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After the break for the Ryder Cup following the opening event of 2021/22, the fall stretch seems in full swing now following last week’s Sanderson Farms Championship won by Sam Ryder. On we go now to Las Vegas for the annual running of the Shriners Children’s Open. TPC Summerlin, designed by Bobby Weed, is a par 71 measuring 7,255 yards and needs strong desert winds to blow to protect it. That hasn’t happened too often in recent years and the last three have been won with -23, -23 and -21. The outlier came in 2017 when Patrick Cantlay won a play-off after three players had finished at -9. With the wind this year expected to be gentle or modest, expect the usual birdie fest to break out. Two of the USA’s Ryder Cup stars head to the gambling capital, with Brooks Koepka and Scottie Scheffler at the front end of a pretty wide-open market with some layers putting in the favourites at 18/1. Viktor Hovland is part of that group, along with Mexico’s Abraham Ancer. Plenty of past winners of this event have gone off at huge prices but well-fancied runners have shone bright too. Angles to consider 1/ Course form The last two winners of this tournament (Martin Laird and Kevin Na) had something in common. Both had won the event previously and also finished runner-up. Cantlay has gone 2-2-8 since winning here in 2017 while Ancer has a pair of top fours in the last three years. 2/ Strokes Gained Tee To Green TTG is the dominant trend here although Na’s 2019 win came via a red-hot putter. Bryson DeChambeau ranked 1st for TTG when winning in 2018 and last year the TTG ranking of the first three home was 2nd, 4th, 5th. 3/ Desert form Na, Laird and others with strong form in this event have repeatedly thrived in desert conditions, showing up well or winning other events in Nevada, Arizona and California. 4/ Par 4 Performance With an extra one on this Par 71, playing the Par 4s well is vital and an excellent pointer to success. Indeed, three of the last five winners were in the top two for Par 4s. Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Abraham Ancer Ancer’s TPC Summerlin form is feast or famine: 4-MC-4-MC-MC. However, on current form, he should have every chance of producing something similar to the top fours he posted in 2018 and 2020. The Mexican won the WGC-St Jude Invitational in August and was 9th and 11th in the final two Playoff events. Last season he was third for Par 4 Performance and 28th SG: Tee To Green. Webb Simpson After missing the Ryder Cup, Simpson may be extra determined to show up well this week. He certainly has the ideal credentials. Simpson won this event in 2013, was fourth in two starts either side and seventh two years ago. Altogether he has seven top 20s in his last nine appearances. Simpson also has a victory, a second and numerous top 10s in the Phoenix Open while last season he was 8th for Par 4 Performance and 30th SG: Tee To Green. Aaron Wise The American finished 10th and 15th in two of his first three starts in this event and returns in solid form after going 26-17-21 in his latest three tournaments. He was in the top 10 for Tee To Green in two of those and finished 25th in that category last season. In other words, Wise’s game looks sharp and he can get in the mix at a decent price. Tips 1-2; -3.50pts 1.5pts e.w. Abraham Ancer at 25/1 (bet365, William Hill 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) mc 1pt e.w. Webb Simpson at 28/1 (William Hill 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) mc 0.5pts e.w. Aaron Wise at 70/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair 1/5 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8) 8th
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