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Sergio Garcia returns to defend against six golfers currently ranked in the top 20. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
• COURSE: TPC Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas, 7,166 yards, par 70. Ending a 35-year run as the host site, the original Jay Morrish design – with input from Byron Nelson himself – opened in 1983 and served 24 editions before a major overhaul in 2007. D.A. Weibring and Steve Wolford created large, undulating greens, encouraging players to use slopes to work their shots closer to the pin – but with runoffs and closely mown areas lurking just off the putting surface. The duo also undertook extensive tree landscaping that brings creeks and ponds more into play. The 18th hole features a unique “water cascade” that extends from the landing area to the green.
• FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 points.
• CHARITY: The Momentous Institute, which serves some 6,000 troubled children and family members in the Dallas-Fort Worth area each year with therapeutic and education services. The tournament has raised $149 million since its launch in 1968.
• FIELD WATCH: Masters Tournament champion Sergio Garcia defends his AT&T Byron Nelson crown against a challenger list that includes world No.1 Dustin Johnson and six others among the top 20 in the current rankings. … No.3 Jason Day, the 2010 winner, and hometown favorite Jordan Spieth round out a strong quartet from the world’s top six. … Beau Hossler, who played through a shoulder injury to help Texas reach last year’s NCAA final, makes his sixth PGA TOUR start on a sponsor exemption. He’s joined by former UT teammate Kramer Hickok, also a former schoolmate of Spieth at Trinity Christian Academy outside Dallas. … The field also includes UT-Arlington golf coach Stuart Deane as well as Paul Earnest, director of golf at the TPC Four Seasons.
• 72-HOLE RECORD: 259, Steven Bowditch (2015). Note: Rory Sabbatini’s 19-under-par 261 in 2009 is the lowest against par; Bowditch was 18-under after heavy rain turned TPC Four Seasons into a par-69 layout for the final three rounds.
• 18-HOLE RECORD: 60, Arron Oberholser (2nd round, 2006 at Cottonwood Valley GC), Keegan Bradley (1st round, 2013 at TPC Four Seasons).
• LAST YEAR: Garcia became the only man to win twice at TPC Four Seasons, surviving two balls in the water on Sunday’s back nine to prevail in a one-hole playoff over Brooks Koepka. A closing 2-under-par 68 was enough to make up a three-shot deficit to Koepka, who seemed to be cruising until bogeys at Nos. 14 and 15 opened the door. Koepka still had a chance to win with a birdie at No.18, but his 16-foot attempt curled just below the cup. Returning to the 18th tee for the playoff, Koepka went first and watched his drive find the water cascade left of the fairway. That left Garcia just needing par to win, two-putting from 17 feet for the victory. It was Garcia’s ninth PGA TOUR win, drawing him alongside Seve Ballesteros for the most ever by a Spaniard.
• STORYLINES: Garcia, whose splendid spring added another moment when he aced the 17th at THE PLAYERS Championship, has a chance to join Sam Snead and Tom Watson as the only three-time winners of the event. He’d also become just the fourth to win back-to-back. … Johnson returns to a place where he owns four top-10 finishes in his past six visits, but still seeks victory at Las Colinas. His best finish was fourth in 2009. … Spieth, whose top finish in his hometown event remains a share of 16th as a 16-year-old in 2010, will try again to top that. … Spieth, last year’s winner at Colonial, and Boo Weekley seek to become the 16th man to complete the “DFW Double” by winning both Dallas-Fort Worth events in their career.
• SHORT CHIPS: The top 60 in the world rankings after Sunday’s conclusion receive automatic berths into next month’s U.S. Open. Safeway Open champion Brendan Steele is on the bubble at No.60. … Eleven of the past 17 Nelson winners have done it with all four rounds in the 60s. A year ago, Garcia was one of 14 players who broke 70 all four days. … The tournament moves next year to Trinity Forest GC, a Ben Crenshaw/Bill Coore design near downtown Dallas that opened 19 months ago.
• TELEVISION: Thursday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:30 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).
• PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (featured groups), 4-7 p.m. (featured holes). Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (featured groups).
• RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-7 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.com).
For more on all the courses in the TPC network, visit TPC.com.
Play where the pros play. To book your tee time at TPC Four Seasons Resort, visit TeeOff.com.
Back to Texas for the Byron Nelson,
congratulations to last weeks winner SeaPa
Bobcat sill holding onto the overall lead
good luck to everyone this week
