Phoenix Open brings golf, music, parties to North Scottsdale

STAFF REPORT~ 1/25/2012

Defending tournament champion Mark Wilson, 39-time PGA Tour winner and two-time Phoenix Open champion Phil Mickelson and three-time PGA TOUR winner and Scottsdale resident Bubba Watson will be in the field for the 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open set to get under way beginning Monday and concluding with the final round on Feb. 5.
Overall the tournament field has four of the top six players and 88 of the top 125 leading money winners from the 2011 PGA Tour season including Webb Simpson (No. 2), Nick Watney (No. 3), Dustin Johnson (No. 5) and Kuchar (No. 6) are the four leading Money Winners to commit.
A field of 132 players will vie for the $6.1 million purse, the $1,098,000 first-place check and FedEx Cup points at the TPC of Scottsdale with first round action getting under way on Thursday.
General admission tickets are $25 for adults, with those 17 and under gaining entrance for free with a paid adult. For information on the Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit wmphoenixopen.com.

Beyond the golf the Phoenix Open has grown a reputation for its post-golf festivities at the Birds Nest.
Grammy-award winning artists the Goo Goo Dolls and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, will be performing a special DJ set, will headline this year’s entertainment line-up at the 2012 Coors Light Birds Nest, Feb. 1 – 4. 
American rock band the Goo Goo Dolls will perform from their unprecedented thirteen No. 1 and Top Ten multi-format hit singles including “Black Balloon,” “Name,” “Slide,” “Stay With You,” and “Sympathy” as they take the stage at 8 p.m. on Feb. 2. 
Performing a special DJ set, Will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas, which has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide, will hit the stage at 8 p.m., Feb. 3.  Will.i.am has collaborated with artists such as Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and many more.  Just last month he released his first single “T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)” featuring Jennifer Lopez and Mick Jagger off of his untitled electro album, which will be released at a later date. 
Making his third consecutive appearance at the Birds Nest, national recording artist Kelley James will open at 6 p.m., Feb. 2. James’ music is a collection of acoustic guitars, hip-hop beats, thoughtful lyrics, and freestyle flows. Earlier this year he joined O.A.R. on their 31-city summer tour and released his latest EP, “The Recent Future” in June 2011, which infuses pop melodies with laid-back hip-hop flows.
Flashback Heart Attack, an 80s cover band from Southern California known for their twists on classic 80s hits by Billy Idol, Rick Springfield and other superstars of the decade, will close out the Birds Nest entertainment line-up on Feb. 4. 
Also, back again for a third straight year and performing nightly will be the world’s No. 1 Video DJ - Roonie G. Roonie G. is best known for his unique creative blends of audio and visual content encompassing popular music videos, iconic film footage, custom graphics and comedy shorts, delivering multi-sensory stimulation.  
The main act for Feb. will be announced at a later date.
Birds Nest tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster (800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com, and all Ticketmaster outlet locations).  General admission tickets for Feb. 1 are $25.  General admission for Feb. 2 - 4 are $30 in advance, $35 day of. VIP tickets are also available for $150, which provides exclusive access to the Absolut Vodka VIP area. VIP guests are treated to a complimentary catered dinner provided by Tom’s Tavern, complimentary drinks and access to a premium viewing area for the show.
The Coors Light Birds Nest is located directly across from the main Waste Management Phoenix Open tournament entrance at 82nd Street and Bell Road.  The entertainment venue opens at 3:30 p.m. and closes at 10 p.m. Feb. 1 - 4. Headline acts will take the main stage each evening at approximately 8 p.m. The Coors Light Birds Nest is a 21-and-over venue. 
The 2012 Waste Management Phoenix Open will be played January 30 – February 5, 2012 at the TPC Scottsdale. The tournament host, The Thunderbirds, have raised more than $75 million for charities, with more than $48 million generated in the last decade. For information about the 2012 Coors Light Birds Nest, visit www.coorslightbirdsnest.com.