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Phoenix Open draws record crowd

Bubba Watson criticized course changes to TPC Scottsdale on Wednesday, but fans flocked to the tournament on Saturday. (Rob Schumacher / Associated Press)
Associated Press

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Waste Management Phoenix Open drew an estimated 201,003 fans Saturday at TPC Scottsdale to break the tournament and golf record.

The previous largest crowd at the Stadium Course was 189,722 in 2014. The tournament also set a day record Friday at 160,415.

The event has drawn 535,035 fans with one day left. The weekly record of 564,368 was set last year.

Saturday’s tournament attendance was nearly equal the population of Scottsdale (230,512), CBS Sports reported.

NBC’s broadcast noted that the fan numbers made it the second-highest attended single-day American sporting event, behind the estimated 257,000 of the Indianapolis 500.