July 18, 2008 (UPDATED JULY 21)--Jim Furyk, who finished in a tie for 5th at the 2008 Open Championship, is the only multiple champion of Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, this year to be called the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He has hit the jackpot three times in Las Vegas, including in 1995 when he won his first PGA Tour event at what was then called the Las Vegas Invitational. Furyk went on to win the Las Vegas Invitational (played over three Las Vegas golf courses) two more times--in 1998 and 1999--and has finished in the top 10 six times. He has cashed checks in Las Vegas that total more than $2.1 million. Furyk had to make a lot of birdies to win in Vegas, unlike what he needed to do in an event like the British Open. Following his second Vegas win, he commented about how people perceived his game to be. "I think more people think of my game as playing solidly in the U.S. Open, when even par is a good score," Furyk told Brian Hilderbrand for a story in the official tournament program. "People think of my game as that I can grind it out and play on a real good, hard golf course and hit the ball straight and keep it in play. I don't think many people think of me in the style of going out there and shooting 66 every day and firing numbers like that." Furyk went a combined -82 during his Las Vegas golf tournament wins. LIVE OPEN SCORING.

Furyk, who attended the University of Arizona with Las Vegas native and PGA Tour player Robert Gamez, successfully battled the brutal elements during the first round of the British Open, and overcame a rough start to his round when he was three-over through five holes.

"Considering my start and how well I ground it out today and got it around the golf course, I'm really pleased with the score," Furyk told reporters following the round.

Las Vegas golfers Craig Barlow and Alex Cejka missed the cut while former UNLV Rebel Adam Scott finished in a tie for 16th. Greg Norman, himself a former Las Vegas champion (1986) led for much of the tournament but finished in a tie for 3rd.

The weather was horrible during the first round, especially for players who teed off early, but Furyk caught a break by teeing off a bit later in the day.

"I wasn't out there early, but I imagine it was very difficult and tough to tee off early this morning," said Furyk. "So I probably managed to hit it pretty well. You know, we had some spitting early but not real hard rains. Basically the wind was our factor, and it started to get -- it's getting cold now, but I was cold the last couple holes, but other than that I wouldn't say I got any good weather out there, but I probably got the best of it."

Furyk earned $270,000 for his first Vegas win in '95, and was joined for the 18th green celebration by then fiance--now wife--Tabitha (who was given flowers by the Las Vegas Founders tournament commitee) and his caddie at the time, Steve Duplantis, who died earlier this year in an accident during San Diego's Buick Open.

Furyk has won 13 times on the PGA Tour, and also lost in a playoff in the 2005 Las Vegas event to Wes Short, Jr. The host Las Vegas golf course for the 2008 event is TPC Summerlin. TPC Las Vegas has also hosted the Las Vegas PGA Tour event, and is open for public, resort Las Vegas tee times.