September 22, 2009–The Las Vegas PGA Tour event, now called the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, has a long and deep history, and a man right in the middle of that is the PGA Tour's #3-ranked player, Jim Furyk, who is the only golfer to win this Las Vegas golf tournament more than once. Furyk, who has committed to play in this year's event, has won the tournament three times, including in 1995 when he made what was then called the Las Vegas Invitational the first of his 13 PGA Tour wins (and counting). He then won again in 1998 and 1999, giving him four PGA Tour victories with three of those coming on Las Vegas golf courses.
“Anytime we get a past champion in the field, it’s exciting, let alone a 3 time champion," says new Tournament Director Adam Sperling. "But that’s not all you get in a Jim Furyk. Jim brings with him a resume that few can duplicate, with 13 wins, including the 2003 US Open. Coupled with the fact that he’s supported this event over the years, dating back to the days of the LVI, as well as being one of the greatest ambassadors to the game of golf, it’s a trifecta for us!”
Furyk, as of this writing, is one of nine of the Top 30 PGA Tour players in the FedEx Cup standings who are scheduled to play in Las Vegas October 15-18 at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin. The other top golfers with FedEx Cup rankings are: Heath Slocum (5), Kenny Perry (9), Las Vegas' Nick Watney (12), Marc Leishman (16), Brian Gay (17), Hunter Mahan (23), Steve Marino (25), and John Senden (30). But those aren't the only top golfers in the field.
This year's tournament marks the 27th-straight year that the PGA Tour has played in Las Vegas, but before that there other events such as the Sahara Invitational and the Tournament of Champions. Other past champions of Las Vegas PGA Tour events include Tiger Woods, Greg Norman, and Paul Azinger, who won incarnations of this tournament, while names such as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have earned PGA Tour victories in the previous PGA Tour events played on Las Vegas golf courses. And currently, there are more than 50 world class Las Vegas golf courses in the area, including the PGA Golf Club, Coyote Springs, a Las Vegas golf facility that is the home of The Chase, a golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. The course is located about 50 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Click now for the official website at CoyoteSprings.com and to reserve your Las Vegas golf tee times at The Chase.
Sperling says that other names such as Chris DiMarco, David Duval, Brad Faxon, Las Vegas' Charley Hoffman, Rocco Mediate, Rory Sabbatini, and J.B. Holmes are also committed and planning to play in the Las Vegas. Other Las Vegas golfers scheduled to play include Craig Barlow, Scott Piercy, Chris Riley, Dean Wilson, and Bill Lunde. The defending champion, Marc Turnesa, is also scheduled to play here again and defend his title. The golf event is just part of a week long golf week in Las Vegas where other events include a junior clinic, a women's day, a concert headlining Timberlake, plus other fun.
The 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is the ongoing commitment between Timberlake and Shriners Hospitals for Children to continue the tradition of a PGA TOUR event in Las Vegas. The collaboration between Shriners Hospitals for Children and Timberlake to act as Title Sponsor and Host creates a truly unique and world-class event for players and fans alike. A host of well-known golfers will participate in the competition to help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer.
Shriners Hospitals for Children is an international health care system of 22 hospitals dedicated to providing pediatric specialty care, innovative research and outstanding teaching programs. Nineteen Shriners Hospitals provide care for congenital and acquired orthopaedic conditions, four hospitals provide acute and rehabilitative care for burn injuries, three hospitals provide rehabilitative care for children with spinal cord injuries, and the cleft lip and palate program is expanding to multiple Shriners Hospitals. Some Shriners Hospitals offer care in more than one care specialty. For more information, visit www.shrinershq.org.