Sperling, not Timberlake, most essential to Shriners Open

He used to be something called a swamper. He would hang windscreen and paint fence, one of about 30 workers who would blend into the background of a PGA Tour event, following orders and completing tasks that every tournament needs but no one really notices.

"Sometimes, I look back on those times and miss them," Adam Sperling said. "One task at a time, no telephone ringing, feeling that instant sense of accomplishment, instead of moving to the next issue.

"I know where we are as a tournament. I know our attendance could be better, should be better, in my opinion. But no disrespect to some of the large, very successful tournaments on tour -- I'd be lying if I said I don't want us to be that -- but I'm not wired to be the guy who just turns a key and an event goes off. To me, that's kind of boring."

He still remembers the first question I asked him three years ago. He's that detailed, that focused on whatever responsibility comes next. It was about his golf handicap, which wasn't very good and still isn't.

Numbers on a scorecard aside, I can't imagine a better person than Sperling being in charge of the annual PGA Tour stop here.

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open concludes at TPC Summerlin today, yet another Fall Series event having played out here before what has become a typically consistent but hardly large fan base.

The same tune has been played over and over for good reason. It would be better for all involved if this tournament moved into the spring as part of the FedEx Cup, even though such a shift wouldn't guarantee the presence of Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson.

It would likely bring national TV coverage on the weekend, though, and unquestionably a stronger field, which would mean more sponsorship dollars and ticket sales. It's the best kind of boring.

But until the PGA and Shriners come to such an agreement, the Las Vegas stop always will be more about the impact it has on children than any attendance figure.

For this, its tournament director who grew up in New York along the St. Lawrence River while dreaming about playing for the Yankees has made a definite impact. Sperling might have once been a swamper at the PGA Championship, but he has made a dramatic difference since arriving here.

Far more than the celebrity name on which the tournament is marketed.

For all his star power, Timberlake has done little to paint the big picture of what this event means. He puts on an annual concert during tournament week that benefits the hospitals, always a great thing, but his involvement beyond that has been minimal at best.

We like to poke fun at Timberlake being late for the few minutes he actually addresses the media each year and for the predictable enablers who cater to his every whim and shoo away legitimate photographers not interested in taking his picture in the first place, but such facts speak to Timberlake's lack of outward passion about being here.

He isn't fooling anyone. He's not that good an actor.

In Timberlake's four years here, you can make the argument that the most-followed celebrity at a midweek pro-am was Amanda Beard in 2008, and not for her golfing skills. Timberlake has not come close to drawing on his fame in a way the Shriners had hoped. The truth? It would be best if the sides parted ways now, because this event doesn't need Timberlake to land in the spring as part of the FedEx series.

Not if it has Sperling.

He turns 30 in December, and he and wife Erin are expecting their first child in March. He's a guy who from the beginning of running the tournament understood its mission. Volunteers have grown under his watch from 600 to more than 1,000 in three years. People want to work for him.

He is as tournament director an employee of the Shriners, a fact Sperling hasn't lost sight of when creating the many events that benefit those children helped for free by one of the world's greatest organizations.

"I don't see dental care for underprivileged kids in Las Vegas changing based on if we're in the (fall or spring)," Sperling said. "Our team has been part of building something here. We've grown a lot and have a lot more to do. I hope Las Vegas appreciates a charity putting up big money to keep professional golf here. There are 22 hospitals (under the Shriners umbrella) and a $700 million-plus a year budget. That's a pretty big nut. How could I not want to do everything in my power to make this the best tournament we can?"

He has. The guy is really sharp and could take this event to much higher places in the spring.

For this, SexyBack isn't needed.

Adam Sperling, however, is.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday on "Monsters of the Midday," Fox Sports Radio 920 AM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.