Las Vegas, Nevada (October 20, 2010)–It’s a match made in golf heaven: Golf, Las Vegas and high-energy entertainment. All three will be on display this week at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin at the PGA Tour’s 2010 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals For Children Open. Oh, and Timberlake wants to make sure all Las Vegas golfers and fans are there if looking for a good time…on or off Las Vegas’ golf courses.—By Bill Bowman
"If you don’t like having fun, we don’t want you here,” Timberlake told the media on Tuesday at TPC Summerlin. “I’m very excited … and I’m surprised at the field we’ve been able to attract.” Ah yes, the field. On the course will be the likes of Stuart Appleby, Rocco Mediate, John Daly and 129 others vying for the $774,000 first-place check. That field includes 17 players with deep ties to Las Vegas golf courses including Chris Riley, Charley Hoffman, Nick Watney, Dean Wilson, Rickie Fowler, Scott Piercy, Bill Lunde and others. Many of the Las Vegas Tour pros tee it up at TPC Las Vegas, a resort golf course that used to be in the rotation when the PGA Tour stopped in Las Vegas.
Off the course, at Timberlake’s concert on Saturday at Planet Hollywood’s Resort & Casino Theatre, Elton John, Christina Aguilera along with actor/singer Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and his group, Diddy-Dirty Money are the top the headliners. “It’s an amazing lineup for the show,” Timberlake said. “I’m honored to have Elton there. I’ll go out on a limb and say that he will bring the house down. And I’ve know Christina since I was 10. It’s nice to know you have friend in high places.”
Timberlake’s golfing has taken a back seat to his career and the first time he picked up his clubs in the last four months was Monday during Charley Hoffman’s pro am. “You know, it’s that old thing that when work is good, the game suffers,” he said. “But you work so you can play." And this week, it’s time to play as he is also scheduled to play Wednesday with Watney in the pro am and said Hoffman and Watney are two of his favorite players. “There are a lot of quality people out here,” he said. “The work Charley is doing is very honorable and admirable.” Timberlake said he’s also talked with the players to get their input on making the event better. “I’ve gotten so much positive feedback,” he said. “Las Vegas is the place they love to come to in the Fall Series. It’s a fun stop for them.”
In the end, Timberlake’s goals are simple. “I want to make it fun for everyone,” he said. “I want to grow this tournament and if that means finding a way to get it into the spring rather than in the fall, I’m all for it. We’re here to have a great time. But more importantly, we’re raising money for a fantastic cause.”