Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Preview 2017

Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Preview 2017

Dates: October 30 – November 5, 2017
Where: TPC Summerlin / Las Vegas, Nevada
Par/Yards: 35-36—71/7,255 yards
Field: 144
2016 champion: Rod Pampling
Purse: $6,800,000/$1,224,000 (winner)
FedExCup: 500 points to the winner
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Digital
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Tournament Hashtag: #SHCO17

A look back at the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

• Rod Pampling drained a 32-foot birdie putt on the final hole to win the 2016 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open by two strokes over Brooks Koepka, with third-round leader Lucas Glover posting a 2-under 69 to finish three strokes back. At the age of 47 years, 1 month and 14 days, Pampling became the oldest winner of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and just the second player over 40 to win the tournament (Wes Short, Jr. was 41 years, 10 months, 12 days when he won the 2005 tournament).
• Making his 342nd PGA TOUR start, Pampling collected his third career PGA TOUR victory and first since the 2006 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, a span of 10 years, 7 months, 19 days (220 starts). By comparison, the PGA TOUR record for longest span between victories is 15 years, 6 months (Robert Gamez).
• Prior to Pampling, the previous five winners of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open were under the age of 30 at the time of their win: Smylie Kaufman (2015), Ben Martin (2014), Webb Simpson (2013), Ryan Moore (2012) and Kevin Na (2011).
• Pampling and Glover’s pairing on Sunday in 2016 marked the 17th time they have been grouped together, including the third and fourth round of the 2005 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and in the third round of the 2006 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard (which was also won by Pampling). Prior to last year’s final round, they were most recently grouped together in the second round of the Wyndham Championship when Glover bogeyed his final hole as he attempted to shoot a 59.
• Pampling set the record for best start by a winner in Las Vegas with his opening 60. The previous-best low start by a champion was Ryan Moore, who opened with a 61 en route to victory in 2012.
• Pampling won in his seventh start at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, His previous-best result was a T16 in 2005. Until his win in 2016, he not competed in Las Vegas since 2012 when he finished T68.
• Pampling carried the victory at TPC Summerlin to an eventual No. 74 finish in the FedExCup standings, his best showing since finishing No. 53 during the inaugural season of the FedExCup (2007). Pampling had missed the FedExCup Playoffs the previous four seasons before winning in 2016.
• Pampling’s caddie in 2016, Brendon Woolley, caddied for Phil Tataurangi when he won in Las Vegas in 2002.
• Pampling will be seeking to join Jim Furyk (1998, 1999) as the only players to win back-to-back at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the FedExCup

• The Shriners Hospitals for Children Open enters the fifth season featuring a wraparound schedule that bridges two years with 49 events including the FedExCup Playoffs events. The 2017-18 PGA TOUR season includes eight events during the fall of 2017, all of which will award FedExCup points.
• With a break after The RSM Classic, the season will resume in January with the traditional swing through Hawaii before moving to the West Coast. The FedExCup Playoffs once again feature four events, concluding in September with the TOUR Championship and the crowning of the FedExCup champion.
• Every week is significant in the FedExCup race – with three of seven winners from the fall calendar of 2016 (Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Pat Perez) qualifying for the TOUR Championship.
• The other four winners advanced to at least the second of four Playoffs events (Cody Gribble, Brendan Steele, Rod Pampling, Mackenzie Hughes).
• Earlier this year in May, FedEx extended its contract as sponsor of the FedExCup by 10 years through 2027.
• In September, Shriners Hospitals for Children, which has sponsored the PGA TOUR tournament in Las Vegas since 2008, announced a three-year extension that carries its commitment to this event through 2020.

2017-18 PGA TOUR Season notes to date

• Brendan Steele took the early lead in the FedExCup for the second-consecutive season, becoming the first player to win back-to-back at the Safeway Open.
• Coming off of his first appearance in the TOUR Championship, PGA TOUR veteran Pat Perez won for the third time in 403 starts with his four-stroke victory over Keegan Bradley at the CIMB Classic.
• 2017 FedExCup champion and Player of the Year Justin Thomas defeated Marc Leishman in a playoff to win the inaugural edition of THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES. Three of Thomas’ seven PGA TOUR wins have come in Asia (2015, 2016 CIMB Classic).
• Uncharacteristically, World No. 1 Dustin Johnson failed to convert a six-stroke lead after 54 holes at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions, with Justin Rose (who entered the final round eight back) carding a 67 to win by two over Brooks Koepka, Henrik Stenson and Johnson.
• PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour veteran Ryan Armour won for the first time on TOUR at the Sanderson Farms Championship, cruising to a five-stroke win over Chesson Hadley.

A glance at the field – Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Preview 2017

• Eight players inside the top 30 in the FedExCup: Tony Finau (5), Chesson Hadley (6), Ryan Armour (9), Nick Taylor (24), Luke List (25), Anirban Lahiri (26), Whee Kim (27), Scott Brown (29).
• Three players who recently competed in the Presidents Cup – Kevin Chappell, Charley Hoffman, Anirban Lahiri. In addition, International Team assistant captains Ernie Els and Geoff Ogilvy will participate.
• Six players who advanced to the 2017 TOUR Championship: Webb Simpson, Tony Finau, Charley Hoffman, Kevin Chappell, Gary Woodland, Patrick Cantlay.
• Eight major winners: Ernie Els (4), Vijay Singh (3), Retief Goosen (2), Bubba Watson (2), Graeme McDowell (1), Geoff Ogilvy (1), Webb Simpson (1), Jimmy Walker (1).
• Players with six or more PGA TOUR victories: Vijay Singh (34), Ernie Els (19), Bubba Watson (9), Geoff Ogilvy (8), Retief Goosen (7), Hunter Mahan (6), Rory Sabbatini (6), Jimmy Walker (6).
• Eight past champions of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open: Rod Pampling (2016), Smylie Kaufman (2015), Ben Martin (2014), Webb Simpson (2013), Ryan Moore (2012), Kevin Na (2011), Jonathan Byrd (2010), Martin Laird (2009).
• UNLV alumni: Chad Campbell, Charley Hoffman, A.J. McInerney, Ryan Moore.

Notes on the field – Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Preview 2017

• Las Vegas native and recent U.S. Presidents Cup member Charley Hoffman will make his 13th start at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open following missed cuts the last three years. Hoffman finished No. 20 in the 2017 FedExCup, continuing his streak of 11-for-11 Playoffs appearances. He is one of 13 players who have advanced to the Playoffs each season since its inception in 2007, never failing to advance to at least the third Playoffs event (the 70-player BMW Championship).
• Kevin Chappell will make his fourth start at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (T40-2011, MC-2012, T62-2015). Chappell and Hoffman were paired together twice at the Presidents Cup, earning a convincing 6 and 5 win over Anirban Lahiri and Charl Schwartzel in day two Four-ball competition, but coming up just short to Lahiri and Si Woo Kim in the same format on day three.
• The front-runner for 2017 Web.com Tour Player of the Year, former PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year Chesson Hadley is off to a torrid start, finishing T3 (Safeway Open) and runner-up (Sanderson Farms Championship).
• Bubba Watson makes his 2017-18 debut at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open; the two-time Masters champion will play in Las Vegas for just the third time in his career and for the first time since 2007.
• In his first-ever start on the PGA TOUR at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week, Scott Strohmeyer finished T4 and led the field in Driving Distance (324.4 yards), earning a top-10 exemption into the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas as a non-member. A former teammate/roommate of Justin Thomas at the University of Alabama, Strohmeyer qualified last week via pre-qualifying and then Monday qualifying.
• Four-time major champion winner Ernie Els returns for his second appearance in Las Vegas, finishing T65 in 2016. This marks his first Tour start since withdrawing during the Wyndham Championship.
• Las Vegas native A.J. McInerney will make his PGA TOUR debut via a sponsor’s exemption, just a month after surviving the Las Vegas shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival. That night, the former UNLV golfer shielded his girlfriend from danger as bullets flew overhead. Later, after evacuating the premises, McInerney returned in his truck to help evacuate other concertgoers. Most recently, McInerney finished No. 97 on the 2017 Web.com Tour money list as a rookie.
  • 2012 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open winner and UNLV grad Ryan Moore will make his 12th start in the event where he owns nine made cuts and six top-25s (most recently a T15 in 2016).
• Scott Piercy, also a Las Vegas native, will make his 12th start in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, with a T7 in 2015 the best of his six top-25 finishes.
  • 2016 PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker returns to Las Vegas for the ninth time where he owns a pair of top-10s (T4/2014 and T10/2012). Walker is making his first start since missing the cut at THE NORTHERN TRUST. After advancing to the TOUR Championship three consecutive years (2014-16), Walker is looking to rebound from finishing No. 111 in the FedExCup this past season, his worst showing since 2009.

Tournament Records – Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Preview

• Best 18-hole score: 59 (Chip Beck, round three, 1991)
• Best 18-hole score (at TPC Summerlin): 60 (J.J. Henry, first round, 2013
•  Best first-round score: 60 (J.J. Henry, 2013; Rod Pampling, 2016)
• Best 36-hole score: 125 (Tom Lehman, 2001)
• Best 54-hole score: 192 (Scott Verplank, 2003; Steve Flesch, 2003)
• Best 72-hole score: 259 (Stuart Appleby, 2003)
• Low finish by a winner: 61 (Smylie Kaufman, 2015)
• High finish by a winner: 73 (Fuzzy Zoeller, 1983)
• Low start by a winner: 60 (Rod Pampling, 2016)
• High start by a winner: 73 (Greg Norman, 1986)
• Largest 18-hole lead: 3 strokes (Bill Glasson, 1985)
• Largest 36-hole lead: 4 (Webb Simpson, 2013)
• Largest 54-hole lead: 5 (John Cook, 1992; George McNeill, 2007)
• Largest margin of victory: 8 (Davis Love III, 1993)
• Best come-from-behind victory: 7 strokes (Smylie Kaufman, 2015)

About Shriners Hospitals for Children

• Shriners Hospitals for Children® is a health care system of 22 facilities that provides specialty pediatric care, innovative research and outstanding medical teaching programs, founded in 1922 by Shriners International
• Today, Shriners Hospitals for Children is the largest pediatric sub-specialty health care system in the world, with the largest full-time staff of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons in the United States.
• In addition, the Shriners Hospitals for Children specializing in burn care are the only freestanding hospitals dedicated to the treatment of pediatric burns, and the health care system’s spinal cord injury rehabilitation program is recognized worldwide.
• Every year, Shriners Hospitals for Children® provides care for thousands of kids with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate, in a family-centered environment regardless of the patients’ ability to pay. The health care system also provides medical educational opportunities and conducts research to improve the lives of children.
• Shriners Hospitals for Children® is also committed to conducting innovative research and outstanding medical education programs. Dedication in these arenas means expanding the worldwide body of medical knowledge and improving the quality of life for people around the globe.
• As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Shriners Hospitals for Children relies on the generous donations of Shriners, corporations and the general public to carry out its mission and change the lives of children every day.

National Patient Ambassadors

• Every year, Shriners Hospitals for Children selects two National Patient Ambassadors to represent the thousands of children who receive treatment through the healthcare system. This year’s ambassadors, Isabella Rose and Emily Mellish, will be guests of the tournament and participate in a number of tournament week activities.
• Throughout the year, the ambassadors tell their inspiring stories and the many ways Shriners Hospitals for Children makes a difference in their lives.
• The patient ambassadors were introduced during the premiere of their documentary called Free to be Me as part of Shriners International’s annual convention – known as Imperial Session.

The Shriners Hospitals For Children Open Preview 2017 is via PGA TOUR.