UNLV product Adam Scott commits to PGA Shriners Open in Las Vegas

By Brian Hurlburt Special to the Review-Journal

5 years ago

Adam Scott, of Australia, watches his shot on the eighth hole during the third round for the Ma ... — Adam Scott, of Australia, watches his shot on the eighth hole during the third round for the Masters golf tournament Saturday, April 13, 2019, in Augusta, Ga. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Adam Scott, shown when he was a UNLV All-American in 1998-99, also won the 2013 Masters and has committed to play in the 2019 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open Oct. 3-6 at TPC Summerlin. courtesy UNLV golf.

Adam Scott, the world’s 15th-ranked golfer and a former UNLV All-American, has committed to play in this fall’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

The event is scheduled for Oct. 3-6 at TPC Summerlin and will mark the first time Scott has played in the Las Vegas PGA Tour event.

“The new season’s PGA Tour schedule has given me the opportunity to play the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, which I am really looking forward to doing,” Scott said in a statement. “Meeting some of the Shriners Hospitals for Children patients who will be participating in the event will also be a highlight for me as I have heard a lot about how special their stories are.”

Scott, 39, was the 2013 Masters champion and has won 13 times on the PGA Tour and 13 times internationally. He also is a member of the 2019 European President’s Cup team.

“We are very excited and having Adam play in his first Shriners Hospitals for Children Open speaks volumes to the popularity of our event and only adds to the strength of our field,” said tournament executive director Patrick Lindsey.

Scott played at UNLV in the fall of 1998, and spring and fall of 1999. He finished 11th at the 1999 NCAA Golf Championships, the Rebels low player, and then a few months later turned professional.

“I remember when I first saw Adam at Torrey Pines during the Junior World Championships and I had Jay Brunza (former UNLV golf mental coach who also worked with Tiger Woods) come out to the 13 th hole to watch him,” said UNLV head golf coach Dwain e Knight. “I asked Jay, ‘does he swing like anyone you know?’ Jay immediately replied, ‘Tiger.’

“That week he committed to UNLV. We were coming off the 1998 national championship a few months earlier and it was a cool time. He was an amazing talent and a big piece of our team. I always hoped he would come back and play in Las Vegas, and this is fantastic for the Shriners, who have always supported us, and for Las Vegas golf fans.”

The 2018-19 PGA Tour season concluded Aug. 25 (about a month earlier than the 2017-18 season) at the Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta, where Scott finished sixth. The Shriners is also about a month earlier than in 2018.

Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com or @LVGolfInsider.