SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Sam Ryder made it rain in 2022.
His instantly-famous ace during the third round of the WM Phoenix Open ignited the fans in the coliseum, and once the first few beer bottles went flying, there was no stopping the onslaught.
There’s no official count but likely it was a few thousand of the $10 beers in aluminum bottles that were launched, showering the course in suds and halting play for close to 15 minutes.
Many of the chucked beers were full or mostly full.
“It was like a weapon,” said tournament chairman Pat Williams.
So in 2023, there will be bottles no more.
Starting Wednesday “every canned alcoholic beverage, beer or seltzer, anything that’s alcohol that’s in a can will be served in that cup,” said Williams. “Anything that was non-canned – water, coke – those are still served in our traditional plastic cups, but canned beer will go in the new commemorative cup.”
Patrons of the Masters will instantly recognize the cups, but the shade of green is a bit different.
“They’re the same size as the Masters cup, a little different color, with our logo on it but made by the same company.”
A souvenir cup with the 16th hole logo at TPC Scottsdale at the 2023 WM Phoenix Open. (Photo: Todd Kelly/Golfweek)
That’s not to say fans won’t attempt to throw them towards the grass on the 16th hole.
“Last year was incredible with the hole-in-one. We avoided injury which was great but to further protect the players and the fans we’ll put the alcohol in cups. If they decide to throw it, it’ll probably only get to the row in front of them and just make that person upset.”
The commemorative cup might make fans think twice before discarding a cool keepsake.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Williams said. “They’re recyclable, which is important.
“If a fan decides to have more than one drink, they get another cup. You can’t pour the alcohol in the same cup so each beverage will get a new cup so a fan could walk out with two or three or four or maybe more cups.”
Carlos Ortiz made an ace on the same hole Sunday last year and fans threw their beer cans again, but it’s the Ryder shot that everyone seems to remember.
Those were the 10th and 11th hole-in-ones on the 16th hole in tournament history.
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