So, how about that ride in? The PGA Tour makes its way west to Las Vegas for the 2022 Shriners Children's Open at TPC Summerlin this week on the heels of an exciting Presidents Cup. A staple in the fall swing for nearly 40 years, the Shriners Children's Open has seen everything from Tiger Woods' first victory on the PGA Tour in 1996 to a walk-off hole-in-one courtesy of Johnathan Byrd in 2010.
Measuring roughly 7,250 yards and playing to a par 71, TPC Summerlin features an exciting stretch of finishing holes which includes a drivable par 4 and reachable par 5 over water that have the potential to win or bust one's tournament aspirations.
This year's field boasts the strongest group of players yet to be seen in the young 2022-23 season. World No. 4 Patrick Cantlay headlines the action and will be accompanied by defending champion Sungjae Im, fellow Presidents Cup teammate Max Homa as well as Tom Kim, Cameron Davis and breakout rookie Taylor Montgomery.
Some will attempt to kick off their seasons on the right foot while others will hope to keep the good times rolling. Homa captured the very first title of the season at the Fortinet Championship the week before the Presidents Cup, and Montgomery has garnered a pair of top-10 finishes to begin his PGA Tour career.
Let's take a closer look at this week's 2022 Shriners Children's Open with odds provided via Caesars Sportsbook.
Event Information
Event: 2022 Shriners Children's Open | Dates: Oct. 6-9
Location: TPC Summerlin -- Las Vegas, Nevada
Par: 71 | Yardage: 7,255 | Purse: $8,000,000
2022 Shriners Children's Open field, odds
- Patrick Cantlay (7-1)
- Sungjae Im (10-1): It is almost baffling that Im is now one year removed from his latest victory on the PGA Tour. Notching a singles victory over Cameron Young at the Presidents Cup, the South Korean carried his late-season form into Quail Hollow Club. In his final five starts of the 2021-22 campaign, Im captured three runner-up finishes -- including the Tour Championship -- and two other top-15 finishes for good measure. There is nothing to suggest that he won't seriously contend in his title defense.
- Max Homa (15-1)
- Aaron Wise (22-1): Mackenzie Hughes and Ryan Fox parlayed the motivation of missing the Presidents Cup into victories last week on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. It was within the realm of possibilities that Wise was on Davis Love III's short list to fill out the team but was passed over. Wise sprinted through the finish line last season and ultimately finished T13 at the Tour Championship on the shoulders of steady ball-striking throughout the postseason. In six prior trips to TPC Summerlin, the Vegas resident has collected three top-15 finishes.
- Tom Kim (22-1): What could Kim possibly do as an encore to his Presidents Cup performance? The 20-year-old Korean was the heart and soul of the international team but ran out of steam on Sunday with a singles defeat to Homa. His iron play has been terrific for the past few months, but a letdown fells almost inevitable after such high level of play in Charlotte.
- Taylor Montgomery (28-1): Montgomery has exceeded expectations through two tournaments. Finishing on the podium in Napa, the UNLV product then went to Country Club of Jackson and connected on yet another top-10 finish. He should have a nice comfort level around TPC Summerlin, and perhaps that is what Montgomery needs to propel to him to his first title on the PGA Tour.
- Alex Noren (35-1)
- Cameron Davis (40-1)
- Brian Harman (40-1)
- Taylor Pendrith (40-1): The Canadian had a Presidents Cup debut to forget after going 0-4-0 at Quail Hollow Club. This blemish on his résumé shouldn't dismiss the quality of his play prior to his time with the international team. Pendrith has largely been terrific since recovering from a rib injury in the spring of 2022. Since his return, the 31-year-old has five top-15 finishes in seven tournaments.
- Tom Hoge (40-1)
- Emiliano Grillo (40-1)
- Davis Riley (40-1)
- Si Woo Kim (45-1): Many say a team event can change the trajectory of one's career. It happened to Scottie Scheffler in 2021 and maybe, just maybe, it will get Kim back on track after a middling 2021-22 season. Taking down Justin Thomas in Sunday singles, Kim wielded the broom stick like a seasoned Adam Scott. He is now set to make his season debut at a course which has been kind to him in the past. In five previous Shriners Children's Opens, the former Players Champion has racked up three top-25 finishes including a T8 result in 2020.
2022 Shriners Children's Open picks
| Winner (7-1): Cantlay is a player to peg for five potential wins this season as variance simply got the better of him in 2021-22. Capturing only two trophies, the Californian also accumulated two playoff losses and another runner-up finish to boot. He returns this week to the site of his first career victory in 2017, and his dominance has continued ever since. Not only does he have a win in Vegas, but a playoff loss, another runner-up result and most recently a T8 effort in 2020 where he squandered a share of the 54-hole lead. The floodgates are going to explode for Cantlay, and it may very well start in the desert. | |
| Contender (50-1): It has been a so-so start to the season for McCarthy, who has connected on consecutive cuts through two events. With both starts going for top-40 finishes, the Maryland resident will need to rediscover the ball-striking from a year ago which pushed him to a career season on the PGA Tour. TPC Summerlin is a relatively stress-free exam from tee-to-green, and that should be music to the ears of McCarthy. The 29-year-old is still the best putter on this planet, and if the irons yield positive numbers, he should be in with a chance come Sunday. | |
| Sleeper (60-1): TPC Summerlin may draw some parallels to TPC Craig Ranch where Lee has been victorious the past two seasons. The South Korean was strong in his Presidents Cup debut and followed up a nice finish to his 2021-22 season where he played his way into the Tour Championship. Lee is about as well-rounded as they come, and he finally figured out TPC Summerlin a year ago with a T14 finish -- his first made cut in four tries. | |
Rick Gehman is joined by Jonathan Coachman and Patrick McDonald to preview the 2022 Shriners Children's Open. Follow & listen to The First Cut on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Who will win the Shriners Children's Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors and is up over $9,500 since June 2020.
