Waste Management Phoenix Open's "Green Out" raises $60,000 for environmental organizations

Bubba Watson hands out Ping visors on the 16th hole during Saturday's "Green Out"
(Photo: Hunter Martin/Getty)

February 5, 2013

PHOENIX – The Waste Management Phoenix Open’s third annual GREEN OUT on Saturday, February 2 raised $60,000 for three environmental non-profit organizations. For every person who wore GREEN to the tournament, Waste Management and the Thunderbirds are donating ‘green’ to Keep Phoenix Beautiful, Arizona Forward and Keep America Beautiful.

Based on an online voting contest held on the tournament’s Facebook page in early January, Keep Phoenix Beautiful will receive 50 percent ($30,000) of the funds, Arizona Forward 35 percent ($21,000) and Keep America Beautiful 15 percent ($9,000). According to the Waste Management Phoenix Open’s ‘Green Squad,’ nearly 34 percent of Saturday’s record crowd of 179,022 fans and many PGA TOUR pros donned green gear.

Waste Management and The Thunderbirds began the Green Out in 2011 as a way for fans to honor and support the sustainability/green efforts of the tournament and title sponsor Waste Management. In 2012, the Green Out raised $50,000 for Keep Phoenix Beautiful and in 2011 the Green Out raised $35,000 for Arizona Clean & Beautiful.

The Waste Management Phoenix Open was held January 28 – February 3, 2013, at the TPC Scottsdale. The tournament host Thunderbirds have raised more than $80 million for charities, with more than $50 million generated since 2004. The 2013 edition marks the 78th playing of the event, making it one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR (not including the major championships). For more information on the Waste Management Phoenix Open, visit wmphoenixopen.com.