Top 5 players set for CJ Cup
S. Korea event is in Las Vegas this year amid COVID
The top five players in the Official World Golf Rankings will be in Las Vegas in October after committing to play the CJ Cup.
Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Rory Mcilroy and Bryson Dechambeau are among 10 players who have signed on for the Oct. 15-18 event at Shadow Creek Golf Club.
Also, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Tommy Fleetwood and Ian Poulter have accepted sponsor exemptions for the limited field event.
The tournament is normally played in South Korea, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, it has moved to Las Vegas for this year. It comes one week after the regular PGA Tour stop, the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, takes place at TPC Summerlin.
“We are thrilled to offer world-class competition this October to our fans,” said Ty Votaw, executive vice president for international for the PGA Tour.
Thomas has won the CJ Cup two of the past three years. He joins Johnson, Mcilroy and Rahm in playing professionally in Las Vegas for the first time.
“I was excited to hear that the CJ Cup will be played at Shadow Creek, where I have played some good golf in the past with family and friends,” said Johnson, the top-ranked player in the world and reigning player of the year. “It’s a really good golf course and should be a great venue for the tournament.”
Mcilroy also is looking forward to his time in Las Vegas.
“I’ve watched how the tournament has become a success over the past few years, and it’ll be an exciting opportunity to compete in it for the first time,” he said.
Unfortunately for local golf fans, they won’t be part of the action. PGA Tour spokesman Michael Baliker confirmed Tuesday that there will be no spectators.
That is also the case for the Shriners tournament.
Of the 10 players announced for the CJ Cup, Dechambeau and Fowler also have committed to the Shriners. Tournament executive director Patrick Lindsey is hoping a couple of them might be late additions to the field, which has landed 95 of the top 125 players on the Fedex Cup list.
Players have until the Friday before an event to commit to a PGA Tour event.
The CJ Cup will have a 78-player field and include the highest-ranked player of Korean nationality from the Asian Tour, up to five players designated by the Korean PGA and the top three available players of Korean nationality from the Official World Golf Ranking. The remainder of the field will be made up of the leading players
from the 2019-20 Fedex Cup points list and sponsor exemptions.
Atencio wins Senior Amateur
Christy Atencio held on down the stretch to win the Nevada State Women’s Senior Amateur last week at Silver Oak Golf Course in Carson City.
Atencio shot rounds of 72-78 to finish at 6-over 150, one shot better than Lynn Greer.
“It’s just a good thing I had a good lead heading into (the final round),” said Atencio, a decorated amateur player from Reno.
Other winners included Laarni Gaurano (Championship Net), Regina Quintero (50-59 Gross), Kathy Streeter (50-59 Net), Lynn Greer (60-69 Gross), Robin Rakusin (60-69 Net), Janice Campbell (70-plus Gross) and Stevie Walter (70-plus Net).
Edmiston wins match play
Jason Edmiston, head professional at Las Vegas Country Club, won the PGA Match Play Championship for the 2020 Southern Nevada Chapter.
Edmiston topped Darren Stanek 2 and 1 in the championship match Monday at Coyote Springs Golf Club. Stanek is the general manager at Wolf Creek Golf Club in Mesquite.
Brad Church (Wynn GC) defeated Tom Fischer (Paiute GC) 2 and 1 in the third-place match.
Pod play and championship bracket matches had taken place throughout the summer.