Smylie Kaufman excited about returning to defend Vegas title at Shriners Open
Golfer Smylie Kaufman enters big stage following 2015 Shriner's Open win (Elaine Wilson/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
September 27, 2016 - 11:25 pm
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Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman speaks with a reporter at Topgolf during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Tournament Director Patrick Lindsey, left, speaks with the tournament's defending champion Smylie Kaufman, during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_019_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman, right, talks with Tournament Director Patrick Lindsey during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_018_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman, right, is introduced by Tournament Director Patrick Lindsey during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Adam Sperling, executive director of the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, speaks during a media day for the tournament at Topgolf in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
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Gary Dunwoody, member of the Shriners board of trustees, speaks during a media day for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at Topgolf in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_015_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman changes clubs in-between hitting golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_014_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_013_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_012_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_011_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman changes clubs in-between hitting golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_010_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_009_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_008_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman prepares to hit golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_007_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open defending champion Smylie Kaufman's bag sits at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_004_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Tournament Director Patrick Lindsey speaks with a reporter at Topgolf during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_003_7053895.jpg)
Shriners Hospitals for Children Tournament Director Patrick Lindsey hits golf balls at Topgolf's driving range during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_001_7053895.jpg)
A trophy for the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open sits on a table during a media day for the tournament in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. The tournament takes place Oct. 31 through Nov. 6 at TPC Summerlin. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
![](https://develop.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_glf-smylie-sep27-16_092616jo_002_7053895.jpg)
Golfers practice at Topgolf's driving range in Las Vegas, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016. (Jason Ogulnik/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Smylie Kaufman intends to keep himself visible on the PGA Tour when the 2016-17 season begins in a few weeks.
The 24-year-old from Birmingham, Alabama, will be back in Las Vegas from Nov. 3 to 6 to defend his Shriners Hospitals for Children Open title at TPC Summerlin after posting a final-round 10-under-par 61 and winning by one shot for his first and only tour victory.
“Winning in Vegas changed everything for me,” he said Monday at the tournament’s media day at Topgolf Las Vegas. “It gave me security and confidence that I could compete against the best.”
Kaufman won $2,508,174 in 2016, had four top-10 finishes and was 43rd on the FedEx Cup points list. He was in contention entering the final round of the Masters in April, starting the final round one shot behind leader Jordan Spieth. But Kaufman imploded with a 9-over 81 and finished tied for 29th place.
“It was an unbelievable learning experience,” he said of going to Augusta National on Sunday with a legitimate chance to win. “I was fairly comfortable and confident when I got to the course. But I quickly found out that when there’s so many people watching, there’s a little bit of extra focus you’ve got to put in when you play the majors.”
Kaufman also learned a tough lesson — listening to your body. He had developed tendinitis in his right wrist, and it set his game off-kilter. He said the wrist started hurting after the Masters, but instead of taking time off, Kaufman tried to play through the pain.
His game faltered. He missed the cut in four of his next five tournaments after the Masters, and he wound up missing the cut in 10 of the 28 events he entered.
“It led to some bad habits,” he said of why his game fell off. “Looking back on it, I probably should have taken some time off. But when you’re young, you think you can get through anything.”
Kaufman hasn’t played in a couple of weeks, and he will begin preparing for the 2016-17 season soon. He’s scheduled to play in Napa, California, and Malaysia along with Las Vegas, and he’s confident that if he’s healthy, he can make a strong run at repeating at TPC Summerlin.
“I think the reason the course fits my game so well is that the ground is fairly hard and I seem to hit it way past everyone,” said Kaufman, whose driving average was 299 yards last year. “That added distance helps me get close and gives me chances to score on the greens.”
Tournament director Patrick Lindsey said Kaufman’s sense of charity plays well in an event that is dedicated to helping children get healthy.
“Everyone loves him,” Lindsey said. “He’s so good with the fans, with the sponsors and with the Shriners. He understands what this tournament is about, and he’s a great talent as well. His future is so bright.”
Contact Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow on Twitter: @stevecarprj