If anyone is hoping to make a move at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, now is the time. The final groups have reached what PGA TOUR Network’s Bob Stevens is calling “the Las Vegas strip.” Holes 13 through 16 at TPC Summerlin are four of the six easiest holes on the course, playing an average of 1.483 strokes under par for the week. That’s a substantial number considering the overall average score for the first three rounds was fractions of a stroke better than 2-under par. Here’s a look at how the top players on the leaderboard have fared this week on the Strip: Kevin Na: 7 under Tim Herron: 4 under Nick Watney: 8 under Carl Pettersson: 6 under Kris Blanks: 9 under Paul Goydos: 7 under Jhonattan Vegas: 6 under

With his first swing on No. 15 still under scrutiny, Kevin Na has moved back into a first-place tie with Nick Watney, who is in the clubhouse at 17 under. Na, who hasn’t had a bogey since the second hole, is 5 under for the day following his two-putt birdie on the par-5 16th at TPC Summerlin. Playing in the final group with Jhonattan Vegas (-14) and Charlie Wi (-12), Na looks to be the only player on the course that could reach 18-under (or better) today. The shot in question for Na came on the teebox of the drivable par-4 15th. Na addressed his shot and took a full backswing and follow through. On the downswing, however, something didn’t feel right to Na and he pulled up, apparently missing the ball intentionally as he swung through. PGA TOUR rules officials on site have reviewed the swing but have not made a statement yet, possibly waiting for an opportunity to speak with Na prior to making a ruling -- if there is a ruling to make. As it stands, Na is at 17 under with two holes to play.

Kevin Na’s lead at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is up to two shots over Kris Blanks and Roland Thatcher. Na, at 16 under, 4 under for his round, is the only member of the final group in red numbers after the front nine today ( Click here to follow Na with Shot Tracker ). The final trio entered the day tied for the lead at 12 under. Jhonattan Vegas remains at that number, even through nine holes, while Charlie Wi had two bogeys and a birdie, giving one shot away. Thatcher’s name is new to the first page of the leaderboard this week. After opening with back-to-back 68s, he is 8 under through 17 holes in his second round. After starting the day tied for 37th, Thatcher has moved up 35 spots into a second-place tie.

Of the top 29 players on the leaderboard, only eight are at par or worse early in Saturday’s third round. Three of those eight are the trio of rookies – Jhonattan Vegas, William McGirt and Brendan Steele – who were grabbing headlines during the first two rounds. Vegas, who had 14 birdies and an eagle to earn shares of the overnight lead after each of the first two rounds, is at 11 under and 1 over through five holes Saturday at TPC Summerlin. McGirt, who shared the first round lead with Vegas, birdied No. 7 to get back to even par for his round while Steele opened with a bogey and has added five consecutive pars since then. Those two rookies are tied at 10 under, four shots behind leader Kevin Na. The bright side for this trio is that they’ve still got the back nine ahead, which they’ve played at a combined total of 22 under this week.

By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM It wasn’t as spectacular as his 10-birdie opening round that placed him in a first-place tie on Thursday, but Jhonattan Vegas’s 4-under 67 Friday was enough to keep him tied for the lead after 36 holes at TPC Summerlin. The round wasn’t without its struggles. Vegas hit his second shot into the water hazard short of the green on the par-5 16th and went on to bogey the easiest hole on the course. Four holes later, he thought that he’d hit his tee shot on the par-4 5th out of bounds, hit a provisional, but found his original ball in a hazard left of the fairway. After taking a drop, Vegas went on to bogey that hole, but he picked up two birdies down the stretch to join Kevin Na and Charlie Wi at 12 under. “I literally didn't really see where the ball ended up,” Vegas said. “I was just looking for it right there in the trees and thinking that I would have to hit my fifth shot from the right side and then one of the scorers found it way down there. Luckily it was my ball. How it got there, I have no clue, but it was one of those fortunate breaks that you get and when you're playing well.” Vegas hit two fewer greens and needed two more putts than he did in his opening round. He kept himself on top by limiting the damage on the two holes when things could have gotten away from him. An eagle from a greenside bunker on the drivable par-4 15th didn't hurt matters, either. “I felt like I putted really well today,” Vegas said. “My ball striking wasn't as good as it was yesterday and that's kind of why the round wasn't as good as yesterday. But my putting's been pretty well, which that's kind of what I've worked for. And hopefully I can continue that for two more days and we'll be right there where we are.” The rookie won in his second start as a PGA TOUR member, at January’s Bob Hope Classic and continued his strong play through early March. He’s emerged from a mid-year drought where he missed six of seven cuts by making his last nine entering this week. None of those nine made cuts resulted in a top-30 finish, however. Though this is his first time in contention since early in the season, Vegas just plans to stay the course over the weekend as he looks to become the second rookie to win twice in 2011. “Same gameplan,” he said. “I feel like I'm playing great. Stay aggressive, try to keep making putts and we'll see what happens.”

It started with Jhonattan Vegas and William McGirt. Then Brendan Steele surged ahead. Then Hunter Haas was briefly on top as he chased a 59. Now Kevin Na, in the clubhouse after an 8-under 63, and Vegas, who tapped in for a birdie on No. 9 to complete a 67, are tied for the lead at 12 under. Joining them in the dozen-under club, but still on the course, is Charlie Wi. The South Korean is 5 under for the day and is about to tee off on the 444-yard par-4 18th. If Wi can’t move ahead, maybe McGirt can. He’s at 10 under with four holes remaining in his second round. If neither Wi nor McGirt moves ahead, 12 under looks like it will be the number for at least a couple more hours.

Rookies ruled the day in Thursday’s opening round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open with Jhonattan Vegas and William McGirt emerging tied for the lead after matching 8-under 63s. Through the early portions of Friday’s second round, the theme remains the same while a new rookie has been cast for a leading role. Brendan Steele, who won last year’s season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island as well as this year’s Valero Texas Open on the PGA TOUR, has carded six birdies today and moved to 11 under, tied with Vegas atop the leaderboard. Steele started on the back nine, and is now 9 under on that side for the week. Vegas, who made 10 birdies Thursday en route to a share of the overnight lead, has just two through 11 holes Friday but also has an eagle from a greenside bunker on the drivable par-5 15th. Vegas (Bob Hope Classic) and Steele are two of six rookies who have won on the PGA TOUR this season. Both are looking to join Keegan Bradley as two-time rookie winners. McGirt is 1 under for the day and tied with Tim Herron, two shots behind the co-leaders.

By Chris Dunham, PGATOUR.COM There are still 54 holes to play at TPC Summerlin, but first-round co-leader Jhonattan Vegas had to know the question would come. What else would you expect with the golfer they call "Jhonny Vegas" atop a leaderboard in Las Vegas? “It would be really good to win,” he said. “This could be really fun because, you know, winning in Vegas, last name Vegas. It could be really, really fun … Three more rounds, I have a long way to go. I just have to keep playing hard and hopefully it will turn out great.” Great is one word to describe the day Vegas had. The rookie from Venezuela carded 10 birdies at TPC Summerlin as he got to the clubhouse ahead at 8 under (he was later caught by fellow rookie William McGirt). Vegas, who ranks 156th on the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained - Putting needed just 27 putts on Thursday. That number is made more impressive when you consider his two three-putts. “I feel like I'm hitting the ball absolutely great, and I proved it to myself today,” Vegas said. “The two greens I missed today, I missed by probably half an inch. Just putting from the fringe, I three-putted both times, which was kind of ironic. Just golf; it is what it is. You have to stay positive, and the more positive you can be, the better you'll be out there.” Vegas has never been better. Thursday’s 63 was the lowest round of his PGA TOUR career. The former Texas Longhorn who is known to flash a smile as big as the Lone Star State had much to smile about after his start at TPC Summerlin. “It was a great round, what can I say?” Vegas said. “I mean, it was pretty much from the get-go, it was great. I feel like I'm hitting the ball absolutely great, which is something fun to do. But the main thing was I made a lot of putts today.” Vegas will hope his hot putter can help him put heat on the field as it also battles the early autumn heat in Las Vegas. Temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 90s as this week’s event progresses. “I grew up in Venezuela, which was always hot,” Vegas said. “I don't really mind the heat, but you have got to be careful. You have to really protect yourself. You have to drink a lot of water, wear sunscreen, do all of that stuff and stay as cool as you can. But it doesn't bother me much. I would actually rather have this kind of heat than be in a bit of cold.” Vegas's first round scorecard:

Jhonattan Vegas and William McGirt, two PGA TOUR rookies, find themselves atop the leaderboard after the first round of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Vegas, who won early this season at the Bob Hope Classic after finishing No. 7 on the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list, is one of six rookie winners on the PGA TOUR this season. McGirt, a 2010 q-school graduate, hit his stride late in the season as he escaped the FedExCup bubble to qualify for The Barclays and the Deutsche Bank Championship. Nathan Green, who held the lead for much of the afternoon, ended up one shot off the pace. Charlie Wi birdied two of his last three holes to get to 7 under and tie Green for third place. There are 11 golfers (including Nick Watney, Steve Flesch, Matt Jones and Tim Herron) tied at 6 under, two shots off the pace. Click below to see some of the best shots from Thursday's opening round at TPC Summerlin.