FBR Open

PHOENIX -- Eighteen months ago, The Thunderbirds commissioned the world famous Waterford Crystal Company in Waterford, Ireland to create a more contemporary Phoenix Open trophy and a unique icon for the tournament that would stand the test of time.

On Tuesday, The Thunderbirds unveiled the new trophy, which will be presented for the first time to the 2002 Phoenix Open champion. Waterford Crystal, of course, already creates some of the world's best-known and loved trophies. In golf, THE PLAYERS Championship trophy, the Solheim Cup trophy, with its obvious Phoenix connections, and many other PGA TOUR trophies are
Waterford masterpieces
.
"Over our long tournament history we've always had memorable champions, and now we'll reward them with one of the most memorable trophies in the game," said 2002 Tournament Chairman Scott Henderson. "We're extremely excited and proud of the new trophy that only Waterford could have done, as well as the work of local artist Greg Campbell who created the unique wood base."

Henderson added that replicas of the trophy will be on display at the TPC of Scottsdale, at PGA TOUR headquarters in Florida, and eventually at the new Thunderbirds Golf Club in Phoenix, while another replica will be provided each year to the tournament champion.

While using the expertise of Waterford, The Thunderbirds wished to retain the Southwestern nature of the trophy. This was achieved by the unique marriage of the crystal trophy with an Arizona-crafted Mesquite base. Tempe-based artist Greg Campbell found just the right piece of Mesquite,
turned and worked it for many hours, dried it through and adorned it with Turquoise to provide a perfect complement to the new trophy. Campbell is a native Arizonan whose worked has been displayed and sold in galleries across the United States.

The art phase of his woodworking began about 15 years ago and he has had works exhibited at the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts and the Nelson Fine Art Museum at Arizona State University.

In all, the new trophy took 240 hours of master craftsmanship at Waterford to complete, together with the solid silver appointments. Formed in fire at 2500 degrees of heat, the molten crystal is coaxed into the basic shape of the Thunderbird wing. Eight are made before the best shape is selected for
the Phoenix Open trophy. The other seven are returned to the molten furnace and form Waterford trophies of the future. Many long hours of sculpting by Tommy Murphy under the designer's gaze gradually finesse the shape. Finally all the detail of cutting and etching is then added. The trophy that started out at 32 pounds in weight is painstakingly reduced to 17 pounds while slowly revealing The Thunderbird emblem, the icon of the tournament.

Now, the craftsmen at Waterford are already at work on the creation of a full-sized replica that will be sent directly to the 2002 Phoenix Open winner.