There’s going to be a lot of star power this week as THE CJ CUP @ SUMMIT will welcome a handful of Ryder Cup stars to the limited field.
The Summit Club – another of the top tier racetracks in Las Vegas – will host Shadow Creek after last year’s event.
Jason Kokrak, who took his first TOUR title in nine years in 2020 and won again later last season, is returning to defend.
FIELD NOTES: The European and American Ryder Cup teams will be well represented at the Summit Club … Europeans Tommy Fleetwood, Ian Poulter, Tyrrell Hatton (who finished third on points at the CJ CUP last season), Viktor Hovland, Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Shane Lowry and Paul Casey will play as well as the Americans Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Xander Schauffele, Tony Finau, Harris English, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa and Brooks Koepka … -time winner … The field is on the top 60 preseason FedExCup points list plus sponsor waivers limited … These exceptions went to Rickie Fowler, Adam Scott, Gary Woodland, Jason Day, Justin Rose and international stars Minkyu Kim and Rasmus Hojgaard.
FEDEXCUP: The winner will receive 500 FedExCup points.
COURSE: The Summit Club, Par 72, 7,431 yards. The layout, designed by Tom Fazio, is between the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and the Las Vegas Strip. Golfers have an unobstructed view of the strip from the tee on No. 6 – one of the few puncturable holes on the front. The course is not a typical desert layout, but rather like a lush parkland course with a desert background, the strong bunkers and characteristic green Tom Fazio complexes.
STORYLINES: Jason Day returns to the CJ CUP after retiring from the finals a year ago. Day was in the mix with 54 holes, but injured his neck while warming up and took off his clothes after only two holes … Collin Morikawa is a member of the Summit Club and shot a 62 on the course. The Ryder Cup rookie passed Whistling Straits 3-0-1 and wants to continue that momentum at home … Along with Morikawa are Adam Scott, Charley Hoffman (both went to UNLV) and Maverick McNealy (lives in Las Vegas) one Handful of golfers with Vegas connections … This is the second consecutive TOUR event in Las Vegas after the Shriners Children’s Open at the TPC Summerlin … Justin Thomas won two of the three CJ CUPs in South Korea and wants his swing from Asia to the United States carry states with his new caddy – Jim ‘Bones’ Mackay – on their pockets.
72 HOLE RECORD: 267, Brooks Koepka (2018) | At the Summit Club (N / A)
18 HOLES RECORD: 62, Ryan Palmer (fourth round, 2018) | At the Summit Club (N / A)
LAST TIME: Jason Kokrak shot 8-under 64 – the round of the week – to take THE CJ CUP in Las Vegas’ Shadow Creek with two shots. It was Kokrak’s first PGA TOUR title in nine years and 233 starts on the TOUR. Xander Schauffele fucked three of his first five holes, but Kokrak fucked five of his first eight holes. When Schauffele couldn’t get up and down on the Greenside rough at 16 – and Kokrak from a Greenside bunker – that opened enough space between the two for Kokrak to get a hand on the trophy. He added a birdie on the 72nd hole to close it. Tyrrell Hatton and Russell Henley took third place. Talor Gooch rounded off the top 5.
HOW TO FOLLOW:
Television: Thursday-Sunday, 5-8pm ET (Golf Channel).
PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 10:15 am-8:00pm (featured groups).
Radio: Thursday-Friday, 2-8pm, Saturday-Sunday, 3-8pm (PGA TOUR radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com/liveaudio).