Thousands flocked to TPC Scottsdale Thursday to catch the first round of the FBR Open. Spectators and fans covered the stadium mounds as walking galleries filtered through while following their favorite PGA Tour pros. 

The top crowd getters were Anthony Kim and Phil Mickelson, as always, the Arizona State alum received the loudest cheers upon teeing off on the starting hole. However, the rowdiest course location was (expectedly) the famous 16^th hole. Completely surrounded by stadium seating, this year’s 16^th hole is also equipped with not one but two gigantic electronic scoreboards so that the crowd can anticipate who will be next on the tee. 

Earlier this week, Anthony Kim, who secured two wins last year – one at the Wachovia Championship and the other at the AT&T and has quickly become a star on Tour, spoke to the press about the 16^th and the initial impressions he received. 

“There are obviously a couple of [golfers] who probably don’t like the noise,” Anthony Kim said. “But look, if you can’t play in that atmosphere, don’t come to this tournament. It’s a one-time-a-year deal, and I enjoy it so much” 

Camilo Villegas, who also won twice on Tour last season, already had a game plan for playing with 15,000 to 20,000 spectators looking on. 

“Hopefully I can hit it in the middle of the green four days and don’t get booed,”Villegas said. “The fans are crazy. I know there’s a lot of alcohol being served there. You’re going to get people yelling great stuff and then people yelling some stuff that is maybe not appropriate.” 

At days end, James Nitties (pictured), a 26-year-old Aussie with no PGA Tour wins, and Lucas Glover, a veteran of the Tour and resident of Greenville, South Carolina, sat atop the leader board.

It was around the same time that galleries who had been following their selected pairing all day started to leave and the infamous night crowd of the FBR began to trickle in. As grass-stained tennis shoes headed to the exit, high-heels and designer bags quickly made their way to the sixteenth to catch the last few groups playing the famous par-3. This atmosphere is what the FBR has quickly come to be about. No doubt there was a huge crowd that migrated from the tournament grounds across the street to the Birds Nest, where the opening night act Zowie Bowie was scheduled to perform.

Following round two, the field will be cut to the lowest 70 players and ties. 

No related posts.