McNeill to defend title at Las Vegas PGA Tour stop

Oct 15, 2008 - 11:32 AM LAS VEGAS (Ticker) - George McNeill is still the defending champion, but a few things have changed as the PGA Tour makes its annual stop in Las Vegas.

The name has changed to the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open and the $4.1 million event will be played on one course rather than two when the PGA Tour's Fall Series resumes Thursday.

Last season, McNeill carded four rounds in the 60s on courses at TPC Summerlin and TPC Las Vegas en route to a four-stroke victory over D.J. Trahan. This year, the event will be played at TPC Summerlin exclusively.

McNeill was a rookie when he won this event a year ago. His sophomore season on the tour has been relatively successful as well. He enters the event with nearly $1 million in earnings and safely inside the top 125 on the money list. His best result of the current campaign is a tie for second at the PODS Championship.

The field features seven players who finished in the top 30 in the FedEx Cup playoffs and who played in the tour Championship. That list includes Mike Weir, Kevin Sutherland, Ryder Cup standout Hunter Mahan, Ken Duke, Billy Mayfair, Ryuji Imada and Chad Campbell, who was also on the victorious Ryder Cup team at Valhalla.

The course at TPC Summerlin will play at 7,243 yards and par-72.

First prize is $738,000.