Las Vegas, Nevada (September 1, 2010)–First came the announcement that 2010 Hall-of-Fame Inductee Emmitt Smith will play in the Championship Pro-Am of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Now tournament management for Las Vegas' PGA Tour event has announced Jerry Rice is scheduled to play on Wednesday October 20, at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin, in the same group as Smith. Rice is generally regarded as the best receiver in the history of the NFL, and looks forward to his day in Las Vegas. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the Pro-Am to support such an amazing organization,” said Rice in a statement. “The Shriners Hospitals for Children provide outstanding care for children every day and this event is a great way to show support while playing a sport I enjoy.”–By Brian Hurlburt.
The Las Vegas Golf Region is the home to more than 50 Las Vegas golf courses, and several have played host to PGA Tour events over the years.
During his 15-year career with the San Francisco 49ers, Rice won three Super Bowls (Super Bowl XXIII (‘88), Super Bowl XXIV (‘89), Super Bowl XXIX (‘94)) and one Super Bowl MVP. He enjoyed three seasons with the Oakland Raiders, including a Super Bowl appearance and one season with the Seattle Seahawks before retiring in 2005. Rice was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year of eligibility. Rice has played in several PGA Tour pro-am events, but earlier this year took his involvement with the PGA Tour to another level when he served as a host for the Nationwide Tour's Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonbrae, which is played near San Francisco. Part of his hosting duties included playing as a competitor in the event. He fired rounds of 83-76 and missed the cut in his Nationwide Tour debut. Rice is said to be a scratch player with some recent reports indicating that he is a plus handicapper.
"The addition of Jerry to the MGM Resorts International Championship Pro Am goes a long way towards strengthening our efforts to create a world class event here in Las Vegas," says Tournament Director Adam Sperling. "We have a wonderful venue at TPC Summerlin, some of the greatest golfers in the world courtesy of the PGA TOUR, another Hall of Fame celebrity to participate in the Pro Am (Emmitt Smith having already committed), and in my opinion, the most worthy charity there is, the Shriners Hospitals for Children. The ability to combine all of those elements should continue to put us in a strong position to grow our event and increase the local impact that this event has on our community. The fact that Jerry is as good of a golfer as he is tells the public that while we’re trying to create new ways to enjoy the game as a spectator, we’re not getting away from what our core product is – championship caliber golf."
The 2010 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® as Title Sponsor and Host, along with Celebrity Host Justin Timberlake, creates a truly unique and world-class event for players and fans alike. A variety of well-known golfers will participate in the competition and help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children®, while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer. The 2010 tournament is October 17-24 at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. As part of a three-year agreement, MGM Resorts International will have a heightened presence at the Pro-Am as well as have the opportunity annually to utilize a different property as the host venue of the pairings party. This year’s host for the Tuesday evening pairings party will be ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter, which also will serve as the host hotel for those amateurs participating in the Championship Pro-Am. The 2010 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® as Title Sponsor and Host, along with Celebrity Host Justin Timberlake, creates a truly unique and world-class event for players and fans alike. A variety of well-known golfers will participate in the competition and help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children®, while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer. The 2010 tournament is October 17-24 at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.The 2010 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® as Title Sponsor and Host, along with Celebrity Host Justin Timberlake, creates a truly unique and world-class event for players and fans alike. A variety of well-known golfers will participate in the competition and help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children®, while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer. The 2010 tournament is October 17-24 at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.The 2010 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® as Title Sponsor and Host, along with Celebrity Host Justin Timberlake, creates a truly unique and world-class event for players and fans alike. A variety of well-known golfers will participate in the competition and help support the mission of Shriners Hospitals for Children®, while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer. The 2010 tournament is October 17-24 at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. Photo
