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Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Preview

By: Golfshake Editor | Mon 31 Oct 2016


Post by Sports Writer Derek Clements


YOU may or may not be aware that the PGA Tour helps to raise millions of dollars every year for an assortment of charities - sometimes the clue is in the name of the tournament, and this coming week is no exception as Smylie Kaufman defends the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas.

Too often we become obsessed with birdies and eagles, but it is worth taking a little time out to record the astonishing work Shriners Hospitals for Children actually does. It comprises 22 facilities offering specialty paediatric care and medical teaching. The network has the largest full-time staff of pediatric orthopaedic specialists in the United States, and its burn centres and spinal cord rehabilitation programmes are among the best in the world. And this tournament helps to raise awareness and money to keep these facilities going.

If you watch this tournament on television you will hear some remarkable stories from some remarkable children - stories that are sure to bring a tear to your eye.

And there were not too many dry eyes in the house 12 months ago when Kaufman, playing in just his fifth PGA Tour event, came from seven strokes back to win with a final round of 61, becoming the 10th first-time winner here in 14 years. In 2010it was won by Jonathan Byrd, in 2011 by Kevin Na, 2012 by Ryan Moore, 2013  by Webb Simpson (Moore and Simpson share the tournament record winning total of 260), 2014 by Ben Martin and last year by Kauffman.

TPC Summerlin is a par 71 measuring 7,255 yards and was designed in 1991 by Bobby Ward and Fuzzy Zoeller. It was carved out of the Nevada desert and was one of three courses used for this tournament until 2008, when it became the sole host venue. The tournament will be won and lost on the final four holes - a driveable par-four 15th, the par-five 16th, a 17th which is a par three featuring plenty of water and a tough par four to finish.

Twelve months ago, Kauffman played his  final 11 holes in nine under par in a run that featured seven birdies and an eagle. Among those who finished tie for second were Kevin Na and Patton Kizzire, and both should feature again. Na, having won the tournament before, knows the course like the back of his hand, and is extremely comfortable here. He has started this season as he finished the last, playing some superb golf.

But if you are looking for somebody to continue the first-time winner trend then you should look no further than Kizzire. He is a comparatively late bloomer. He is 30 years old and was the 2015 Web.com Player of the Year and had some superb finishes on the PGA Tour, including his runner-up finish here. 

He should have won the Safeway Open at the start of the new season, but was pipped to the title by Brendan Steele. Kizzire, from Alabama, is 6ft 5in and has a long, languid swing. His rhythm is beautiful and he hits the golf ball a very long way. He is ready to win his first tournament, and is likely to contend here.

Ollie Schniederjans and Jon Rahm are also looking for their maiden wins, and both are fabulously talented young men who will win many, many tournaments between them in the years ahead. They are proof, if it were needed, that the future of the game is in very good hands. Rahm is an impressive specimen who produced a series of top 10 finishes towards the end of 2015-16 to comfortably secure his tour card. The Spaniard has no weaknesses and I am willing to stake my reputation (such as it is) that he will be playing for Europe at the 2018 Ryder Cup and that he will win several majors.

And make no mistake, Schniederjans is also going to be a huge star. A former world number one amateur, he won the Web.com Tour and finished 12th in The Open at St Andrews in 2015 as an amateur. He is 23 and, like Jordan Spieth, is a Texan - and that means he can play in the wind. He now lives in Georgia, not far from the hallowed fairways of Augusta.

These young guys won't have it all their own way, of course, with US PGA champion Jimmy Walker also in the field, along with Ryan Moore and a resurgent Graeme DeLaet and Keegan Bradley, who finally seems to be getting over his putting woes.

To Win:

Patton Kizzire. Already a winner in all but name

Each Way:

Ollie Schniederjans. Destined to become a superstar

Each Way:

Kevin Na. Mr Consistency

Fantasy Picks:

Patton Kizzire. Truly ready for that maiden win

Ollie Schniederjans: The complete package

Kevin Na. Loves this place

Jon Rahm. See if you can identify a weakness

Graeme DeLaet. Has come out firing again

Keegan Bradley. Holing some putts at last

Charles Howell. Will he EVER win again?

Brooks Koepka. Now established among the elite

Martin Laird. Looking for a better season than last

Jimmy Walker. Great swing, even better temperament

 


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Tags: PGA Tour FedEx Cup



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