Letter to the editor: WM Phoenix Open traded an important keepsake for a QR code, then suggests everyone who complains isn’t tech savvy.
Arizona Republic
The first thing fans always saw when emerging from under the tunnel and into the TPC grounds were display stands featuring the pairing sheets for the day. 2023 marked the first time in more than 75 years that the tournament got rid of them.
Instead, a display board was installed saying, “Pairings, click QR code.”
The pairing sheets were the only “day-specific” souvenir the WM Phoenix Open offered; perfect for autographs on Wednesday, a cool keepsake for those awesome moments (I had Sam Ryder sign it after the hole-in-one in 2022), and an easy option to follow your golfers — while not burning out your phone’s battery.
Now there is nothing: No physical tickets, no pairing sheet. In 2024’s program (available digitally at this moment), they’ve announced once again the way that pairings can be accessed — digital only.
As an insult to all fans who loved this timeless tradition, the digital program states to fans: “You can also ask your granddaughter to help you. She knows.”