2024 Shriners Children's Open: Top 10 power rankings at TPC Summerlin
Golf is fickle; Matt McCarty's career serves as a reminder.
In two years on the Korn Ferry Tour, McCarty amassed just six top tens in 50 starts.
A dominant 2024 -- seemingly out of nowhere -- saw the lefty capture three KFT wins. The only players more decorated in 2024 professional golf were Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele.
A final round 67 this past weekend and McCarty is living every golfer's fairyland: he is now headed to The Masters.
In just his third career start, McCarty won a PGA Tour event. Tour players talk about how difficult it is to win on Tour (Tommy Fleetwood and Cam Young are still searching for their first), but to do it in your third-ever start is simply incredible. McCarty jumped from 232nd to 95th in the standings with the win.
The fall events do not have the same hype and pre-tournament buildup as in-season Tour events, but one thing holds true: winning is as important as ever. Just ask the three fall circuit winners so far, all of whom automatically retain their Tour cards for the next two years and will tee it up at The Masters and The Players.
Black Desert Resort was stunning in its debut. It may not be feasible due to its location, but the Tour should do everything in its power to make the venue the host for a Signature Event. Two hours southwest of the lava-infused grounds of Southern Utah lies the host of the fall's fourth event: TPC Summerlin.
Located 14 miles east of the Las Vegas Strip, TPC Summerlin is the venue for the 2024 Shriners Children's Open. In 1996, Tiger Woods beat Davis Love II in a playoff to notch his first-ever professional win at the iconic Las Vegas venue.
The field for this week's event is considerably stronger than the previous three. Back-to-back Shriners Children's Open champion Tom Kim returns with his eyes set on a three-peat. 2024 John Deere Classic winner Davis Thompson and the Tour-proclaimed "Iron Goat" Tom Hoge will both tee it up this week in Vegas as well.
TPC Summerlin has hosted the Shriners Open annually since 2008.
Architect Bobby Weed designed TPC Summerlin out of rough desert terrain. Weed, one of Pete Dye's apprentices, weaved the course through canyons, arroyos, and pine trees, making for an aesthetic masterpiece.
It is known for its massive greens (11th highest Green in Regulation percentage on Tour since 2015) and rugged natural waste areas. Unlike last week, the layout is straightforward -- with fairly standard fairways and forgiving rough; a missed fairway is not penal at TPC Summerlin.
Its defense lies in the grainy Bermuda rough around the green that has been known to test players' short games. As a par 71 and at 7,255 yards, the course is noticeably short in length, especially because it plays closer to 7,000 yards due to elevation.
Scores are expected to be low once again: the last five winners have all finished at -20 or better. Fans looking for a grueling, low-scoring test will not be pleased -- players are on 59 watch this week.
Tom Kim has won this event two times in a row and he will look to three-peat in 2024's edition. Kim, who is not known for his length off the tee, shows that distance is not a prerequisite for success at this track.
Approach play reigns supreme this week. Almost all of the approach shots will come from 100-175 yards, so TPC Summerlin will reward those who are dialed in with their short irons and wedges. We likely have another 'birdie fest' on our hands, as seen in the three previous fall events. Players must get hot with the flatstick to contend.
Without further ado, let's see who holds the upper hand in the Sin City.