September 25, 2008–Several past major champions will be competing in the PGA Tour's Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin. In addition, several players with ties to Las Vegas golf courses are scheduled to tee it up. Timberlake takes over hosting duties of this Las Vegas golf tournament for the first time when it is played October 16-19.
"To see this caliber of players among the field in Las Vegas is very exciting," says Gary Davis, tournament chairman. "The fans will be treated to a week of highly competitive and very entertaining play." The field at The 2008 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open i sscheduled to boast seven players who have earned a Major Championship.
Joining a talented group of their peers at the 26th annual Las Vegas, the list includes the likes of Hunter Mahan and J.B. Holmes who just competed on the winning Ryder Cup team. Also scheduled to play is Las Vegas golfer Chad Campbell (himself a member of the US Ryder Cup team), and Chris Riley and Charley Hoffman, two players who live in Las Vegas and play and practice at Las Vegas golf courses TPC Summerlin and TPC Las Vegas.
Rich Beem, Mark Calcavecchia, David Duval, Steve Elkington, Todd Hamilton, Zach Johnson and Mike Weir will be among the Major Championship winners competing for the $4.1 million purse next month. They will be hoping to join a list of past Las Vegas golf champions that included Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk (3 times), and many others.
Beem, winner of the 2002 PGA Championship, is a three-time PGA TOUR winner. This will be his ninth appearance at the Las Vegas tournament where his best finish was T11 in 2006. His career earnings total over $8 million.
Calcavecchia is a 13-time PGA TOUR winner with such notable tour victories as the 1989 British Open. With two top-ten finishes in 2008, he is currently ranked 13th on the all-time PGA TOUR money list with over $23-million in earnings. This will mark Calcavecchia’s 19th appearance at the Las Vegas tournament where he has three top-ten finishes in the event.
Duval is a thirteen-time PGA TOUR winner including the 2001 British Open. This year will mark Duval’s seventh appearance at the Las Vegas tournament with his best finish T6 in 2002. A notable career moment came at the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic when he shot a 59, one of only three players to do so on the PGA TOUR. His career earnings total nearly $17 million.
Elkington, winner of the 1995 PGA Championship at Riviera Country Club, has three top-ten finishes this year. His most recent win was the Doral-Ryder Open (CA Championship) in 1999 and his best finish in nine starts at the Las Vegas tournament was T8 in 1990. He is currently ranked 54th in career earnings at over $13 million.
Johnson is making his first appearance at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. A three-time PGA TOUR winner, Johnson walked away with the coveted green jacket at the 2007 Masters. He is currently ranked 70th in career earnings at over $11 million and boasts five top-25 finishes this year. His most recent win was the AT&T Classic last year.
Hamilton has earned two top-25 finishes this year. His most recent win was the British Open in 2004. Hamilton’s best finish in three starts is T56 in 2006. Weir is currently ranked 12th in career earnings at over $23 million with five top-ten finishes to his credit this year. His most recent win was the Fry's Electronics Open last year. This will be Weir’s sixth appearance at the Las Vegas tournament; his best finish at the event was a tie for 10th last year.