Justin Timberlake tees off charity events ahead of tourney

By Case Keefer (contact)

Monday, Oct. 12, 2009 | 9:40 p.m.

Steve Marcus

Recording artist Justin Timberlake attempts a hole-in-one at the Callaway Golf Center Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Callaway offered Timberlake a $1 million charitable donation to Shriners Hospitals for Children if he could make the hole-in-one at the on a 180-yard, par-3 hole. Timberlake failed on three attempts but Callaway still gave a $5,000 donation for his efforts.

Justin Timberlake’s week-long reign as the king of Las Vegas has begun.

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open is set to kick off Thursday, but Timberlake has been busy hosting events in conjunction with the tournament for the last two days.

Timberlake and professional golf coach Butch Harmon held a youth golf clinic Sunday at TPC at Summerlin. Monday, Timberlake appeared at the Callaway Golf Center to try for a hole-in-one to raise money for Shriners.

“There’s a lot of fun things to do here in Vegas,” Timberlake said at Monday’s event. “It’s just a great week we’re able to put together.”

Timberlake and the tournament will host a Team Smile program Tuesday, where children can receive free dental care at the course. Wednesday is the Pro-Am Tournament, where Timberlake will host other celebrities, such as poker pros Phil Hellmuth and Daniel Negreanu, and musicians Alice Cooper and Kenny G.

Saturday night’s Justin Timberlake and Friends concert at Mandalay Bay — which also will feature TLC, Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys and Ciara — will cap the week.

It’s all part of the PGA tournament’s effort to appeal to the Las Vegas community.

“We’re really trying to gear this tournament to be a week-long event,” tournament director Adam Sperling said at last month’s media day event. “And in the future, a week-long celebration of what we want to do in the community on a year-round basis.”

Two months ago, Timberlake recorded a hole-in-one at Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank, Calif., on a 180-yard par 3. The hole was the same distance at Callaway Golf Center, but Timberlake couldn't repeat his feat.

Callaway gave him three opportunities Monday with a custom-fit set of the company’s new Diablo irons. He missed the first attempt short and to the left, and the second one long and to the right. The third ball landed closer to the pin, but didn't find the hole.

Timberlake blamed at least one of the misses on rustiness.

“I’d say I’ve played two times in the last three weeks,” he said.

Callaway pledged to donate $1 million to Shriners Hospitals if Timberlake made any of the three shots.

As Timberlake gazed into the crowd of reporters after he missed, he came up with an apt metaphor.

“This would be like Phil Mickelson trying to sing Andrea Bocelli at Madison Square Garden,” Timberlake said. “Only, we’re going to get Rolling Stone and all my press peers to watch him do it.”

He might have missed the hole-in-one, but Timberlake wasn't complaining. Not this week.

“We get to come to Vegas and have fun,” he said.