#phoenixopen

“Come on you.....” Harley rattled the vending machine as hard as she could. “YOU JUJUBE THIEF!” She screamed at the inanimate object at the top of her lungs, exasperated. Not willing to give up on her stuck candy, Harley glanced down at her brightly adorned bowling bag, complete with bowling ball inside. Had she just come from the bowling alley? Not exactly, but that’s a story for another time.

With little hesitation, the harlequin swung the bag with great force, smashing the glass straight through, the shards mostly falling to the inside of the machine. 

A smile spread wide across Harley’s mouth before she excitedly began snatching up as much candy as she could grab and shoving it inside the bowling bag. Noticing someone watching her she asked, “Oh, you want some?” Offering up a handful of candy. “Not the Jujubes though, thos’er mine!” 

Waste Management signs long-term extension as tournament sponsor

Commitment to PGA TOUR’s Waste Management Phoenix Open now through 2030

Celebrating its 10th year as title sponsor of the Waste Management Phoenix Open, Waste Management has signed an early renewal that will continue its commitment to the tournament for another decade, through 2030.

The new agreement, which also covers Waste Management’s marketing relationship with the PGA TOUR as the Official Environmental Waste Services Provider, was announced today by PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and Waste Management President and CEO Jim Fish at TPC Scottsdale, site of this week’s 84th Waste Management Phoenix Open. It replaces a 10-year deal that started with the 2016 tournament.

“We love this event and atmosphere, how it strengthens our brand and most importantly, the platform it provides Waste Management to lead by example in showcasing zero waste environmental solutions and inspiring fans to make a positive difference for our planet,” Fish said. “Together with The Thunderbirds, we are very proud of what we’ve accomplished for the benefit of the community and the environment over the last 10 years. We look forward to making an even greater impact in the decade to come.”

Over the past 10 years, Waste Management has used the tournament as a platform to educate and implement various environmental and sustainability initiatives, most notably, the Zero Waste Challenge. Since the Challenge was introduced in 2013, Waste Management has diverted 100 percent of tournament waste to its next best use through recycling, composting, donation, reuse and creating energy. This is particularly impressive for what is easily the highest attended golf tournament on TOUR with well over a half-million fans each year.

“Waste Management has done a phenomenal job of fully integrating into the tournament and actively promoting sustainability through various green initiatives,” Monahan said. “The success of its partnership with the TOUR and tournament host The Thunderbirds over the past decade has led to numerous tournament and environmental awards, as well as an enviable record of charitable impact through the Waste Management Phoenix Open. We are excited and grateful that Jim Fish and Waste Management have made this renewed long-term commitment to the tournament.”    

The Zero Waste success immediately resulted in the Waste Management Phoenix Open becoming the first PGA TOUR event to receive Gold Certification by the Council for Responsible Sport in 2014, the same year the tournament was named sports event of the year by the SportsBusiness Journal. Most recently, the tournament earned the Council for Responsible Sport’s highest designation as an Evergreen Inspire event in 2017 and 2018. The past two years also saw the tournament become the first two-time winner of the highest international award for sustainability in golf, being named “GEO Certified” by the Scotland-based GEO Foundation for its efforts to balance environmental impacts, conserve natural resources and benefit the local community.

Further, the 2018 Waste Management Phoenix Open was honored by the PGA TOUR for the third time in five years as the PGA TOUR “Tournament of the Year” and tied for “Most Fan-First Event.”

Regarding charity impact, The Thunderbirds have generated more than $68 million to benefit hundreds of charities since Waste Management became title sponsor. That includes a record $12.2 raised in 2018 alone, marking the fourth straight year of establishing a record for the tournament. Spanning the tournament’s 83-year history, more than $134 million has been donated to charities.

“We are excited about the future as we extend this great partnership with Waste Management for another 10 years,” said Carlos Sugich, Big Chief of The Thunderbirds. “Our partnership is one of the strongest on the PGA TOUR and proves a shared commitment to the game of golf, ongoing sustainability efforts at our event and benefiting children and families in need around our local communities.”

About Waste Management Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management, visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.