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Power Rankings: Shriners Children's Open
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October 04, 2021
By Rob Bolton , PGATOUR.COM
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Top 10
All-time shots from Shriners
Editor's note: Kevin Na withdrew on Tuesday.
Since 1983, what has happened in Vegas has stayed in Vegas. This is the 39th edition of the Shriners Children's Open.
Just like the city and the Strip, the tournament also has undergone many teardowns and rebuilds, literally and competitively, but it’s been a 72-hole competition only at TPC Summerlin now for 14 consecutive years. However, if America’s Playground yielded the success experienced inside the ropes the last two years especially, casinos would struggle to stay in business.
Scroll past the projected contenders for an explanation, how the course sets up and more.
RANK PLAYER COMMENT 15 
Corey Conners Hasn’t appeared in three years when he was 268th in the OWGR, but the top-25 machine now slots 33rd. Opened 2021-22 with a T17 at the SFC with signature precision from tee to green.Hasn’t appeared in three years when he was 268th in the OWGR, but the top-25 machine now slots 33rd. Opened 2021-22 with a T17 at the SFC with signature precision from tee to green.
14 
Hideki Matsuyama As long as he continues to display the form that has defined his career, it’d be irresponsible to lower expectations. Opened 2021-22 with a T6 at Silverado. T10 (2014) and T16 (2019) here.
As long as he continues to display the form that has defined his career, it’d be irresponsible to lower expectations. Opened 2021-22 with a T6 at Silverado. T10 (2014) and T16 (2019) here.
13 
Si Woo Kim He’s off and galloping with a T11 (Fortinet) and T8 (Sanderson Farms) to open 2021-22. While he doesn’t profile as streaky, the trend should continue here where he’s 4-for-4 with a trio of top 25s.
He’s off and galloping with a T11 (Fortinet) and T8 (Sanderson Farms) to open 2021-22. While he doesn’t profile as streaky, the trend should continue here where he’s 4-for-4 with a trio of top 25s.
12 
Matthew Wolff It’s been a long one-year cycle since he spun a career-low 61 and lost in a playoff here, but as long as he’s talking about being in a better place, believe him. T17 at the Sanderson Farms.
It’s been a long one-year cycle since he spun a career-low 61 and lost in a playoff here, but as long as he’s talking about being in a better place, believe him. T17 at the Sanderson Farms.
11 
Viktor Hovland Settled for a 0-3-2 record in his Ryder Cup debut. Now making his Shriners debut, the stress-free vibe at TPC Summerlin is well-timed given it’s been a minute since he’s experienced it.
Settled for a 0-3-2 record in his Ryder Cup debut. Now making his Shriners debut, the stress-free vibe at TPC Summerlin is well-timed given it’s been a minute since he’s experienced it.
10 
Sungjae Im Picked up where he left off last season with four red numbers at CC of Jackson, but he settled for a T31 in that shootout. Expect more of the same at TPC Summerlin where he’s gone T15-T13.
Picked up where he left off last season with four red numbers at CC of Jackson, but he settled for a T31 in that shootout. Expect more of the same at TPC Summerlin where he’s gone T15-T13.
9 
Joaquin Niemann Hasn’t slumped but hasn’t made much noise lately despite missing only one cut in 2020-21. He’s 2-for-3 at TPC Summerlin with a T10 (2018) and a T13 (2020). All 10 scores are sub-70s.
Hasn’t slumped but hasn’t made much noise lately despite missing only one cut in 2020-21. He’s 2-for-3 at TPC Summerlin with a T10 (2018) and a T13 (2020). All 10 scores are sub-70s.
8 
Louis Oosthuizen Fresh off a fruitful but winless season in which he led the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting and ranked third in adjusted scoring. Hung up a T19 in his TPC Summerlin debut last year.
Fresh off a fruitful but winless season in which he led the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Putting and ranked third in adjusted scoring. Hung up a T19 in his TPC Summerlin debut last year.
7 
Abraham Ancer After breaking through at the WGC, ended the Playoffs with a pair of T9s. Now rested. Since 2018 at TPC Summerlin, he’s finished fourth twice with a scoring average of 66.9 in 10 rounds.
After breaking through at the WGC, ended the Playoffs with a pair of T9s. Now rested. Since 2018 at TPC Summerlin, he’s finished fourth twice with a scoring average of 66.9 in 10 rounds.
6 
Webb Simpson Since winning this tournament in 2013, he’s been a regular. With another two top 10s, three top 20s and a scoring average of 67.75 contributing to an 8-for-8 slate, he should be!
Since winning this tournament in 2013, he’s been a regular. With another two top 10s, three top 20s and a scoring average of 67.75 contributing to an 8-for-8 slate, he should be!
5 
Brooks Koepka Contributed a 2-2-0 record at the Ryder Cup, once again eliminating doubt over physical well-being. Placed T4 here in 2014 and second in 2016 when he opened with a career-low-tying 62.
Contributed a 2-2-0 record at the Ryder Cup, once again eliminating doubt over physical well-being. Placed T4 here in 2014 and second in 2016 when he opened with a career-low-tying 62.
4 
Scottie Scheffler Not that he needed positive reinforcement but he got it as a captain’s pick at the Ryder Cup despite being a non-winner on TOUR. He delivered a 2-0-1 record with a Singles win over Jon Rahm.
Not that he needed positive reinforcement but he got it as a captain’s pick at the Ryder Cup despite being a non-winner on TOUR. He delivered a 2-0-1 record with a Singles win over Jon Rahm.
3 
Sam Burns In the last 7½ months, the 25-year-old has recorded two victories (Valspar, Sanderson Farms), two seconds (Byron Nelson, WGC-St. Jude) and a third (Genesis) among seven top 10s.
In the last 7½ months, the 25-year-old has recorded two victories (Valspar, Sanderson Farms), two seconds (Byron Nelson, WGC-St. Jude) and a third (Genesis) among seven top 10s.
2 
Will Zalatoris His next top 10 as a TOUR member will be his first, but he’s opened 2021-22 by going T11-T14. Also set the course record at CC of Jackson with a second-round 61. T5 in debut here in 2020.
His next top 10 as a TOUR member will be his first, but he’s opened 2021-22 by going T11-T14. Also set the course record at CC of Jackson with a second-round 61. T5 in debut here in 2020.
1 
Kevin Na Editor's note: Kevin Na withdrew on Tuesday. Two-time champ (2011, 2019) and 2015 co-runner-up is No. 2 in all-time earnings at the Shriners (behind idle Patrick Cantlay). In last seven starts, he’s posted six top 25s with a P2, a T2 and a third.
Editor's note: Kevin Na withdrew on Tuesday. Two-time champ (2011, 2019) and 2015 co-runner-up is No. 2 in all-time earnings at the Shriners (behind idle Patrick Cantlay). In last seven starts, he’s posted six top 25s with a P2, a T2 and a third.
Defending champion Martin Laird, Marc Leishman, Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed, Harris English and Dunhill Links champion Danny Willett will be among the notables reviewed in Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider.
“Golf in a dome” is a familiar phrase when the subject matter is the relative simplicity of professional golf in the desert, but “funnel for the cup” should be as well given how easy TPC Summerlin has played.
After the par 35-36—71 averaged just 68.859 in 2019, the scoring average dropped to 68.343 last year. The 2020 average established TPC Summerlin’s record low as a par 71 (2009-present) and it was the lowest of all par 71s on the PGA TOUR in the last 16 completed seasons. The 2019 average is the second-lowest of all par 71s of the last 10 seasons.
Last year’s 36-hole cut of 7-under 135 set a PGA TOUR record for lowest in relation to par. However, since the 2019-20 season, 36-hole cuts in non-majors have been reduced to low 65 and ties. Had the previous iteration of low 70 and ties been in play, last year’s cut would have landed at 6-under 136 because only 66 survived the newest cut line.
That nuance notwithstanding, to determine why scoring has plummeted even at a tournament where it’s always been low thanks in part to favorable weather conditions, one of the reasons concerns the tallest rough around the perimeter. For the fourth consecutive edition, it’s trimmed to two inches, which is down an inch from the previous length. Directly correlated to that are greens-in-regulation splits of about 75 percent, or 5-10 percent higher than what was customary through 2017. Because the bentgrass greens that run at just 11½ feet on the Stimpmeter are the same, all returning participants already are warm upon arrival in the context of their experience.
Scoring has been so golfer-friendly over the years that it’s mildly surprising the TPC Summerlin hasn’t surrendered a sub-60. In fact, there have been only two 60s in tournament history – J.J. Henry in 2013 and Rod Pampling in 2016.
Matthew Wolff carded last year’s low aggregate – a 61 in the third round – before going on to lose in a three-way playoff from which Martin Laird emerged with the trophy. The Scot’s path to victory was as balanced as you’re going to witness. He was second in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green but just 20th in Strokes Gained: Putting and T10 in putting: birdies-or-better. He also finished a mere T15 in par-4 scoring, but he co-led in par-5 scoring at 4.00 with three eagles (all on the ninth hole), six birdies and three pars.
TPC Summerlin can stretch to 7,255 yards and it’s unchanged since last year’s open-book quiz. With another solid field in town and a bevy of Korn Ferry Tour graduates carrying momentum into the new season, the field average will come to rest well under par once more.
Cooler air than in recent years could govern distance off the tee marginally, but that’s fact over friction. After a daytime high of about 80 degrees in the opening round, it might not hit that number again as light winds will rotate to push in from the north by the weekend. If any of the clouds that form release moisture, it might not even reach the ground.
ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE
PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton recaps and previews every tournament from numerous angles. Look for his following contributions as scheduled.
MONDAY: Power Rankings
TUESDAY: Sleepers; Fantasy Insider
SUNDAY: Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Rookie Ranking
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