LAS VEGAS — Nelly Korda, the reigning Player of the Year and the top-ranked golfer in the world, has returned to Las Vegas this week to defend her T-Mobile Match Play title. The LPGA Tour event stands as the marquee professional golf event in Las Vegas for the year, especially since the PGA Tour will not be hosting a tournament in the city for the first time in over forty years. The absence of Las Vegas from the PGA Tour schedule came after Shriners Children’s Hospital ended its 18-year sponsorship last October—a significant loss for a city celebrated as a prime golf destination. However, hopes remain that this might not be a permanent situation.
The PGA Tour is optimistic about a future return to Las Vegas with a major event that can attract leading players. While the precise timing of such an event is unknown, it is not expected to take place before 2027. “Vegas is known for hosting major events,” said John Norris, senior vice president of PGA Tour tournaments. “They excel at grandeur. With major sports leagues, entertainers, and world-class venues like the Sphere here, we want our return to match that scale.” What this entails is still under consideration.
Patrick Lindsey, the former executive director of Shriners Children’s Open and now senior vice president and general manager at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, suggested the possibility of an all-star event. Lindsey, sharing Norris’s optimism, believes the PGA Tour will explore all options to make a return. “This is a unique market where we could create something fun, exciting, and uniquely Vegas,” Lindsey explained.
The calendar remains a significant challenge and one reason the PGA Tour is in no rush. Shriners was a fall tournament, benefiting from cooler weather, but often clashed with NFL and college football seasons. The PGA Tour revised its schedule following LIV Golf’s emergence, reverting to starting the season in January. Lindsey noted top players often skipped fall events to allow those sans tour cards to earn necessary points. Consequently, Shriners often saw less competitive fields and gradually shifted focus to collegiate events. As a result, both the city and the PGA Tour needed a reset, with no plans to revisit a fall date.
Playing in the summer, when temperatures can soar beyond 110 degrees, is also not an option. Thus, an earlier season slot would be ideal, albeit difficult due to existing commitments like the Masters, PGA Championship, The Players Championship, and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. “That’s the tricky part,” Norris admitted.
As for the LPGA Tour, it marks its fifth year in Las Vegas with the Match Play at the prestigious and exclusive Shadow Creek Golf Course. Despite its constricting paths for spectators, Shadow Creek is a renowned course luring players and celebrities globally. “Driving in is uniquely beautiful,” Korda remarked, “and the course is as demanding as it is breathtaking.”
While the LPGA Tour did not provide comments on its Las Vegas future, a statement expressed their sponsor’s unwavering advocacy for the tour. Korda aims to defend her title as the Match Play kicks off, potentially heightening attention on the event.
Las Vegas has previously enjoyed shining PGA Tour moments, notably when Tiger Woods claimed his first professional victory in 1996, putting the city at the forefront of the golfing world. There remains hope that the PGA Tour will return to recreate such moments. “The city deserves a professional golf event once more,” Lindsey asserted, “potentially something distinct from other markets.”