Las Vegas, Nevada (September 6, 2010 UPDATE 9/7 )–Good things happen to good people is an old adage, and Las Vegas Golf Region resident Charley Hoffman winning the PGA Tour's Deutsche Bank Championship proves the point again. Hoffman is a friendly guy who has started a foundation to give back to those less fortunate, and this win is a reward for a lot of hard work and good deeds. Hoffman, who was a member of the 1998 UNLV NCAA Title team, fired a 9-under par 62 to blitz the top-level field and win his second career PGA Tour event. Hoffman plays and practices at Las Vegas golf courses TPC Summerlin and TPC Las Vegas, among others. And he is now the second guy from his Las Vegas neighborhood to win a PGA Tour event in 2010. Some of the glow of the win was taken away when Hoffman wasn't picked by US Ryder Cup Captain Corey Pavin. –By Brian Hurlburt.
The Las Vegas Golf Region is the home to more than 30 pros who play the major tours, in addition to many Las Vegas golf courses being among the best in America. TPC Las Vegas is known as the home of pro golf in Las Vegas because that is the Las Vegas golf courses where many of the tour pros play and practice. It's not unusual to see the likes of Hoffman and Bill Lunde playing and practicing together. Lunde was also on the 1998 UNLV team, and lives a few houses down from Hoffman. Earlier this year, Lunde won the PGA Tour's Turning Stone Resort Championship. TPC Las Vegas is also a resort Las Vegas golf course where all Las Vegas golfers are welcome. The TPC Summerlin is a private course that is the host course for Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. You can click now to view the official website of TPC Las Vegas and reserve your tee times in Las Vegas.
The win catapults Hoffman into the number two spot on the FedEx Cup points list, and puts him directly into the mix to be a potential Captain's pick by Corey Pavin for the Ryder Cup team. If that happens, Hoffman would join fellow Rebel alumni Chad Campbell and Chris Riley as former UNLV golfers to play in the Ryder Cup. Hoffman made 11 birdies (click for video) on the day, and NBC commentator Johnny Miller was pushing hard for him to be considered for the Ryder Cup. Prior to this week, Hoffman probably wasn't a pick but the win at least puts him in the conversation. The team will be announced Tuesday by Pavin. "No question I think I can contribute to that team," Hoffman said. "If I can shoot 62 here in the Playoffs, I'm pretty sure I can handle the Ryder Cup." Pavin announced his four picks the Monday following the win. They were Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, and Las Vegas resident Rickie Fowler. 2008 Captain Paul Azinger told the Golf Channel's Alex Miceli that Hoffman should have been a lock for the team on Sunday following Hoffman's win. “Charley Hoffman is a lock,” Azinger told Miceli from his home in Florida after the final putt dropped at the Deutsche Bank Championship. “The purpose of getting four picks at the end was because I valued confidence over experience, and Hoffman won by five after shooting a 62 … If Corey Pavin asked me I would say Hoffman. But he doesn’t need me – he has four assistant captains and he has been focused on it enough to know what he wants to do.”
Hoffman is the third Rebel to win on the PGA Tour this year. Adam Scott (Valero Texas Open) and Lunde are the others. Hoffman shot a 29 on the back nine and the 62 was a career low for him on the PGA Tour. In 2007 he won the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. The 62 was one off the TPC Boston course record but his 22-under par total was a tournament record. "I actually didn't know how many birdies I had today. The ball just kept going in the hole and the few bad shots I hit, I got away with," said Hoffman, who earned $1.35 million, a career-high check, for the win. "It was a really fun day."
Hoffman got started in golf when Lunde's Grandfather introduced the game to both of them. Hoffman and Lunde grew up in the San Diego area. "My grandfather from my dad's side, his parents lived a couple blocks from me," said Lunde a few weeks ago after his win. "Both my parents worked, so during the summer I spent all my time over there with them. When I turned 8, I was able to go out to the club he played at and play with him. And that was a big deal. And when I first started playing, I just enjoyed driving the golf cart more than anything. He's the one who got me started. Charley grew up two houses down from me, and I've known Charley — I don't even know how I ever met the guy. Since I have memory Charley's been there. And Charley and I always did everything together growing up and kind of still do. When I started playing golf, my grandfather kind of introduced it to him as well and just played junior golf growing up in San Diego and on to college at UNLV and both fortunate enough to get out to this point. It's been kind of an amazing thing. I just wish my grandfather had been here to see Charley win and see me win would have been something special for him."
Another golfer in the mix for the Ryder Cup is Tiger Woods, who is coming back into form. Woods is hoping to be included. "I missed the last one because I was hurt, and it would be nice to be on the team," said Tiger after his final round 68. "I enjoy playing in the Ryder Cup and going out there against those guys with my teammates and see if we can get it done." Some have pondered whether the chemistry of the team could be altered negatively by including Woods. The Ryder Cup is known for its husband and wives (boyfriend/girlfriend) outings. Another Las Vegas golfer in the mix is Nick Watney, who has put together a solid year. PHOTO 1: Steve Spatafore. Photo 2: Getty Images. Quotes: ASAPSports.com.