The name has changed slightly this year but the tournament often called “the Shriners” tees up once again in Las Vegas. The Shriners Children’s Open tees up on Thursday at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada with a strong field of players following the Sanderson Farms Championship last week with Brooks Koepka coming in as the lone favorite at +1600.
Koepka is followed by a pack of players waded up between +2000 to +2200 including Sam Burns (+2200) who is coming straight from his win in Jackson, Mississippi at the Sanderson Farms. Burns, who was the favorite last week, took the event by going 22 under and beating Nick Watney and Cameron Young by one stroke.
Koepka has not played since the TOUR Championship early last month where he withdrew due to a wrist injury that happened when he struck a root while playing out of the rough. It was the same wrist that Koepka nursed an injury in during 2017 and 2018. In 2016 Koepka finished this event in sole 2 nd place behind winner Rod Pampling.
The field has additional depth this week compared to the Sanderson Farms Open as more players are returning from time off during the Ryder Cup week. Here are the favorites through +2200 to win the Shriners Children’s Open outright according to Intertops.
Brooks Koepka +1600
Viktor Hovland +2000
Abraham Ancer +2000
Sam Burns +2200
Scottie Scheffler +2200
Will Zalatoris +2200
Louis Oosthuizen +2200
2021 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Preview
Where: Las Vegas, Nevada
Course: TPC Summerlin
Format: Stroke Play
Par: 71
Length: 7,255
When: Oct 7-10, 2021
Purse: $7.0 Million.
TV Coverage: Golf Channel
Get ready for some scenic golf shots this week on Golf Channel coverage. TPC Summerlin is considered one of the most scenic courses on the PGA Tour. The venue features plenty of green for a dry climate course and yet takes full advantage of the location. Lush green fairways and first cut rough cut perfectly through the terrain.
Then, the course slowly transitions to a more natural look around the rough and hazard areas. Bunkers have a more native look compared to a course such as Augusta but playing put of one remains the same. Fairways feature plenty of trees and play tight on much of the course with landing areas squeezed by the natural grass areas mentioned above.
Playing TPC Summerlin can be compared to targeted golf like a European course, in a dry climate with desert-style hazards, while playing on deep green grass as if you were at the Masters.
The venue plays Par 71 at 7,255 yards for PGA play and is often referred to as a second-shot course and low scores can be the norm. Food for thought, three of the last five Shriners have finished with a playoff.
2021 Shriners Children’s Open Predictions
Sam Burns +2200
Sam Burns is fresh of a win last week where he took full advantage of his ability to manage second-shot options. He killed to competition by playing target golf on a semi-wide open course. This week he can do the same thing on a course that awards well-placed shots off the tee. In the last seven months, he’s won twice and finished in the top ten seven times.
Kevin Na +2800
Kevin Na has won this event twice. The first came back in 2011 but his most recent was in 2019. Plus, he’s come close to winning here more than two times. One of those was in 2015 when he finished T5 behind Smylie Kaufman. Na is coming off a missed cut at the Fortinet Championship but before that, he finished 3rd at the Tour Championship.
Matthew Wolff +4000
Matthew Wolff shot a career-low 61 here a year ago and looked to be the winner heading into Sunday play. He ended up losing in a three-man playoff against Austin Cook and defending Shriners champion, Martin Laird. Last week, Wolff finished T17 at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Others: Brooks Koepka is certainly worth looking at but I’m fading on several players following the Ryder Cup. That was such an emotionally charged event that I feel some extra time may be needed to clear out emotions. That being said, Harris English (+2800) is known as a player that can keep his emotions in check during an event. If there is anyone that can pack away the excitement of being on a winning team USA team and get back to business… it’s Harris English.
2021 Shriners Children’s Open Odds
Brooks Koepka +1600
Viktor Hovland +2000
Abraham Ancer +2000
Sam Burns +2200
Scottie Scheffler +2200
Will Zalatoris +2200
Louis Oosthuizen +2200
Webb Simpson +2500
Hideki Matsuyama +2500
Kevin Na +2800
Harris English +2800
Sungjae Im +3300
Corey Conners +3300
Paul Casey +3300
Patrick Reed +3300
Si-Woo Kim +4000
Adam Scott +4000
Jason Kokrak +4000
Cameron Tringale +4000
Erik Van Rooyen +4000
Maverick McNealy +4000
Matthew Wolff +4000
Joaquin Niemann +5000
Mito Pereira +5000
Brian Harman +5000
Charley Hoffman +5000
Marc Leishman +6000
Russell Henley +6000
Kevin Streelman +6600
Talor Gooch +6600
Aaron Wise +6600
Danny Willett +6600
Ian Poulter +8000
Kevin Kisner +8000
Sahith Theegala +8000
Emiliano Grillo +8000
Cameron Davis +8000
Charl Schwartzel +8000
Seamus Power +8000
Ryan Palmer +10000
Luke List +10000
Rickie Fowler +10000
Patton Kizzire +10000
Lucas Glover +10000
Adam Hadwin +10000
Taylor Moore +10000
Henrik Norlander +10000
Carlos Ortiz +10000
Stewart Cink +10000
Pat Perez +10000
Sebastian Munoz +12500
Francesco Molinari +12500
Joel Dahmen +12500
Chad Ramey +12500
Joseph Bramlett +12500
Troy Merritt +12500
Stephan Jaeger +12500
Doug Ghim +12500
Martin Laird +12500
Garrick Higgo +12500
Scott Piercy +12500
Lanto Griffin +12500
Kyoung-Hoon Lee +12500
Hayden Buckley +15000
Matt Kuchar +15000
Ryan Moore +15000
Chez Reavie +15000
Nick Watney +15000
Scott Stallings +15000
Dylan Frittelli +15000
Charles Howell III +15000
Matt Jones +15000
Tom Hoge +15000
Roger Sloan +15000
Brendan Steele +15000
Cameron Young +15000
Zach Johnson +15000
Denny McCarthy +15000
Seth Reeves +15000
Adam Schenk +15000
Brandt Snedeker +15000
Hudson Swafford +15000
Peter Malnati +15000
Chesson Hadley +15000
Brendon Todd +15000
Keith Mitchell +15000
Russell Knox +15000
Matthew Nesmith +15000
Trey Mullinax +15000
Doc Redman +15000
Nate Lashley +17500
Harry Higgs +20000
Andrew Putnam +20000
Aaron Rai +20000
Matt Wallace +20000
Rory Sabbatini +20000
Kevin Tway +20000
Andrew Landry +20000
Sepp Straka +20000
Brian Stuard +20000
Nick Taylor +20000
Bronson Burgoon +20000
James Hahn +20000
JT Poston +20000
Hank Lebioda +20000
Sam Ryder +20000
Mark Hubbard +20000
Greyson Sigg +20000
Robert Streb +25000
Jimmy Walker +25000
Wyndham Clark +25000
Graeme McDowell +25000
Brandon Hagy +25000
Kyle Stanley +25000
Michael Thompson +25000
Anirban Lahiri +25000
Adam Svensson +25000
Davis Riley +25000
Brice Garnett +25000
Adam Long +25000
Richy Werenski +30000
Kevin Chappell +30000
Kevin Yu +30000
Camilo Villegas +30000
Jim Herman +30000
Sung Kang +30000
Tyler McCumber +30000
Harry Hall +30000
William McGirt +35000
Brian Gay +40000
Bill Haas +50000
Seung-Yul Noh +50000
JJ Spaun +50000
Kelly Kraft +50000
Curtis Thompson +50000
Jonas Blixt +50000
Martin Trainer +50000
Jesse Mueller +50000
Kyle Westmoreland +75000