Thunderbirds announce record $14.5 million raised from 2023 tournament.

Super Week in the Valley of the Sun always begins with the iconic WM Phoenix Open, presented by Taylor Morrison. The 2024 edition of “People’s Open” will take place Feb. 5-11 at TPC Scottsdale, marking the 89th playing of the event, and 15th with WM as title sponsor. Always popular with the pros, the WMPO has been named Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR four times.

The tournament has earned a justifiable reputation as a huge party, especially at the Par-3, 16^th hole, where 20,000 raucous spectators a day cheer and jeer good, bad and ugly shots. An astonishing number of patrons – estimated at 200,000 some years – somehow manages to navigate the golf course, completely unaware of the charitable impact their presence makes.

Throughout the week of organized chaos, official tournament hosts The Thunderbirds are ubiquitous, their enormous silver pendants glinting in the sun, accessorizing their distinctive long-sleeved, navy velour tunic top uniforms. Stacks STX of $2 bills poking out of their pockets are the “Tipping Twos,” a tradition members of the fraternal service club initiated to distribute tips to servers and other tournament workers.

Their outfits may draw bemused glances, especially on blistering 90-degree days, but The Thunderbirds’ charitable impact on local communities is truly jaw-dropping.