October 13, 2008–Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, is in full swing as of today with many different Las Vegas golf and non-golf events dotting the calendar. The pro portion of the tournament kicks off Thursday at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin, but a special celebrity pro-am is being played Wednesday, and will have Ellen DeGeneres bringing her comedy to the tournament.
Ellen, a huge Timberlake fan, is scheduled to film a segment for her popular television talk show. Other pros and celebrities scheduled to play Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin include Josh Duhamel, George Lopez, Butch Harmon, Fred Couples, Jesper Parnevik, Amanda Beard and others. There was no air date confirmed for the segment. The JT Shriners Open raises funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
And PGA Tour pro Frank Lickliter II is scheduled to fly with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds on tuesday. Lickliter was chosen for the ride because of his passion, dedication and support of the U.S. Military. Lickliter has donated considerable time during the past five years visiting troops in Kuwait. Two years ago, Lickliter gave up the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with his family to initiate a trip to Iraq, where he and five other TOUR players spent the holiday with the troops.
Las Vegas golf courses TPC Las Vegas and TPC Summerlin are teaming up on November 11 for a Birdies for the Brave benefit event. Click here for more details and information on how you can play and support this fine movement. TPC Las Vegas is a former host course for the Las Vegas PGA Tour event and the Champions PGA Tour event.
As spokesperson for the Wounded Warrior Project, Lickliter was featured in the September issue of US Airways’ in flight magazine for his support of military men and women and their families. He continues to help boost the morale of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed and provides exposure to the game of golf by giving clinics at local military bases as well as hosting members of all five branches of the military at various PGA TOUR events throughout the year.
Over the years, Lickliter has participated in many fundraising events benefiting the military as part of the TOUR's Birdies for the Brave outreach program. Birdies for the Brave is the PGA TOUR’s primary vehicle for supporting the brave men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Since 2005, the TOUR has joined with PGA TOUR players and corporate partners to raise millions of dollars for military home front groups that directly serve military men and women lost or seriously injured in performance of their duty. To learn more about Birdies for the Brave please visit
The Thunderbirds are currently touring in their 55th year as the Air Force’s premier jet demonstration team. The 130-person squadron represents the more than 500k Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen serving at home and abroad. The Thunderbirds deliver the Air Force story at air shows around the country and the world each weekend from March through November.
The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony is taking place in the TPC Summerlin clubhouse on Tuesday evening with inductees Tommy Armour III, Eric Dutt, Louis Redden and Jerry Roberts officially joining the illustrious Hall. Other current members of the Hall that are scheduled to attend include Chris Riley, Butch Harmon, Tom Storey, Helen Cannon and Jerry Belt, among others.