PHOENIX — Devin Booker searches for dates when the Phoenix Suns schedule is published each August. Among them is the WM Phoenix Open, which takes place every winter on four days.
The timing is often not right. Even though the Suns may be in town during tournament week it makes attending midseason golf tournaments difficult. The season fell into place, however. The team will play at Indiana on Friday, February 10, which is also the day of the second round. After that, the Suns have three more days before they travel to the Kings’ home on Feb. 14.
Booker and Chris Paul will attend TPC Scottsdale for the final round of the weekend’s third and final round. They will be there to enjoy the spectacle with hundreds and thousands of fans.
Booker declared, “I’m excited about this,” a little over 12 hours after scoring 51 against the Chicago Bulls. “Most of our time we’ve been out-of-town. We’ve been there a few times and have had the opportunity to see it. It’s all about the atmosphere.
Booker spoke on Thursday at Chase Field to discuss the WM Phoenix Open Tee-Off luncheon. Paul and Booker will both be at the tournament. They were also featured guests for the luncheon, which previously featured Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Phelps.
The session was led by Arizona Diamondbacks CEO Derrick Hall. They spoke about their mutual love for golf early in the session.
Paul played his first game at TPC Scottsdale in 2009, while he was visiting the city for the 2009 NBA All-Star Game. His previous trips to Phoenix were always infrequent. He was only in town for a few short days and had minimal basketball commitments so he was able get out to play 18 holes. He was able to play 18 holes in Phoenix despite the fact that the weather and golf were not as important to him a decade later. His decision to visit Phoenix was influenced more by Booker’s potential to win titles than the team’s.
Booker discovered the game after Paul had retired ten years earlier. When Hall asked Paul about his golf skills, Paul didn’t hesitate to answer.
During the 2022 WM Phoenix Open Tee-Off Luncheon at Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall interviews Chris Paul and Devin Booker from the Phoenix Suns. (Photo by Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic
“Mr. Paul stated that Booker could tell you the last time we played. “… but the answer to your question “YES” is in fact.
The pair had a great time ribbing and chatting for much of their session together with Hall. Hall once asked Paul why he went to Wake Forest college.
“It was to be close to my family, but also because it was an excellent academic school. Seriously. Paul stated, “I wasn’t a college superstar who knew that I was going to be the NBA.”
Booker interrupted mid-sentence and said: “Same reasons I went to Kentucky.” He was laughed at by the large crowd.
Paul replied, “This guy makes my laugh.” Paul continued, “This guy didn’t even,” before he cut himself off to avoid implicating Booker. “That’s for another day.”
The joking continued throughout their session. Paul said that he first went to the Phoenix Open in 2020 on the morning of a match between the Suns & the Thunder. Paul was a player at that time.
Paul stated, “He doesn’t like this story because it was on gameday.”
Booker admitted that Paul believed he could attend a tournament the morning before a game because the Suns, coming off a 19 win season, weren’t a threat.
This is no longer true. The Suns, at 15-6, are the Western Conference’s top team and one of the favourites to win the NBA title. As has been chronicled many times, the turnaround began in 2020’s COVID bubble, when the Suns were undefeated at eight-0. Paul was partly convinced by this stretch to travel to Phoenix, which also included a win against his Thunder.
This game is also mentioned in Paul and Booker’s ribbing.
Paul stated, “Let’s just say one thing about their going undefeated.” We (the starters), didn’t play in the second half. They played us in the bubble. He reminds me every time that they beat us but that we didn’t play half of the game.”
