Rickie Fowler says he’ll play in Shriners Open

PGA star Rickie Fowler indicated to reporters at a news conference in Atlanta on Tuesday he plans to play in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas next month.

Fowler has not officially committed to the event as of Tuesday evening, however, according to the tournament's executive director Adam Sperling.

"Due to his comments we remain hopeful and optimistic that we'll see him in a few weeks," Sperling told the Review-Journal.

Players have until the Friday before the tournament begins to enter.

The No. 5 player in the world had been expected to wrap up his year at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta this week. Instead he will reportedly play in the event at TPC Summerlin next month as well as tournaments in South Korea and China.

According to Golfweek's Jim McCabe, Fowler wants to ensure he doesn't fall behind other players in the FedEx Cup standings, which begin accumulating again next week. He didn't play until February this season.

In fact, Fowler played in just one of the first nine tournaments. With plans to play in Las Vegas and the HSBC Champions in China two weeks later, he will compete in two of the first four events on the 2016 schedule.

"(I don't) want to be way back on (FedEx Cup) points," Fowler told Golfweek. "It's one of the reasons why I thought about getting to Vegas."

It's also a pretty nice trip, particularly in October.

"I've enjoyed playing (Las Vegas) when I have," said Fowler, who finished tied for seventh at the Shriners Open in his first professional tournament in 2009.

He followed that up with a tie for 22nd the following year and spent some time living in Las Vegas, where his swing coach Butch Harmon also resides.

"I enjoy spending time there, Butch is there, it can be a very productive week for me," Fowler said.

Fowler finished tied for 12th in the Masters in 2015 and finished in the top-5 of all four of golf's majors in 2014.

The Shriners Open takes place at TPC Summerlin from October 19-25. All proceeds benefit Shriner Hospitals for Children.