Several gambling on big week in Vegas
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Preview | 15 Oct 2009
The PGA Tour returns to action this week when the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital for Children Open is played at its long time venue the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. The Bobby Weed and Fuzzy Zoeller designed layout became the sole venue for this event for the first time in 2008 although it has played a role as one of venues for the previously multi venue event since 1992.
The tournament was reduced to 72 holes from its original 90 holes in 2004 and last year Marc Turnesa set a tournament record of 263 when leading or sharing the lead through out to win by one shot over Matt Kuchar.
With only this week and three further events remaining on the 2009 PGA Tour schedule there is a great deal at stake for those golfers on the knife-edge in terms of retaining their status in addition to achieving other money list milestones. While many PGA Tour stalwarts will be thinking of Christmas, and a few weeks off, many others know there is a lot of work to do.
The field assembled is a little down in strength given that the Tour Championship and the Presidents Cup are only recently completed although while only one player from the world top ten (Jim Furyk) is playing this week there are many considered genuine chances to win.
Furyk has won this event on three previous occasions the last coming ten years ago although he did finish runner up to Wes Short in 2005. Furyk has played very well in each of his last three events finishing inside the top ten on each occasion including when runner up to Tiger Woods at the BMW. He deserves favouritism.
Anthony Kim is playing this event for the first occasion but will be buoyed by a great week at the Presidents Cup. He thrashed Robert Allenby in his singles encounter on Sunday. Kim has been solid although unspectacular in recent months in stroke-play events but his efforts last week might have given him the impetus he needs for a successful debut this week.
Matt Kuchar finally broke through for his first win in seven years two weeks ago at the Turning Stone Resort event following one or two other good tournaments in recent weeks. His runner up finish last year would suggest the TPC Summerlin suits him and although backing up to win two consecutive events is difficult, unless you are Tiger Woods, he has a chance of doing just that.
Tim Clark is another who will arrive in Las Vegas fired up despite being on a losing team last week in San Francisco. Clark was one of the stars of the International side. Clark had not been playing well prior to last week but the quality of his play last week makes him one of the favourites this week. Clark has played this event just once missing the cut in 2002.
Hunter Mahan has not enjoyed a good record at this event but last year he played well for three of his four rounds and has enjoyed a solid season in 2009 making it to the Tour Championship and putting together several very good tournaments in the middle of the season. He too was a member of the victorious US side last week.
Australian hopes are evenly spread with the likes of Aaron Baddeley, Mat Goggin and Marc Leishman expected to do well ahead of Stuart Appleby who won this event in 2003 and finished runner up in 2002.
Nick O’Hern, James Nitties, Nathan Green, Peter Lonard, Steve Elkington, Aron Price and Jarrod Lyle also get their chance with Appleby, O’Hern, Lonard, Elkington, Price and Lyle all needing a big finish to the season if they are to enjoy full playing privileges in 2010.
