The First Look: Shriners Hospitals for Children Open

• COURSE: TPC Summerlin, 7,255 yards, par 71. Carved from rugged desert on the western outskirts of Las Vegas, TPC Summerlin opened in 1991 as a collaboration of Bobby Weed and two-time major champion Fuzzy Zoeller. The course winds through arroyos and canyons, leading to a four-hole closing stretch bursting with risk/reward – the drivable par-4 15th, the par-5 16th, the water-lined par-3 17th and a strong par-4 No.18. Originally part of a three-course rotation for the PGA TOUR’s annual Vegas stop, TPC Summerlin became the sole venue in 2008 as part of tournament restructuring. • FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points. • CHARITY: Shriners Hospitals for Children, a system of 22 facilities offering specialty pediatric care and medical teaching. The network boasts the largest full-time staff of pediatric orthopedic specialists in the United States, and its burn centers and spinal cord rehabilitation programs are recognized worldwide. • FIELD WATCH: Charley Hoffman and Kevin Chappell, part of last month’s U.S. Presidents Cup romp at Liberty National, headline a roster that also includes 2016 John Deere Classic champion Ryan Moore. … Hoffman and Chappell are among five entrants who competed in last month’s TOUR Championship at East Lake. So is Tony Finau, who also finished runner-up at the Safeway Open to start the new season. … Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, who was eliminated after the first two rounds of the 2017 FedExCup Playoffs, is set for his Las Vegas debut as he opts to get in at least one fall start. … New professional Maverick McNealy, formerly the world’s top-ranked amateur, is in the field on a sponsor invitation. • 72-HOLE RECORD: 260, Ryan Moore (2012), Webb Simpson (2013). • 18-HOLE RECORD: 59, Chip Beck (3rd round, 1991 at Sunrise GC). TPC Summerlin record: 60, J.J. Henry (1st round, 2013), Rod Pampling (1st round, 2016). • LAST YEAR: Rod Pampling hit the jackpot for the first time in eight years, tying the Summerlin record with an opening 12-under-par 60 and capping a two-shot triumph with four birdies in his final six holes. The 47-year-old Aussie began the final day one shot behind Lucas Glover, but caught him with three straight birdies from Nos. 13-15. They were still tied before Glover bogeyed his final two holes and Pampling birdied No.18 to leave no doubt. Pampling hadn’t tasted victory anywhere since the 2008 Australian Masters, and his last PGA TOUR win came at Bay Hill in 2006. He had spent the previous two years on the Web.com Tour, using a strong run through the Web.com Tour Finals to regain PGA TOUR status. • STORYLINES: Las Vegas has proven to be a haven for first-time winners, with 10 of the event’s past 15 champions making it their first. Smylie Kaufman (2015) and Ben Martin (2014) were the latest to do it, and there was a six-year run of debut winners from 2004-09. … Hoffman is among more than a half-dozen entrants with Las Vegas ties seeking to keep the trophy in local hands. Kevin Na did prevail on home turf in 2011, followed by UNLV grad Ryan Moore a year later. … Pampling has a chance to become just the second man to claim back-to-back titles in Las Vegas, accomplished by Jim Furyk in 1998 and ’99. … Finau, Marty Dou and Xinjun Zhang arrive straight from playing the WGC-HSBC Champions in China. Dou and Zhang are among last month’s graduates of the Web.com Tour. • SHORT CHIPS: This year’s winner will be the first to have his name on the new Howard Hughes Cup, created by The Howard Hughes Corp. to honor the late billionaire’s longtime relationship with the event. The Summerlin development is named after Hughes’ grandmother, built on land he purchased in the 1950s. … A total of 23 Shriners Hospital patients will serve as standard bearers during the final two days. Among them: 11-year-old Christina Juris, born with a deficient left arm who competes in national cross country meets, skis and recently took up golf. • TELEVISION: Thursday-Saturday, 4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Sunday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. (GC). • PGA TOUR LIVE: None. • RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 2-8 p.m.; Saturday, 3-8 p.m.; Sunday, 2-7 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).

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