On The Clock with Brooks Koepka

ON THE CLOCK

BROOKSKOEPKA

Four-time Major Champion and two-time (and defending) WM Phoenix Open winner Brooks Koepka is in the business of making headlines in addition to hoisting trophies. But that doesn’t mean everyone knows everything there is to know about one of the most popular players on the PGA TOUR. Michael Golding, 2022 WM Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman, sat down with Koepka via Zoom to get a little more information on the titan of the teebox – rapid-fire style.

MICHAEL GOLDING: FAVORITE CLUB IN THE BAG? BROOKS KOEPKA: Easy. Driver

FAVORITE GOLF COURSE? St. Andrews

FAVORITE MOVIE? Any Mark Wahlberg movie for sure. Or Stepbrothers is pretty good.

TIN CUP OR CADDYSHACK? Caddyshack

TIGER OR JACK. Tiger

MJ OR LEBRON. WHO IS THE GREATEST? MJ

FAVORITE SPORTS TEAM? Green Bay Packers

FAVORITE MAJOR WIN? The last one – so the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE NON-MAJOR AND WHY IS IT THE WM PHOENIX OPEN? Well there's two of them, I guess you'd say WM is pretty good! It was my first PGA tour win and the last one as well. Just very, very satisfying. Both of them.

WHAT WOULD YOUR WALK-UP SONG BE AT THE FAMED 16TH HOLE? Oh wow. I’m not sure. It would probably be Drake. Lately I don't know somehow got back on Macklemore. I just found out today he’s playing at the Birds Nest this year. Crazy!

IF YOU COULD PLAY ANOTHER SPORT PROFESSIONALLY WHAT WOULD BE? Probably baseball. I’d be stuck in the minors, if that!

BEST SHOT YOU'VE HIT ON THE 16TH HOLE. I think the first time coming down the stretch in 2015, I actually hit the center of the green and I thought that was a pretty good accomplishment.

WHAT IS THE LOUDER HOLE? 16TH AT TPC SCOTTSDALE OR 17 AT SAWGRASS? 16 by a mile. It’s not really a comparison. Not even close!

THAT’S IT... THAT’S THE NAME

While attending or watching this year’s WM Phoenix Open, you may notice a subtle change in the title sponsor’s name. Gone are the words “Waste Management,” replaced simply by “WM.” And, while such a modification may seem small, the truth is it’s a seismic shift for North America’s largest environmental solutions provider. “As we work to become the leader in sustainability while helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals, our name and brand need to reflect our business offerings, which go beyond just managing waste,” said WM President and CEO Jim Fish. “Our core service isn’t changing, but our company is focused on a more sustainable tomorrow. We are leading a renewable energy revolution with our landfillgas-to-energy and renewable natural gas facilities that power our compressed natural gas fleet and provide energy for communities. We are also expanding recycling facilities across the country, further defining our position as North America’s largest recycler. And this is just the beginning as we are committed to innovating sustainability solutions for the future.” The company is also introducing the “For Tomorrow” tagline reflecting the company’s vision of “always working for a sustainable tomorrow” and representing WM’s dedication to building an organization that is focused on leaving a better footprint on tomorrow – from its sustainability efforts to its people. WM also recently announced an industry first, naming Tara Hemmer as the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer to focus on sustainable solutions for customers, while continuing to grow WM’s investments in recycling, renewable energy and organics. WM is now in its 13th year as title sponsor of the WM Phoenix Open. Over the first 12 years, WM has turned the tournament into the most sustainability-minded sporting event on the planet. “Shortly after becoming title sponsor, we set the goal of making the Phoenix Open a zero-waste event through recycling and composting,” said John Morris, WM’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Today, it is the largest zero-waste sporting event in the world – nine years running – while also evolving into so much more.” The “more” Morris refers to now encompasses tracking and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions, water conservation and restoration, food waste reduction, and the use of renewable energy to power the tournament. This is in addition to the more than 10.4 million pounds of tournament materials that have gone on to their next best use over the last decade through recycling, composting, reuse, donation, or energy creation.

“Much like our sustainability efforts at this tournament have grown from a zero-waste sporting event, to now also having balanced carbon and water operational footprints, WM has evolved to be an environmental solutions provider for our customers and the PGA TOUR,” added Fish. In 2022, WM became the “Sustainability Partner” of the PGA TOUR, working with other professional golf tournaments to advance their sustainability goals. In addition, WM and the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf, a Scotland-based non-profit organization, have formed a strategic alliance to advance sustainability in and through golf. The two organizations are working to grow the sustainable golf community, covering golf tournaments, golf courses, and golf entertainment venues. “We are absolutely thrilled to work with WM, a company that has sustainability built into its DNA and that has comprehensively and inspirationally pioneered sustainability at golf events for over 10 years,” said Roddy Williams, GEO’s Director of Professional Golf Engagement. For longtime fans of the WM Phoenix Open, the sustainability messaging and zero-waste programs put into action at the tournament are nothing new – they know bottles, cans and paper are recycled, while food, plates and utensils go into the compost bins. Educating golf fans across the country about the importance of recycling right and helping other tournaments achieve their sustainability goals is now a reality thanks to the efforts put forth at the WM Phoenix Open. The journey from Waste Management to WM may not have started at the 2010 Phoenix Open, but the trip has certainly been accelerated thanks to the company’s title sponsorship and thought leadership and visionary actions, proving that ambitious sustainability goals can be achieved. n