Latest news with #ShrinersChildren'sOpen
NBC Sports
04-04-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
LPGA Tour takes center stage in Las Vegas as PGA Tour plots future return
See the best shots and moments from the second day of play at the T-Mobile Match Play at Shadow Creek Golf Course in Las Vegas, Nevada. LAS VEGAS — Reigning Player of the Year and world No. 1 Nelly Korda is back in the Las Vegas area this week to defend her T-Mobile Match Play title. The LPGA Tour event is Las Vegas' star professional golf attraction of the year, especially since the PGA Tour won't host a tournament in the city for the first time in more than four decades. Dropping Las Vegas from the schedule - which occurred after Shriners Children's Hospital ended its 18-year sponsorship in October - was a big blow to a city known as a golf destination for hackers and scratch players alike. But it might not be a permanent setback. The PGA Tour, in fact, hopes to return to the city with an early year event that attracts the sport's top names. When that happens is unknown, and it won't occur until at least 2027. 'Vegas is a market for big events,' said John Norris, senior vice president of PGA Tour tournaments. 'They don't do anything small. You got the major sports leagues there now. You've got the entertainers, world-class building in the Sphere. So what we thought was we want to be back in Vegas, but we want to do it with a big event.' What that entails is uncertain. Patrick Lindsey, the former Shriners Children's Open executive director who last month became senior vice president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said some kind of all-star event would be one idea. Like Norris, Lindsey said he expects the PGA Tour to do all it can to return to Las Vegas. 'I think that all options are going to be on the table for them when they look at what they want to do in this market,' Lindsey said. 'This is kind of a niche market for us to do something fun and exciting and different. I think that's how they need to look at this market, to take advantage of everything that is loud and colorful about Las Vegas.' The calendar is a major impediment, however, and a top reason the PGA Tour is taking its time. Shriners was played in the fall after the weather cooled in Las Vegas, but the major tournaments had been played by then and the NFL and college football seasons were in full swing. The tournament caught a break when the tour changed the schedule in 2013 to begin the season with the fall events, but the arrival of LIV Golf prompted the PGA Tour to overhaul the schedule two years ago. That included a return to starting the season in January. Lindsey said top players routinely passed on fall events because they didn't want to take away opportunities from those who needed the points for their tour card. Shriners was then left with less-than-desirable fields, and the charitable organization also began to pivot to sponsoring more college events. That meant a reset for Las Vegas and the PGA Tour, and Norris said there is no appetite to play in the fall again. Playing in the summer when temperatures often top 110 degrees and even higher also is no option. So that means trying to play earlier in the season, but there are plenty of tournaments that aren't coming off schedule, such as the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 'That's the tricky part,' Norris said. The LPGA Tour is in Las Vegas for the fifth year with the Match Play, playing at the exclusive and remote Shadow Creek Golf Course that isn't built for spectators because of its narrow walking paths. But Shadow Creek, with its lush green fairways, is a world-class course that draws players and celebrities from around the world. 'I feel like just the drive in is so unique and so beautiful,' Korda said Tuesday morning. 'The property is really, really pretty. When you just stand on what was originally 18 tee - we're playing it as 9 this week - it's really breathtaking. It's very demanding off the tee into the greens and even on the greens, so you have to be on 24/7. It tests every part of your game.' The LPGA Tour didn't make anyone available for a comment on its future with Las Vegas, but released a statement that said its sponsors were 'all great advocates for the LPGA Tour.' Korda hopes to repeat her tournament victory when the Match Play begins Wednesday, and the current face of women's golf likely would bring more attention to the event if she wins. The PGA Tour has had its bright moments in Las Vegas, none greater than in 1996 when a 20-year-old Tiger Woods won his first professional tournament. The city was at the center of the golf world on that Sunday. Woods' victory even took attention away from the NFL games being played that day. Maybe the PGA Tour will eventually be back with more such moments. 'I just believe that this city, the market, people who live here deserve a professional golf event here,' Lindsey said. 'They deserve to be something maybe different than what's going on in other markets.'
Fox Sports
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
LPGA Tour takes center stage in Las Vegas as PGA Tour plots future return
Associated Press LAS VEGAS (AP) — Reigning Player of the Year and world No. 1 Nelly Korda is back in the Las Vegas area this week to defend her T-Mobile Match Play title. The LPGA Tour event is Las Vegas' star professional golf attraction of the year, especially since the PGA Tour won't host a tournament in the city for the first time in more than four decades. Dropping Las Vegas from the schedule — which occurred after Shriners Children's Hospital ended its 18-year sponsorship in October — was a big blow to a city known as a golf destination for hackers and scratch players alike. But it might not be a permanent setback. The PGA Tour, in fact, hopes to return to the city with an early year event that attracts the sport's top names. When that happens is unknown, and it won't occur until at least 2027. 'Vegas is a market for big events,' said John Norris, senior vice president of PGA Tour tournaments. 'They don't do anything small. You got the major sports leagues there now. You've got the entertainers, world-class building in the Sphere. So what we thought was we want to be back in Vegas, but we want to do it with a big event.' What that entails is uncertain. Patrick Lindsey, the former Shriners Children's Open executive director who last month became senior vice president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said some kind of all-star event would be one idea. Like Norris, Lindsey said he expects the PGA Tour to do all it can to return to Las Vegas. 'I think that all options are going to be on the table for them when they look at what they want to do in this market,' Lindsey said. 'This is kind of a niche market for us to do something fun and exciting and different. I think that's how they need to look at this market, to take advantage of everything that is loud and colorful about Las Vegas.' The calendar is a major impediment, however, and a top reason the PGA Tour is taking its time. Shriners was played in the fall after the weather cooled in Las Vegas, but the major tournaments had been played by then and the NFL and college football seasons were in full swing. The tournament caught a break when the tour changed the schedule in 2013 to begin the season with the fall events, but the arrival of LIV Golf prompted the PGA Tour to overhaul the schedule two years ago. That included a return to starting the season in January. Lindsey said top players routinely passed on fall events because they didn't want to take away opportunities from those who needed the points for their tour card. Shriners was then left with less-than-desirable fields, and the charitable organization also began to pivot to sponsoring more college events. That meant a reset for Las Vegas and the PGA Tour, and Norris said there is no appetite to play in the fall again. Playing in the summer when temperatures often top 110 degrees and even higher also is no option. So that means trying to play earlier in the season, but there are plenty of tournaments that aren't coming off schedule, such as the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 'That's the tricky part,' Norris said. The LPGA Tour is in Las Vegas for the fifth year with the Match Play, playing at the exclusive and remote Shadow Creek Golf Course that isn't built for spectators because of its narrow walking paths. But Shadow Creek, with its lush green fairways, is a world-class course that draws players and celebrities from around the world. 'I feel like just the drive in is so unique and so beautiful,' Korda said Tuesday morning. 'The property is really, really pretty. When you just stand on what was originally 18 tee — we're playing it as 9 this week — it's really breathtaking. It's very demanding off the tee into the greens and even on the greens, so you have to be on 24/7. It tests every part of your game.' The LPGA Tour didn't make anyone available for a comment on its future with Las Vegas, but released a statement that said its sponsors were 'all great advocates for the LPGA Tour.' Korda hopes to repeat her tournament victory when the Match Play begins Wednesday, and the current face of women's golf likely would bring more attention to the event if she wins. The PGA Tour has had its bright moments in Las Vegas, none greater than in 1996 when a 20-year-old Tiger Woods won his first professional tournament. The city was at the center of the golf world on that Sunday. Woods' victory even took attention away from the NFL games being played that day. Maybe the PGA Tour will eventually be back with more such moments. 'I just believe that this city, the market, people who live here deserve a professional golf event here,' Lindsey said. 'They deserve to be something maybe different than what's going on in other markets.' ___ AP golf: in this topic
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
LPGA Tour takes center stage in Las Vegas as PGA Tour plots future return
FILE - Nelly Korda hits out of a bunker at the fourth green during the final round of the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play golf tournament Sunday, April 7, 2024, in North Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) FILE - Nelly Korda hits out of a bunker at the fourth green during the final round of the LPGA T-Mobile Match Play golf tournament Sunday, April 7, 2024, in North Las Vegas, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) LAS VEGAS (AP) — Reigning Player of the Year and world No. 1 Nelly Korda is back in the Las Vegas area this week to defend her T-Mobile Match Play title. The LPGA Tour event is Las Vegas' star professional golf attraction of the year, especially since the PGA Tour won't host a tournament in the city for the first time in more than four decades. Advertisement Dropping Las Vegas from the schedule — which occurred after Shriners Children's Hospital ended its 18-year sponsorship in October — was a big blow to a city known as a golf destination for hackers and scratch players alike. But it might not be a permanent setback. The PGA Tour, in fact, hopes to return to the city with an early year event that attracts the sport's top names. When that happens is unknown, and it won't occur until at least 2027. 'Vegas is a market for big events,' said John Norris, senior vice president of PGA Tour tournaments. 'They don't do anything small. You got the major sports leagues there now. You've got the entertainers, world-class building in the Sphere. So what we thought was we want to be back in Vegas, but we want to do it with a big event.' Advertisement What that entails is uncertain. Patrick Lindsey, the former Shriners Children's Open executive director who last month became senior vice president and general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, said some kind of all-star event would be one idea. Like Norris, Lindsey said he expects the PGA Tour to do all it can to return to Las Vegas. 'I think that all options are going to be on the table for them when they look at what they want to do in this market,' Lindsey said. 'This is kind of a niche market for us to do something fun and exciting and different. I think that's how they need to look at this market, to take advantage of everything that is loud and colorful about Las Vegas.' Advertisement The calendar is a major impediment, however, and a top reason the PGA Tour is taking its time. Shriners was played in the fall after the weather cooled in Las Vegas, but the major tournaments had been played by then and the NFL and college football seasons were in full swing. The tournament caught a break when the tour changed the schedule in 2013 to begin the season with the fall events, but the arrival of LIV Golf prompted the PGA Tour to overhaul the schedule two years ago. That included a return to starting the season in January. Lindsey said top players routinely passed on fall events because they didn't want to take away opportunities from those who needed the points for their tour card. Shriners was then left with less-than-desirable fields, and the charitable organization also began to pivot to sponsoring more college events. That meant a reset for Las Vegas and the PGA Tour, and Norris said there is no appetite to play in the fall again. Playing in the summer when temperatures often top 110 degrees and even higher also is no option. Advertisement So that means trying to play earlier in the season, but there are plenty of tournaments that aren't coming off schedule, such as the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. 'That's the tricky part,' Norris said. The LPGA Tour is in Las Vegas for the fifth year with the Match Play, playing at the exclusive and remote Shadow Creek Golf Course that isn't built for spectators because of its narrow walking paths. But Shadow Creek, with its lush green fairways, is a world-class course that draws players and celebrities from around the world. 'I feel like just the drive in is so unique and so beautiful,' Korda said Tuesday morning. 'The property is really, really pretty. When you just stand on what was originally 18 tee — we're playing it as 9 this week — it's really breathtaking. It's very demanding off the tee into the greens and even on the greens, so you have to be on 24/7. It tests every part of your game.' Advertisement The LPGA Tour didn't make anyone available for a comment on its future with Las Vegas, but released a statement that said its sponsors were 'all great advocates for the LPGA Tour.' Korda hopes to repeat her tournament victory when the Match Play begins Wednesday, and the current face of women's golf likely would bring more attention to the event if she wins. The PGA Tour has had its bright moments in Las Vegas, none greater than in 1996 when a 20-year-old Tiger Woods won his first professional tournament. The city was at the center of the golf world on that Sunday. Woods' victory even took attention away from the NFL games being played that day. Maybe the PGA Tour will eventually be back with more such moments. Advertisement 'I just believe that this city, the market, people who live here deserve a professional golf event here,' Lindsey said. 'They deserve to be something maybe different than what's going on in other markets.' ___ AP golf:
Reuters
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Woodland receives PGA Tour Courage Award after return from brain surgery
Feb 26 (Reuters) - Former U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland has been named the recipient of the PGA Tour Courage Award on Wednesday for his return to full-time competition on the U.S.-based circuit following brain surgery in 2023. Woodland started experiencing symptoms in May 2023 and testing revealed a brain lesion pressing on the part of the brain that controlled fear and anxiety. As his symptoms worsened, Woodland elected to undergo a craniotomy in September 2023 where doctors removed a majority of the tumor, confirmed it was benign and cut off the blood supply to prevent future growth. Woodland returned to competition in January 2024 and went on to record three top-25 finishes in 26 starts during the 2024 PGA Tour season, highlighted by a share of ninth place at last October's Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas. The 40-year-old Woodland was presented with the award by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan ahead of his start in this week's Cognizant Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. "It's everything to me because -- sorry," an emotional Woodland, whose eyes welled with tears, said before taking a moment to compose himself. "It's been a hard journey for me. The last couple of years has been really hard. "Receiving this is a testament to the people around me because there's no way, one, I'd be back playing or no way I'd be sitting here today if it wasn't for them." The Courage Award is not presented annually by the PGA Tour but reserved for individuals who overcome adversity, such as personal tragedy or debilitating injury or illness, to make a significant and meaningful contribution to the game of golf. Woodland is the seventh recipient of the award, which was established in 2012, joining Erik Compton (2013), Jarrod Lyle (2015), Gene Sauers (2017), Morgan Hoffmann (2020), D.J. Gregory (2022) and Chris Kirk (2023). "He's overcome so many challenges which is nothing short of miraculous," said Monahan. "He continues to manage symptoms associated with his initial diagnosis while competing, and competing very well, at the highest level of professional golf. "Gary Woodland is a constant inspiration to us all. He's an inspiration to his family, he's an inspiration to his friends, he's an inspiration to his peers. In that regard I'd say it's hard to find a player on the PGA Tour that's more admired and more respected."
