Las Vegas Nevada News Feed

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open welcomes LPGA golfer, business woman and philanthropist Natalie Gulbis to play in its Championship Pro-Am Wednesday, Oct. 14 at the TPC Summerlin. Prior to playing in the Pro-Am, Gulbis will serve as a guest speaker at the Women’s Day Seminar also held on Wednesday of tournament week.

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, an event that supports a cause and a city that are both very important to me,” said Natalie Gulbis. “I always enjoy our weekly pro-am events on the LPGA Tour, and playing in front of my hometown fans will make this one very special.”

Finding her passion for the sport at age 4, Gulbis quickly picked up the game from her dad and by age 7 won her first tournament. At age 10, she was breaking par.

Gulbis grew up as an all-around athlete, competing in diving and gymnastics throughout high school, but knew her heart was in another sport. Gulbis’ love for golf shined in high school where she played No. 1 singles on the men’s golf team.

At 14, Gulbis was the youngest player to qualify for an LPGA event playing in the Longs Drugs Challenge. After high school she received a scholarship to play collegiate golf at the University of Arizona. In 2001, Gulbis turned professional and tied for third at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn exempt status for the 2002 season, winning the LPGA Sectional Qualifying Tournament in Venice, Fla., by eight strokes. Gulbis earned her first ever LPGA win at the 2007 Evian Masters and since then, her professional career has soared.

Gulbis’ best finish this season was a tie for seventh at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill, where she carded a season-low 65 in the second round. Also carding a 65 in the second round of the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger, Gulbis tied for 21st. She posted a 1-1-1 record in her third – and victorious – appearance on the U.S. Solheim Cup Team after finishing 10th in the points race.

In addition to her victories on the course, Gulbis is the star of her reality show on the Golf Channel called, “The Natalie Gulbis Show” and was a long-standing contestant on the 2009 season of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” with Donald Trump.

Gulbis will be playing in the Pro-Am along with Smokey Robinson, Kenny G. and Phil Hellmuth, among others.

The 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is Oct. 11 – 18 at the TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas. For more information, visit www.jtshrinersopen.com or call 702.873.1010.

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Justin Timberlake Shriners Open Tickets

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