The next stop on the PGA Tour in Las Vegas and the Shriners Championship is an event that all the players will look forward to. A picture-perfect course which is fun for all and most importantly it doesn’t favour one particular type of golfer.
Whether you are short off the tee, long off the tee, great with wedges or a magician around the green, you have a chance this week. Just look at the role of honour for this tournament with Sung-jae Im, Kevin Na, Bryson DeChambeau, and Webb Simpson all winning within the past 10 years.
TPC Summerlin was awarded “One of America’s Best Golf Courses” by Golf Digest magazine in 2006 and the number 1 Private Golf Course in Nevada” by Nevada Business Magazine. The golf course winds across valleys and arroyos. Lush Bentgrass greens, eye-catching vegetation, multiple water features, and a profusion of honey mesquite and pine trees all contrast sharply with undisturbed desert washes and other natural landscape characteristics. The end effect is one of Nevada’s most aesthetically beautiful golf courses and one the PGA Tour players love to play.
The characteristics of genuinely great golf courses are innovative architecture and a love for nature, and TPC Summerlin’s excellent championship layout is no exception. There won’t be many complaints this week from the PGA Tour pros. TPC Summerlin’s par-71, 7,243-yard layout was created by famous golf course architect Bobby Weed, with PGA TOUR veteran Fuzzy Zoeller serving as a consultant. The course puts a premium on hitting fairways even more so over the last few years with the addition of 100+ bunkers in an attempt to halt the bombers who are dominating the PGA Tour.
A significant challenge this week will be around the green and scrambling. TPC Summerlin often ranks in the top 5 hardest courses on tour within the confines of these particular skill sets and so when making your final portfolio, you may wish to consider players who excel in this area.
The other defence to this course can be the wind. If it stays calm as expected, then we could see a winning score of better than 20 under par. The PGA Tour can tuck the pins away here to try and keep a lid on scoring however that’s not worked so much over the past few years. It is a wide-open event and let’s break down the key skill sets required to win here this week
Event & Course Details
- Course: TPC Summerlin
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Date: Oct. 6-9, 2022
- Par: 71 / Yardage 7,255
- Purse: $8 Million
- Fairways/Rough: Bermudagrass
- Greens: Bentgrass
- Defending Champion: Sung-jae Im
Key Skill Sets Required
SG T2G– Unless the wind blows as it did during Patrick Cantlay’s win, then expect to see a winning score between 20-25 under par. To compete in events with a scoring of this nature it is imperative that the T2G game is firing. The difference between a top 20 and a top 5 finish will then depend on the performance on the greens. However, it’s T2G that will be the bedrock for success. Look for players who are thriving with their T2G game over the wrap-round season.
Birdies or Better % – Traditionally not the strongest of fields going to post here and you may require players who have a proven track record of making plenty of birdies. Previous champions like DeChambeau, Im and Cantlay are renowned for their birdie-making ability and aggressive style of golf.
SG Approach play 100-150 yards – The majority of second shots will take place from this key distance this week. And this is significantly more than the average at a PGA Tour event. You may want players onside who have a strong long-term performance with a wedge in hand, as well as showcasing short term form.
GIR – Given the importance of putting this week it makes sense to consider players who are hitting plenty of greens in regulation and therefore giving themselves plenty of outside birdie looks with the chance to roll in plenty of putts.
SG Scrambling – Looking at past winning scores would lead you to think scrambling isn’t required here at TPC Summerlin, however, you would be potentially misguided. It is critical to get up and down consistently here to keep momentum on that scorecard. The greens are generally super hard and fast and when players attack from the long rough balls will roll off the putting surfaces regularly putting more emphasis on scrambling. Three of the past four winners have ranked in the top 5 for scrambling. This course has ranked in the top 5 hardest in 6 of the last 8 years for SG around the green and so it is an essential feature in the contestants’ armoury.
Putting – When looking at the data it is very clear that putting at The Shriners Open is of significant importance. This week we may be looking for players that show a tendency to put well on the Bentgrass greens and when making final picks you should pay close attention to putting performance. Over the past few years, the winner has ranked 1st and 9th for SG putting.
Best Outsiders
Beau Hossler 125/1
– Best placed 7th here in 2017.
– This course puts a huge emphasis on short games and this is where Hossler excels.
– Ranked 1st in SG around the green at TPC Summerlin.
– Ranked 6th for SG short game over the past 50 rounds on Tour, a key requirement this week.
– Ranked 1st Proximity to the hole from 100-125 yards over his past 8 rounds at TPC Summerlin.
Russell Knox 100/1
– Best placed 3rd here in 2014.
– Gained strokes over the field with his approach play in 7 of his last 9 events.
– Ranked in the top 5 for GIR gained over the past 50 rounds on tour and hitting GIR this week will be a crucial factor.
– Putting is often his weakness; he has gained strokes with the flat stick in 4 of his last 5 events.
Nick Taylor 80/1
– A top 10 and a top 20 in his last 3 starts.
– Ranks in the top 20 for GIR gained over the past 50 rounds.
– Ranks in the top 30 for Proximity to the hole from 100-150 yards over the past 50 rounds on tour.
– Gained strokes around the green vs the field in 6 of his last 7 events. This is a significant skill set here at TPC Summerlin.
Best Outright Picks
Tom Hoge 40/1
– A best-placed 7th here in 2017.
– These low-scoring easy tests are where he has performed best historically.
– Ranked 3rd for SG Approach play over the past 50 rounds on tour.
– Ranked 1st for proximity to the hole from 100-125 yards over the last 50 rounds and wedge play will be crucial this week.
– Ranked 9th for proximity to the hole from 125-150 yards over the past 50 rounds
– A player who can outrun his odds and could and could easily pick up win number two on the PGA Tour.
Brian Harman 45/1
– 3 top 20 finishes here in his last 4 starts.
– A course that suits his game, playing from the fairways controlling trajectory and spin is what his game is built on.
– Possesses an underrated short game, ranking in the top 20% of the field for SG Scrambling and SG around the Green.
– Gained strokes putting in here at TPC Summerlin in each of his last 4 starts and it’s important to have a strong putter onside this week. Harman fits the bill.
Si Woo Kim 50/1
– Best placed 8th here in 2020.
– One of the best drivers on tour ranked in the top 20 for fairways gained over the past 36 rounds.
– In one of the most underrated short games on tour, he has gained strokes vs the field around the green in each of his last 7 events.
– Has a top-class iron game and hits plenty of GIR.
– The one drawback is his putting but at generous odds, he cannot be ignored in this field.
Seamus Power 60/1
– Arrives here on the back of a top 30 finish last week.
– A superb T2G player, the bedrock of his game.
– Ranked in the Top 10 for SG around the green last week and if he can continue that this week he could be a live danger.
– Ranked in the top 20% for SG Short Game over the past 50 rounds on tour, this course is one the hardest on tour around the greens.
– Ranked in the top 20% for SG Scrambling over the past 50 rounds on tour.
Joel Dahmen 125/1
– A super driver of the ball, the best club in his bag according to the player himself.
– This is a course that demands great driving and Dahmen ticks that particular box.
– Ranked in the top 10 last week for SG around the green.
– Ranked 1st last week for SG scrambling and this has been a vital skill set here at TPC Summerlin.
– His swashbuckling style is suited to these low-scoring test.
Top 20 picks this week
Joel Dahmen 125/1
– Strengths as previously listed
Nick Taylor 80/1
– Strengths as previously listed
Christiaan Bezuidenhout 50/1
– Had his best ball-striking round of his PGA Tour career last week. The confidence in his T2G game is strong heading in here.
– Ranked 7th for SG Short Game over the past 50 rounds on tour.
– Ranked 12th for SG Scrambling play over the past 50 rounds on tour.
– Ranked 22nd GIR gained over the past 50 rounds, his all-around iron game is strong right now.
– Gained strokes vs the field putting in each of his last 5 events.
