A very strong field will begin play on Thursday at TPC Summerlin for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
As the second tournament of the 2014 season several players have decided to take advantage of the new wrap-around schedule and get a head start on the rest of the tour.
Last week’s Frys.com Open winner, Jimmy Walker is in the field along with several Presidents Cup participants. International team members, Angel Cabrera, Hideki Matsuyama, Brendon DeJonge and Graham DeLaet will tee it up on Thursday. From the U.S. team, Zach Johnson is in the field along with assistant captain Davis Love, who is a former winner here.
Local Las Vegas resident and former UNLV star Ryan Moore will defend his title. He beat DeJonge by one shot last year for his second PGA Tour victory.
Nick Watney, also a Las Vegas resident, is in the field. He did not have a win in 2013, but has been playing better of late and should be a factor this week.
TPC Summerlin is over 7,200 yards in length and plays to a par-71. It annually yields low scores. Moore was 24-under par in 2012 and Marc Tunesa holds the 72-hole record at 25-under par.
This tournament has had various sponsors throughout its 30-year history. From 2008-2012 it was headlined by Justin Timberlake.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children Open has been on the PGA Tour schedule since 1983, but this will be the first year it is able to offer FedEx Cup points. The purse has also been boosted to $6 million with $1.08 million going to the winner.
Fuzzy Zoeller won the inaugural tournament in Las Vegas in 1983. Through the years Curtis Strange, Greg Norman, Paul Azinger, John Cook, Davis Love and Jim Furyk have all collected wins here. Tiger Woods won the first of his 79 career PGA Tour titles here in 1996.
This is the first year the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open has been an official event in the FedEx Cup race. A larger purse, and the promise of FedEx Cup points have drawn a strong field.
The course will yield plenty of birdies and the backdrop of Las Vegas adds to the excitement surrounding the tournament.
Golf Channel will air coverage of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open 5:00-8:00 PM ET Thursday, October 16 through Sunday, October 19.