December 23, 2008--Justin Timberlake, who in 2007 signed a 5-year deal to be the host of Las Vegas' PGA Tour event, will be headlining Las Vegas golf again, October 12-18, 2009. The PGA Tour officiallly released the Fall Series schedule recently, and the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open falls the week after the President's Cup that is being played nearby at San Francisco's Harding Park Golf Course. That could be good news for the Las Vegas PGA Tour event as the world's top players will be just a short flight away from Las Vegas, and could come to play in the tournament that is played at Las Vegas golf course TPC Summerlin.
By most accounts, the 2008 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open was a success, but organizers are looking forward to bigger and better things in 2009. Timberlake has said that he is upping the star power for the Wednesday Pro-am, while also keeping the same amazing level for the beneift concert, Justin Timberlake and Friends, that blew the doors off the Planet Hollywood Theatre at last year's event. A few of the notables participating in events surrounding the Open inluced Ellen Degeneres, Rihanna, The Jonas Brothers, Amanda Beard, 50 Cent, Lionel Richie, Janet Jones-Gretzky, and many others. View the official tournament website for sponsor and ticket info for 2009.
The golf tournament was won by Marc Turnesa, a pro golfer who comes from a long line of golf professionals and PGA Tour players. His great-uncle, Jim, won the 1952 PGA Championship, and his grandfather, Mike, was a six-time winner on the PGA TOUR who finished second to Ben Hogan in the 1948 PGA Championship. Mike was one of seven brothers, six of whom played on PGA TOUR. One of those, Joe, was a 15-time PGA TOUR winner. The brother Willie was the 1938 and 1948 U.S. Amateur champion and 1947 British Amateur winner. "I don't really feel like I'm carrying on a name," Turnesa said. "I guess I am without even thinking about it. I'm just trying to play golf as best I can and that's all I can really do."
Image Turnesa came to the 18th hole with a two-shot lead but struggled to make a bogey, thus solidifying his first PGA Tour win. "I was just trying to breathe, really," said Turnesa after receiving the trophy from Timberlake. "You know, I was ... I wasn't out of control nervous, but I was feeling it. I was just happy to get it done." One of the first people to greet Turnesa after the event was Las Vegas' Butch Harmon, a longtime friend of the family. Harmon also has helped Turnesa with his swing.
The 2008 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open kicked off a five-year commitment between the Shriners Hospitals for Children and Justin Timberlake to continue the tradition of a PGA TOUR event in Las Vegas. The golfers and celebrities participated in the competition to help support the Shriners’ mission, while enjoying the signature flair that Las Vegas has to offer. All proceeds from the event benefitted the Shriners Hospitals for Children. The concert was said to have raised more than $1 million.
No comments:
Post a Comment