Waste Management Saturday

Saturday's Waste Management Open drew an announced crowd of 121,221 despite the presence of a manually-operated 18th hole leaderboard and reasonably-priced admission tickets. (Yes, I'm still pouting about the PGA Tour eliminating the Northern Trust Open's 18th hole manual board and their non-sensible pricing. If I'm moaning about this in April, then you know it's become an unhealthy obsession.)**

Manual leaderboard on No. 18 Thursday...the horror of it all! (Click to enlarge)Saturday's 16th hole party is revealing in that you find out which players have a little personality and sense of their role as entertainers. You also see who ought to stay home because they can't take a joke.

Only Andres Romero looked spooked by the scene, backing off a tee shot and then chunking it well short of the green. Among the players embracing the scene while I was there bouncing between 16 and 17 tees: Y.E. Yang (threw glove and balls into crowd), Phil (more thumbs ups than normal), Kevin Streelman (brought gifts for the crowd by the tee), Ian Poulter (lots of playful banter with crowd), Rich Beem (full post-birdie putt dance), Matthew Goggin (impersonated playing partner Tom Lehman's signature birdie putt celebration), Lehman (applauded the crowd), and Rickie Fowler (jovial until his missed birdie putt).

On the sourpuss side, Robert Allenby and Zach Johnson gave scornful head shakes after the crowd boo'd a Greg Chalmers missed putt, even though the crowd was booing (in a tough love way) anything but birdie putts made!

A few images from Saturday:

Ky Laffoon's pro-am win with Barry Goldwater is noted on the tournament winner's memorial (click to enlarge)

 Waste Management's "Solar compactors" hold 5x as much trash as a typical waste container, is powered by the sun and reduces fuel and greenhouse gases by 80%. Just one of the cool touches at the Waste Management Phoenix Open (click to enlarge)

Phil Mickelson tees off the 17th Saturday, He posted a 1-over-par 72 and sits at 5-under par (click to enlarge image)

The 17th tee and 16th hole grandstand hasn't deterred a newborn bunny (lower right) (Click to enlarge)The bunny up close, noshing on a light bed of dormant bermuda grass (click to enlarge)

The 16th hole arena viewed from No. 17 (click to enlarge)

**For the aspiring PGA Tour VP's reading this, it's $25, including parking, free admission for 17 and under, and all military, police and fire get in free with a guest!