The Thunderbirds, hosts of the WM Phoenix Open presented by Taylor Morrison, have named George Thimsen the Tournament Chairman for the 2024 edition of “The People’s Open”, which is set to tee it up Feb. 5-11 at TPC Scottsdale. Additionally, The Thunderbirds announced that Matt Mooney has been named Assistant Tournament Chairman for the 2024 event.
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Thimsen assumes the role of Tournament Chairman after serving last year as Assistant Tournament Chairman alongside Pat Williams. He will guide The Thunderbirds organization in the planning and execution of all facets of the 2024 event, including sponsorship generation and renewals, security and safety, community relations, logistics, and development of on-course venues.
A Southern California native from Rancho Palos Verdes, Thimsen earned his degrees in Marketing and Communications from California State University, Chico. He’s been a member of The Thunderbirds since 2017 and has called Phoenix home with his wife, Natalie, and their two children, Gia (age 10) and Jayde (age 8), since 2013. Thimsen’s business background includes serving in various leadership roles at Red Bull for more than 11 years before becoming a Partner and Chief Revenue Officer at Timeless, LLC in 2019.
“Being named Tournament Chairman of the WM Phoenix Open is not only an honor, but a responsibility to uphold this group’s incredible legacy of giving back to the community,” Thimsen said. “I am excited to work alongside my fellow Thunderbirds, our partners, volunteers, and our amazing sponsors – including the best title sponsor in professional sports, WM – to create another unforgettable ‘People’s Open’ for the players and the greatest fans in golf.”
Mooney is the Chief Operating Officer of Parkway Property Investments, a privately-owned, full service real estate investment firm with more than $3 Billion in assets under management across the United States. He graduated summa cum laude from Mississippi State University, where he received both his Bachelor and Master degrees in Business Administration, and was a member of the Men’s Golf Team. He and his wife Anna have three children, Connor (age 13), Kathryn (age 11), and Cullen (age 8), and currently reside in Phoenix. He has been a Thunderbird since 2016.
As Assistant Tournament Chairman, Mooney will work alongside Thimsen in all tournament related operations while preparing to assume the Tournament Chairman role for the 2025 tournament.
The 2024 WM Phoenix Open will take place Feb. 5-11 at TPC Scottsdale. “The People’s Open” has been named the Tournament of the Year by the PGA TOUR four times since 2014 to acknowledge the tournament’s legendary status as one the most unique events in golf. The 2024 edition will mark the 89th playing of the event (one of the five oldest events on the PGA TOUR) and the 15th with WM as title sponsor.
The Thunderbirds were founded in 1937 with the mission of promoting the Valley of the Sun through sports. The Thunderbirds consist of 55 “active” members and more than 280 “life” members who have helped the tournament eclipse $176 million in charitable giving since its inception in 1932 (through the 2023 tournament). For more information on The Thunderbirds or the 2024 WM Phoenix Open, visit www.wmphoenixopen.com.
