April 25, 2009 (UPDATED APRIL 26) –Here we go again with a Las Vegas PGA Tour golf star sitting at the top of a PGA Tour leaderboard. This time it's Charley Hoffman, who plays and practices out of Las Vegas golf course TPC Las Vegas, who was one shot out of the lead at the Zurich Classic. Hoffman is familiar with his position because earlier this year he lost in a playoff to Kenny Perry at the FBR Open and had made his first nine cuts in 2009. Hoffman is one of several Las Vegas PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros who play out of TPC Las Vegas, a Las Vegas resort golf course operated by the PGA Tour. Hoffman never got it going in round 3, and struggled to a 77 that included three doubles. LIVE RESULTS/SCORING.
"I was in contention at FBR, and finished strong there," Hoffman said after the second round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans that was being played at the TPC Louisiana. "Unfortunately, I didn't get it done in the playoff, but obviously took a lot of momentum for the rest of the year from that … all you want to do is be in contention on Sunday." Hoffman entered the third round at 9-under par, one shot in back of Jerry Kelly and tied for second with 2006 Las Vegas PGA Tour event (FRYS.com Open) champ Troy Matteson. Through his first nine events, Hoffman had earned a 70.12 scoring average (26th on the PGA Tour), was 9th in driving distance at 299.2 yards, and had collected $1.177 million, good for 17th on the money list. He was also 16th on the FEDEX Cup standings.
TPC Las Vegas, formerly TPC at the Canyons, was a host site for events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. Such notables as Hale Irwin, Bruce Fleisher, Stuart Appleby, and Jim Fuyrk earned PGA Tour victories in events played at the Las Vegas golf course. In addition to Hoffman, other Las Vegas pros who play and practice at TPC Las Vegas include Bob May, Dean Wilson, Bill Lunde, Chris Riley, Jeremy Anderson, and many others. You can click now for more info on TPC Las Vegas or to learn about special TPC Las Vegas internet deals on Las Vegas tee times.
Hoffman, who is originally from San Diego, has lived in Las Vegas since his playing days at perennial college golf power UNLV. He and childhood friend and current neighbor Lunde helped lead the 1998 UNLV team to the NCAA championship. Hoffman also won the 2007 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, his lone PGA Tour win. His good play in 2009 has people–and Charley–thinking about a potential spot on the United States President's Cup team. Entering the Zurich event, Hoffman was 22nd in the standings, while fellow Las Vegas golfers Nick Watney (10th) and Chad Campbell (13th) were also in the mix. "I would love to play on the Presidents Cup (team)," said Hoffman in response to a reporter's question. "I would definitely love to do it at the end of the year, and hopefully I can fulfill it."
Ten members of the 2009 U.S. Team will be selected based on official earnings from the 2007 Wyndham Championship through the 2009 PGA Championship (with money earned in 2009 counting as double), plus two Captain's selections, which will be announced on Sept. 8. The event will be played at Harding Park in San Francisco October 6-11, just before the start of Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Hoffman was about $2.3 million behind the 10th spot entering the Zurich Classic.