December 26, 2008–PGATour.com recently created a list of the top 100 PGA Tour players to watch in 2009, and there are four golfers with ties to Las Vegas golf courses listed among the top 94 (there are still six more to be disclosed by the end of the year). Former UNLV golf star Adam Scott (pictured) pops in at number 9 while fellow Rebel and All-American Chad Campbell is on the list at number 26. Las Vegas resident Dean Wilson is at number 70 while another Rebel, Ryan Moore, is listed at number 88. Defending Las Vegas PGA Tour champ Marc Turnesa is at number 91.
"We thought long and hard about which players to include in our list of the Top 100 Players to Watch in 2009," wrote the PGATour.com staff in a joint statement on the website. "We argued over a few names. Regrettably, we had to leave out some players who were certainly worthy. But we finally got it down to an even 100." To this point, at least three other Las Vegas golfers could be those that were argued over by the staff. Charley Hoffman, a Vegas resident, Rebel and former PGA Tour champ, isn't listed, nor is current Las Vegas resident Nick Watney or former Las Vegas resident Tommy Armour III.
All could be viewed as slights if they aren't listed among the final six to be revealed in the coming days, but it would seem doubtful they would be. Hoffman earned more than $945,000 in 2008 and finished 68th in the FedEx Cup standings. Hoffman is also considered one of the more flamboyant PGA Tour players and a fan favorite. Watney earned more than $870,000 and finished 109th on the FedEx Cup standings in 2008 but is considered an up-and-comer. In 2007, he earned more than $1.8 million and finished 41st. Armour III is coming off his best year on the PGA Tour when he earned $1.5 million and finished 62nd in the FedEx Cup standings. Armour III is also among the more flamboyant PGA Tour players. He grew up on the third hole of the old Desert Inn Golf Club in Las Vegas.
The PGATour.com staff created an indepth player preview for each of the Top 100. Wrote John Maginness about Scott: "Adam's good looks, money, youth and talent will only take him so far; the rest he has to work for — I guess." In 2008, Scott won the Qatar Masters and the EDS Byron Nelson Classic, where he defeated Moore in a playoff.
Maginnes also added the following about Moore: "Still waiting for the promise to come true. One of a handful to skip q-school. All the others are PGA TOUR winners. Ryan will be, too." Moore earned more than $1 million for the third-straight year. Moore won the 2004 NCAA Title and US Amateur while at UNLV.
Maginnes on Campbell, who was a member of the last three US Ryder Cup teams: "Chad's old-school sensibilities still work in the modern game. It doesn't always have to be pretty to be effective." Campbell tied for third at Las Vegas' Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Turnesa won the title.
Maginnes on Wilson, who won more than $1 million for the second-straight year: "Who is the only current PGA TOUR winner who has never won a match play or a stroke play event? Dean's lone win was in a Stableford event." Wilson won the Sprint International in 2006 but was unable to defend his title in 2007 when the event was canceled. Among the other Las Vegas golfers who will compete on the 2008 PGA Tour are Robert Gamez, Chris Riley, Craig Barlow, Bill Lunde, Alex Cejka, and Scott Piercy.