. 5 through Feb. 8 and includes live national television and streaming coverage across multiple networks.
Tournament play follows the PGA Tour’s standard 72-hole stroke-play format, with a 123-player field competing in threesomes over the first two rounds before a cut to the top 65 and ties. Any playoff to determine the winner will be decided by sudden death on the 18th hole.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler entered the week as a leading contender and could match the tournament’s all-time win mark with a third title, while former champions Brooks Koepka and Hideki Matsuyama are also in the field alongside several other top-ranked players seeking their first victory at the event.
Comprehensive broadcast coverage began Thursday morning, with early streaming available through PGA Tour Live and later television windows on Golf Channel and CBS extending through Sunday’s final round.
Beyond competition, the Phoenix Open continues to emphasize spectator engagement and large-scale entertainment. The tournament is widely known for its stadium-style par-3 16th hole and raucous galleries, while nightly concerts at the nearby Birds Nest venue feature live music and fan activities during tournament week.
Organizers also introduced venue upgrades and operational enhancements for 2026, including redesigned sightlines and sustainability-focused construction at the 16th hole hospitality structure. Medical staffing and family-support services remain in place through a long-running partnership providing on-site healthcare personnel and fan assistance.
The Phoenix Open, often referred to as The People Phoenix Open, draws visitors from across the United States and abroad and remains one of the PGA Tour’s most anticipated annual stops, combining elite professional golf with large-scale crowds and entertainment programming.
Final-round play is scheduled for Sunday afternoon, when the tournament champion will be decided following four days of competition in Scottsdale. The story is developing.
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