Scottsdale Open continues despite lack of spectators
The only obvious signs of life Tuesday on the one-mile drive from the 101 east on Talking Stick Way were the road crews who had narrowed the passage to one lane.
Casino and hotel entrances were blocked. Parking lots were empty. It looked like someone had finally not just beaten the house, but taken every nickel and stripped the beds.
But at the end of the road is the lane that leads to the Talking Stick Golf Club. Right there, on Tuesday, was something we haven’t seen in the Valley for two months or so.
A competitive sporting event. An honest-to-God, sign-your-card tournament, as one golfer called it. With prize money at stake.
The downside is that you have to be a player, caddie, volunteer or a media member to watch the 54-hole Desert Financial Credit Union Scottsdale AZ Open that ends
Thursday. No spectators allowed.
No one affiliated would make the leap of calling Tuesday’s first round a soft opening for the return of sports. It’s a minor tournament that’s barely a blip when the PGA Tour is playing. But even so, it was a significant accomplishment for organizers who wondered six weeks or so ago if they would have to cancel.
“We literally started following it day by day, week by week,” said Ryan Pray, tournament director. “I think we got to a comfort zone about a month before the event, where we didn’t think the governor was going to shut down the golf courses.
“At that point, I said ‘what do we need to do to run the event properly and safely.”
When Gov. Doug Ducey labeled golf an essential business this spring, he meant the actual playing of golf. Watching it was a different story. The Scottsdale Open traditionally doesn't draw large crowds, but allowing even a small one didn't make sense at this time.
So spectators aren’t allowed, not even family or friends. Each player has his own cart or can walk. There is a rake on each cart to smooth the sand after bunker shots. Golfer Kevin Streelman, who shot a 5-under 65, mentioned as an aside that he didn’t have to use his rake Tuesday.
(Feel free to dislike Streelman for a minute or two.)
Streelman is one of eight players from the PGA and Champions Tours in this tournament. That’s an unusually high amount for the Scottsdale Open. There are two reasons for that: a lot of golfers live in the Valley. And their schedules were open.
“Ten minutes from my house and I get to go play with my kids in the pool this afternoon,” Streelman said.
Nate Lashley, who lives in Scottsdale, shot 62 to lead after one round.
“It’s nice to get out of the house and come out and play a competitive round,” Lashley said. “I live just up the street. I’ve played out here before. It’s something to play in before we get started back up in three, four weeks.”
With no friends and relatives allowed to attend, the pairings looked like three buddies out for a round.
Streelman was one of the few players with a caddie, but that was a friend who mostly served as someone to talk to during the around. And Streelman admitted he and playing partners had some side action going.
“I was telling my wife last night, it’s kind of a full circle for me,” said Streelman, who has teamed with Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald to win the Pebble Beach Pro-Am two of the last three years. “Playing the Gateway Tour back then (against) some of these same guys, some of these same guys running events. It’s really fun for me to see them and be able to play at 41 and hang around.”
How long has it been, he was asked, since you played a competitive round without one friend or family member following you?
“Probably 15 years,” he said, “as far as official signing-scorecards events.”
After Streelman’s group finished the round, there were no handshakes, high fives or fist bumps. Just a nod and a wave before they headed to scorer’s tent. They maintained social distance while signing their cards.
There’s probably not many lessons major sports can glean from a small tournament that pays the winner $20,000. The Scottsdale Open isn’t a big-time event that pays millions of dollars and draws thousands of spectators.
But after spending two months debating whether “canceled” or “cancelled” is preferable, it was nice to find one sporting event this spring that came off as planned.