Shriners Open 2022 – Event Overview
Next stop on the PGA Tour, Las Vegas for the Shriners Open 2022 – one all of the players will look forward to. A picture-perfect course which is fun for all and most importantly doesn’t favour one particular type of golfer. Whether your short off the tee, long off the tee, great with wedges or a magician round the green you have a chance this week. Just look at the role of honor, Sun Jea, Kevin Na, Bryson, Webb to name just a few.
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, you won’t hear 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. As we will come onto one of the significant challenges this week will be around the green and scrambling, TPC Summerlin often ranks in the top 5 hardest course on tour in these skill areas so when making your final portfolio consider player who excel in this area. The other defense to this course can be the wind like when Cantlay won, if it’s stay calm as expected, then we will see a winning score of better than 20 under par.
The PGA Tour can tuck the pins away here at the Shriners Open 2022 to try and keep a lid on scoring however that’s not worked so much over the past few years. It’s a wide-open event and one the players really enjoy.
Event & Course Details:
| Course: | TPC Summerlin |
| Location: | Las Vegas, NV |
| Date: | 6-9 October |
| Par: | 71 |
| Yardage: | 7,255 |
| Purse: | Winner $8 Million |
| Fairways/Rough: | Bermudagrass/Zeon zoysia |
| Greens: | Bermudagrass |
| Defending Champion: | Sun Jae Im |
Key Skill Sets Required:
01. SGT2G
Unless the wind blows like it did during Patrick Cantlay’s win, then expect to see a winning score between 20-25 under par. To compete in events with scoring of this nature it’s imperative the T2G game is firing, this is a must. The difference from a top 20 and top 5 finish will then depend on 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.
02. Birdies or Better %
Traditionally not the strongest of fields going to post here and then what is a low-scoring event I want players who have a proven track record of making plenty of birdies who relish these low-scoring shootouts. Previous champions like Bryson, I’m and Cantlay are renowned for their birdie-making ability and aggressive style of golf.
03. SG Approach play 100-150yards
The majority of second shots will take place from this key distance this week, significantly more than the average at a PGA Tour event. We want players onside who have amazing long term performance with wedge in hand, as well as showcasing short term form.
04. 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 and the chance to roll in plenty of putts.
05. SG Scrambling
Looking at the past winning scores would lead you to think scrambling isn’t required here at TPC Summerlin, however, you would be misled. It’s critical to get up and down consistently here to keep momentum on that scorecard. The greens here are super hard and fast, when players attack from the long rough balls will roll off the putting surfaces regularly putting more emphasis on scrambling than expected.3 of the last 4 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.
06. Putting
When looking at the data it is very clear that putting at The Shriners Open is of significant importance. This week I will be looking for players that show a tendency to put well on the Bentgrass greens, and when making my final picks I will pay close attention to putting performance. Over the last few years, the winner has ranked 1st and 9th for SG putting.
Shriners Open 2022 – Best Outsiders to consider
1. Beau Hossler
- Best placed 7 here in 2017.
- This course puts a huge emphasis on short game, and this is where Beau 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, a key distance this week over his past 8 rounds at TPC Summerlin.
2. Russell Knox
- Best placed 3rd here in 2014.
- Gained strokes over the field with his approach play in 7 of his last 9 events, approach play is the most important factor in determining success on the PGA Tour.
- Ranked in the top 5 for GIR gained over the past 50 rounds on tour, 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.
3. Nick Taylor
- A top 10 & 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
Shriners Open 2022 – Best Outright to consider
1. Tom Hoge
- 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, 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 2 on the PGA Tour.
2. Brian Harman
- 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.
- Possess an underrated short game, ranking in the top 20% of the field for SG Scrambling & SG Around the Green.
- Gained strokes putting in here at TPC Summerlin in each of his last 4 starts, it’s important to have a strong putter onside this week. Harman fits the bill
3. Si Woo Kim
- 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.
- 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 over 50/1 he can’t be ignored in this field.
4. Seamus Power
- I’m giving Seamus another go this week. He arrives on the back of a top 30 last week.
- A superb T2G player, the bedrock of his game.
- Ranked in the Top 10 for SG around the green last week, if he can continue that this week, he will be a live danger in my view.
- 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.
5. Joel Dahmen
- A super driver off the ball, the best club in his bag according to the player himself.
- This is a course that demands great driving, many players comment on this.
- Ranked in the top 10 last week for SG around the green.
- Ranked 1st last week for SG scrambling, this has been a vital skill set here at TPC Summerlin.
- His swashbuckling style is suited to these low-scoring test
