Las Vegas, Nev. (Oct. 24, 2016)–If you’re a student, alumni or faculty member from UNLV, the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open has a great deal for you–free admission to the upcoming PGA Tour stop in Las Vegas. The tournament, being held in Las Vegas for the 34th straight year, is scheduled for Oct. 31, 2016-Nov. 6, 2016 at TPC Summerlin with the official pro competition Nov. 3-6. — By Bill Bowman.
Taking advantage of the free tickets is simple: Just show a university ID, an Alumni Association card or the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open UNLV Alumni flyer at the admissions trailer at TPC Summerlin. It’s that easy. And getting to the tournament is a breeze as there will be a tournament shuttle pickup from the UNLV Transit Center every half hour. And as a tribute to UNLV (which is always well represented by Tour pros, especially in Las Vegas), UNLV fans are encouraged to wear Rebel Red to the tournament on Saturday, Nov. 5. Among the Rebels scheduled to play are Ryan Moore, Chad Campbell and Charley Hoffman.
Smylie Kaufman, who was a rookie on the PGA Tour in 2015, won last year’s tournament. His final round, completed two hours before the leaders finished, included seven birdies and an eagle over the last 11 holes. His 11-under-par 61 wound up giving him a one-shot victory over six players, including hometown favorite Kevin Na. Na had tied Kaufman for the lead with a birdie on the par-5 16th, but gave that stroke back on No. 17.
TPC Summerlin is a par-72 layout that reaches 7,243 yards. It was designed by Bobby Weed with consultation from Fuzzy Zoeller. It has been the site of historic victories including Tiger Woods’ first PGA Tour win at the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational as well as Jonathan Byrd’s famous hole-in-one victory at the 2010 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The ace took place on the fourth hole of the playoff, the par-3 17th.
The course winds through arroyos and canyons and was the first course in Nevada to be certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System as great care was taken during construction to protect natural wildlife habitats.
UNLV is home to 29,000 students and 3,000 faculty and staff and offers a broad range of academic programs.
The Shriners Hospitals for Children has 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico and provides advanced care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries and cleft lip and palate.