THIS WEEK on the PGA Tour: The CJ Cup @ Shadow Creek
COURSE: Shadow Creek, Las Vegas
ARCHITECT: Tom Fazio
YARDS/PAR: 7,527 yards/Par 72
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $9,750,000/$1,755,000
DEFENDING Champion: Justin Thomas
FEDEx CUP Points/Winner Share: 2,989/500
TV Coverage: Thursday-Sunday (5pm-8pm ET) - GOLF Channel
PGA Tour Radio Coverage: Thu-Fri (2pm-8pm ET); Sat-Sun (3pm-8pm ET)
PGA Live: Today (12:45pm-5pm ET); Twitter: Today (12:45pm-1:35pm)
Tournament Notes
There are only 78 players in the field this week, a group highlighted by six of the world’s top-10 players in the Official World Golf Ranking, including defending champion and two-time winner Justin Thomas. Twenty-three of the world’s top 30 golfers are competing this week.
Brooks Koepka will make his first start since August, following an eight-week hiatus to recuperate from injury.
Justin Thomas will tray to defend his title, but of course the 2019 event was played in Korea not in Las Vegas. At Tuesday’s media availability, Thomas was asked what stood out as a memory from last year’s CJ Cup victory:
Thomas said, “The highlight for me was probably having my parents there, for them to just take the trip with me to Asia. They've never been. It was my dad's birthday week and my mom asked what he wanted to do and he's like, ‘let's go, there's not a whole lot going on in Louisville, Kentucky, in October.’ And my mom's never going to say no to watching a tournament.
“So they came and they did a little bit of exploring. They went to Korea and Japan. To be able to win with both of my parents in Asia is something I didn't think would be happening, for them to both be there and coincidentally win. It was really cool to be able to share that moment with them.”
Tony Finau (COVID-19+ test last week) was forced to withdraw from the CJ Cup. He will be replaced in the 78-player field by Robby Shelton.
Charity Challenge Highlights
Bubba Watson paired with Rickie Fowler to play a nine hole challenge against Las Vegas local Kevin Na and CJ ambassador Byeong Hun An. The format, originated by Watson, was points-based, four-ball game contest with each player playing his own ball on the back nine at Shadow Creek.
Highlights via PGA Tour/YouTube
Sports Business and the Golf Industry
VKTRY Gear, an industry leader in carbon fiber insoles for performance and injury protection, announced that three-time major winner and European Ryder Cup Captain Padraig Harrington joined “Team VKTRY,” a group of elite pro athletes to endorse the product.
"I heard some PGA players were wearing VKTRY Insoles, so I went online and bought a pair. With VKs, I immediately achieved my personal best ever in ball speed (196 mph). These insoles help give me more stability and improve the ground force I can generate. I learned a long time ago that you can't launch a rocket from a canoe. For me, using VKs is a no brainer," said Harrington.
For more information, click HERE
What They’re Saying
World’s No. 1 Dustin Johnson Out at Shadow Creek (Golfweek)
Shadow Creek: Magical Host (Golfweek)
Golf Talk at CJ Cup (Yahoo Sports)
Rose Staying Patient in Slump (USA Today)
DeChambeau Will Take Month Off Before Masters (AP via ESPN)