Las Vegas, Nevada (April 4, 2011)–What the heck is a story about the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards doing on a Las Vegas golf website? It is appropriate when the namesake of the Las Vegas PGA Tour event earns the show's Big Help Award in part for his work with Las Vegas' Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Timberlake picked up the award on Saturday night, but will return to Las Vegas in October for the annual playing of the tournament. —By Brian Hurlburt.
“My two loves are golf and the environment.," said Timberlake during the show. In 2011, Timberlake will celebrate his fourth year as the tournament host. In each of the previous years, he has headlined a star-studded concert in conjunction with the golf tournament. He also has headlined a special Wednesday pro-am. The tournament is scheduled for the week of September 25-October 2 this year. The Big Help Award was given to Timberlake for his help raising funds and awareness for the Shriners Hospitals across the country. Timberlake then asked the large and young crowd to do what they can for the community.
Timberlake is an avid golfer who once, while speaking in Las Vegas, compared the sport and what he does when he gives a concert. "I've performed for half a million people at one time," said Timberlake. "Imagine what that looks like. Just a sea of people. But if you ask me to hit a golf ball in front of twenty people, I mean, all of a sudden everything changes. This game is a great equalizer. I would say the thing about me is when I was a kid, all I cared about was basketball and girls. I grew up an athlete, and I would say I actually attack my career in more of a fashion of an athlete than an entertainer, so to speak. I have an hour and a half routine before every show just like the pros have an hour, two hour routine of warming up before every round."
Jonathan Byrd is the defending champion. Byrd aced the 4th playoff hole for what was believed to be the first walk-off hole-in-one in the history of the PGA Tour. Byrd made the ace of the par 3, 17th hole of the TPC Summerlin, ending the hopes of former champ Martin Laird and Cameron Percy.