Las Vegas, Nevada (updated June 10, 2012)–Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, is turning into a week-long party. That has always been the vision of tournament officials, and with every year more and more events are being added to the festivities. And later this year, the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony will official kick off PGA Tour week on September 29 at The Hill. –By Brian Hurlburt
“We determined that there would be no better way to celebrate 30 years of the PGA TOUR’s presence in Las Vegas than by honoring the history of golf in Southern Nevada at every level,” said Adam Sperling, tournament director of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. “The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is a volunteer group that shares our mission of promoting the game of golf in this area. We believe it is important to reach out to as many worthwhile organizations as possible to involve the community and ensure the tournament is here another three decades.”
The Class of 2012 is very fitting because it includes two PGA Tour stars who annually play in the hometown event, and it may be only a matter of time before one of them wins the darn thing. Former UNLV Rebel All-American golfers Charley Hoffman and Ryan Moore head the induction which also includes longtime superintendent Seth McCoy and the Valley View Golf Club, a predominantly African-American amateur association that has been serving Las Vegas for six decades.
The dinner will take place at The Hill at 6 p.m. on Sept. 29, and will feature videos and acceptance speeches by each inductee plus appearances by previous honorees and other notables from the Las Vegas golf community including PGA TOUR and LPGA TOUR players. Click to the official Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame website to reserve your spot at the dinner. Here is a little bit more about each of the 2012 inductees.
Charley Hoffman is a two-time PGA TOUR champion and a member of the 1998 UNLV team that won the NCAA championship.
Seth “Mac” McCoywas the longtime superintendent of Las Vegas Municipal Golf Course and was responsible for co-designing and building the 9-hole addition of the 18-hole course.
Ryan Moore is a PGA TOUR winner and won the 2004 NCAA individual title and the U.S. Amateur (among several other NCAA and amateur events) while playing at UNLV.
The Valley View Golf Clubwas initially organized in 1955 as a means for predominantly African-American golfers to unite in meaningful competition since certain doors in the community were not yet open to them at the time. Six decades later the group is still active and helps promote the game of golf to junior golfers.
“The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is thrilled to be included as an official event of PGA TOUR week in Las Vegas, and the committee and inductees appreciate the opportunity to bring awareness to the long and glorious history of golf in the Las Vegas area,” said Brian Hurlburt, president of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame. “The Class of 2012 is a terrific group to be inducted in such a special way as being a part of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.”
The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame Classic Pro-Am will also take place on June 18, 2012, at Cascata to honor the inductees. Tickets to the ceremony and golf tournament are available to the public and all information is available at www.LasVegasGolfHOF.com.
About The 2012 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open:
The 2012 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 2012 tournament is October 1– 7, 2012 at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. Join the Celebration as we mark 30 years of PGA TOUR Golf in Las Vegas and 90 years of care from Shriners Hospitals for Children.
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About the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame:
The mission of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is to celebrate and bring awareness to players, administrators, benefactors, groups, instructors, teams, and other worthy golfers who have served the game of golf in Las Vegas in a positive and meaningful way; whether through performance on the course, volunteerism, financial support, promotion, or other dedicated service. An additional aspect of the mission is to help reveal Las Vegas as a great golf destination and has done this by hosting international media at the home exhibit. The museum-quality exhibit in the clubhouse of Las Vegas National Golf Club features an in-depth Las Vegas golf time line, historic photos, and a special area honoring the Las Vegas Founders Club that features the official trophies used by Las Vegas’ PGA Tour and Champions Tour events. The museum is open and free to the public during regular Club hours. A 16-person committee made up of Las Vegas golf professionals, media, amateur association leaders, and Hall of Fame members, oversees the voting process. The complete list of Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame members can be found at LasVegasGolfHOF.com.