Well, it’s officially that time of year for golf fans. It’s football season, and maybe golf takes a back seat. This week, the PGA Tour heads to TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas for the Shriners Children’s Open.
A few U.S. Ryder Cup team members have made their way to Vegas; Brooks Koepka, Harris English, and Scottie Scheffler. So maybe this week won’t be a wash after all, especially with other big names in the field like Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Viktor Hovland, Will Zalatoris, and Louis Oosthuizen.
Let’s jump into all the stats and see if we can find winner.
Golf course
TPC Summerlin
Par 71
7,255 yards
Back for some desert golf this week; artificial water features, bentgrass greens, with a few mountains and canyons to look at. Not my favorite type of golf if I’m going to be honest. Granted, it’s not the same desert golf as the Waste Management, but still.
Yardage book: TPC Summerlin for the Shriners Children’s Open
Weather
| Day | Conditions | Chance of rain | Wind & Direction |
| Tuesday | Showers | 45 percent | 7 MPH (ESE) |
| Wednesday | Mostly Sunny | 3 percent | 8 MPH (ESE) |
| Thursday | Mostly Cloudy | 1 percent | 11 MPH (SSE) |
| Friday | Cloudy | 1 percent | 13 MPH (SSW) |
| Saturday | Sunny | 2 percent | 6 MPH (N) |
| Sunday | Sunny | 1 percent | 8 MPH (NNE) |
Key stats
According to DataGolf, performance off the tee is the least important statistic this week. Short golf course, with fairways on the generous side, is a receipt for every single player in this field to have an opportunity to get into contention. Just look at last years winner (Martin Laird).
Strokes gained approach: The winning score here last season was 23-under. Theses guys will need to make a lot of birdies to contend. How do you do that efficiently? Hit the ball close to the hole.
Data Golf information
Course Fit (compares golf courses based off the degree to which different golfer attributes — such as driving distance — predict who performs well at each course – DataGolf): 1. TPC San Antonio, 2. Monterey Peninsula CC, 3. St. Georges Golf and Country Club
Trending (among the players in the field): 1. Erik Van Rooyen (last 3 starts: 7, 5, T-22), 2. Kevin Na (T-17, 3, MC), 3. Louis Oosthuizen (T-17, T-38, T-14)
Percent chance to win (based on course history, fit, trending, etc.): 1. Webb Simpson (3.9 percent), 2. Scottie Scheffler (3.7 percent), 3. Brooks Koepka (3.3 percent)
Betting odds
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list.
| Louis Oosthuizen (+2000) | Webb Simpson (+2000) |
| Brooks Koepka (+2000) | Abraham Ancer (+2000) |
| Scottie Scheffler (+2000) | Viktor Hovland (+2000) |
| Will Zalatoris (+2000) | Sam Burns (+2000) |
| Paul Casey (+3000) | Kevin Na (+3000) |
Players to watch
Abraham Ancer: Ancer had a fantastic finish to his 2020-21 campaign. Three top 10s in his last four starts, including a win at the WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational.
Ancer is one of the most consistent players on Tour when it comes to accuracy. Last year he was fifth in fairways in regulation, and 22nd in greens in regulation. He was also 12th in scoring average, which is huge this week as the winner is usually around 20-under par.
He’s played in this event three times, two of those finishes are solo fourth and T-4. This will be his first start of the new season.
+2000 to win
Abraham Ancer plays his shot from the 12th tee during the first round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston on August 20, 2020 in Norton, Massachusetts. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
Cameron Tringale: Tringale is off to a hot start this season, with a T-22 finish at the Fortinet Championship, and a T-11 last week at the Sanderson Farms. His great play really goes back to last season, where he strung together four finishes of T-26 or better in his last five starts.
Over his last 24 rounds he’s 31st in Strokes Gained: Approach, and 18th in SG: Putting. I love this combination at TPC Summerlin due to the projected winning score coming Sunday.
He cashed in a top 20 last season at the Shriners, and finished T-2 back in 2015.
+4000 to win.
Maverick McNealy: McNealy was close at the Fortinet Championship a few weeks ago, but a late shank led to a double bogey and a Max Homa win. However, I loved what he told our Adam Schupak during the week in Napa, and he seems extremely motivated.
He’s finished outside the top 30 just once since the PGA Championship (nine starts). But, he’s missed the cut here twice in three starts, with his best performance being a T-37 in 2020.
+5000 to win.
Maverick McNealy hits his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the Fortinet Championship at Silverado Resort and Spa on September 19, 2021 in Napa, California. Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler: Just like my relationship with Will Zalatoris (who I almost put on this list again this week), Scheffler just has to win at some point soon. This week? He’s riding on the fumes of his Sunday singles beatdown of World No. 1 Jon Rahm.
His record at this golf tournament isn’t great, with a T-74 and missed cut (shot 6-under and missed the cut, that’s tough). In his last 10 starts, he had four top tens, and seven finishes of T-22 or better.
+2000 to win.
Sleeper of the week
Pat Perez hits his tee shot on the 1st hole during round two of the Safeway Open at Silverado Resort on September 11, 2020 in Napa, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
For me, it’s impossible to look at Pat Perez and not think Vegas. And as an Arizona native, he knows desert golf as well as anyone on Tour.
He missed the cut in his last appearance at the Shriners, but in 2019 finished solo third, and grabbed a T-7 in 2016.
Over his last 24 rounds on Tour, his best two strokes gained categories have been approach (33), and putting (14). If he put’s it in the fairway this week, look for Perez to make a run.