2018 Fort Worth Invitational Preview

Dates: May 21-27, 2018
Where: Colonial Country Club; Fort Worth, Texas
Par/Yards: 35-35—70/7,209
Field: 121
Defending Champion: Kevin Kisner
Purse: $7,100,000;
Winner’s Share: $1,278,000
Format: 72-hole stroke play

 

How the Fort Worth Invitational was won in 2017

• Beginning the final round of the Fort Worth Invitational three back of Webb Simpson, Kevin Kisner carded a final-round 4-under-par 66 for a 10-under-par 270 total, good for a one-stroke victory over Jordan Spieth, Sean O’Hair and Jon Rahm.
• After turning in 34, Kisner made four birdies, including three in a row on Nos. 1012, and one bogey coming in for a back-nine 32.
• He needed to get up-and-down from behind the green on the 72^nd hole and drained a putt from five feet for par to secure the second PGA TOUR victory of his career.

 

2017 Final-Round Leaderboard

Kevin Kisner	67-67-70-66—270 (-10)
Jordan Spieth	70-68-68-65—271 (-9)
Sean O’Hair	67-68-70-66—271 (-9)
Jon Rahm	66-69-70-66—271 (-9)
Webb Simpson	68-66-67-71—272 (-8)

 

More on Kevin Kisner and the Fort Worth Invitational

• Kisner is seeking to join Ben Hogan as the only players to win back-to-back Fort Worth Invitationals, with Hogan performing the feat twice (1946-47 and 1952-53)
• Kisner’s victory at Colonial came in his 148^th appearance on the PGA TOUR at the age of 33 years, 3 months, f13 days.
• His maiden win at The RSM Classic came in his 109^th
• Kisner has made it to the TOUR Championship three consecutive seasons. Here’s a look at his year-byyear FedExCup standings: 2011/195, 2012/153, 2013/DNP, 2014/104, 2015/21, 2016/23, 2017/12).
• After missing the cut in his first appearance (2014) at the Fort Worth Invitational, Kisner has recorded a T5 (2015), a T10 (2016) and a win (2017).

 

FedExCup and the Fort Worth Invitational

• Three of the top 10 in the FedExCup standings are in the field, led by Patton Kizzire (4), Webb Simpson (8) and Jon Rahm (9).
• FedExCup champions in the field: Jordan Spieth (2015), Brandt Snedeker (2012), Bill Haas (2011), Jim Furyk (2010).
• Chris Kirk (2015) is the only past champion of the Fort Worth Invitational during the FedExCup era (since 2007) who did not qualify for the season-ending TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola.

A glance at the field

• Four of the top six in the Official World Golf Ranking are in the field, led by Jordan Spieth (3), Jon Rahm (4), Justin Rose (5) and Rickie Fowler (6).
• Past winners Kevin Kisner (2017), Jordan Spieth (2016), Chris Kirk (2015), Adam Scott (2014), Zach Johnson (2010, 2012), Steve Stricker (2009), Rory Sabbatini (2007), Tim Herron (2006), Keith Clearwater (1987).
• Players with 10 or more PGA TOUR victories: Jim Furyk (17), Adam Scott (13), Zach Johnson (12), Steve Stricker (12), Jordan Spieth (11).

 

Local Favorite Jordan Spieth in search of his second Fort Worth Invitational title

• Has finished no worse than T14 in five prior appearances at Colonial Country Club (T2-2017, Won-2016, T2-2015, T14-2014, T7-2013).
• Spieth’s victory at the 2016 Fort Worth Invitational came in his 95^th TOUR start and was his eighth victory at the age of 22 years, 10 months, 2 days. He has since added three victories and enters this week looking for his 12^th TOUR win.
• Spieth has closed with 5-under 65s his last three appearances at Colonial Country Club, finishing T2 in 2015, winning in 2016 and finishing T2 in 2017. His final-round scoring average at Colonial is 66.20.
• Spieth is one of five Texans to win the Fort Worth Invitational, joining Ben Hogan (1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1959), Homero Blancas (1970), Lee Trevino (1976, 1978) and Ben Crenshaw (1977, 1990).

 

THE PLAYERS Championship winner Webb Simpson back in action

• With his victory at THE PLAYERS Championship, Webb Simpson became the sixth player to win THE PLAYERS, a major and a FedExCup Playoffs event.
• After taking a week off, Simpson will be back in action this week at the Fort Worth Invitational.
• After missing the cut in his first two starts at Colonial (2009, 2010), Simpson has top-5 finishes in his subsequent two starts (T3-2016, 5-2017).
• In 2017, he entered the final round with a two-stroke lead over Paul Casey and Danny Lee before closing with a 1-over 71 to finish fifth.

 

Records set or tied by Webb Simpson at THE PLAYERS:

• Set largest 36-hole lead (5 strokes; previous: 4, Jason Day/2016)
• Set largest 54-hole lead (7 strokes; previous: 5, Alex Cejka/2009)
• Set low middle 36-hole score (13-under 131; previous: 12-under 132, Ken Duke/2016)
• Tied low 54-hole score (19-under 197; tied Greg Norman/1994)
• Tied low 36-hole score (15-under 129; tied Jason Day/2016)
• Tied low 18-hole score (9-under 63/R2; tied now with seven others)
• Tied most consecutive birdies (6/Nos. 11-16/R2; tied now with nine others)
• Tied high finish by a winner at TPC Sawgrass (73; tied David Duval/1999)

 

Additional Player Notes

• Last week’s AT&T Byron Nelson champion Aaron Wise makes his Fort Worth Invitational debut. With his win last week, Wise became the youngest winner (21 years, 10 months, 29 days) on TOUR since Si Woo Kim (21 days, 10 months, 16 days) at 2017 THE PLAYERS Championship. The PGA TOUR rookie also became the second-youngest winner of the AT&T Byron Nelson (21 years, 10 months, 29 days) behind Tiger Woods who won in 1997 (21 years, 4 months, 18 days). Wise was a semifinalist for the Hogan Award in 2016.
• 12-time PGA TOUR winner and two-time Fort Worth Invitational champion (2010, 2012) Zach Johnson has finished outside the top 30 just twice in 12 starts at the Fort Worth Invitational, including five top-10 finishes: T63-2017, T17-2016, T19-2015, 73-2014, 3-2013, Won-2012, 4-2011, Won2010, T9-2009, T30-2006, T26-2005, T14-2004.
• Two-time Hogan Award winner (given annually onsite Monday of the Fort Worth Invitational) Jon Rahm will make his second start at the Fort Worth Invitational, finishing T2 a year ago after missing a 12’2” putt on the last for birdie that would have forced a playoff with Kisner.
• Ryan Palmer, who plays out of Colonial Country Club, has finished inside the top 15 four out of his last six starts at the Fort Worth Invitational (T70-2017, T3-2016, MC-2015, T5-2014, T14-2013, T5-2012).
• 2009 Fort Worth Invitational champion and 2017 U.S. Presidents Cup captain Steve Stricker will make his 12^th start at Colonial. Most recently, he closed with a 63 to finish T7 in 2017.
• With the win in 2015, Chris Kirk became the first player to win the Ben Hogan Award (2007) and Fort Worth Invitational. The Ben Hogan Award annually recognizes an amateur player who combines academic excellence with an equally respectable amateur golf pedigree and is awarded each year at Colonial Country Club. Kirk will make his ninth start at the Colonial, with top-20 finishes in five of his last seven starts at the event.
• Four-time PGA TOUR winner Rickie Fowler will make his first start at the Fort Worth Invitational since 2014. Here’s a list of his finishes at Colonial (MC-2014, T54-2013, T5-2012, T16-2011, T38-2010).

 

Miscellaneous Tournament Notes

• With his win in 2014, Adam Scott became the first player to win the Texas Grand Slam (traditional four events), winning the 2007 Houston Open, 2008 AT&T Byron Nelson, 2010 Valero Texas Open and 2014 Fort Worth Invitational.
• Zach Johnson set the 72-hole tournament (65-66-64-64—259) at the 2010 Fort Worth Invitational to finish at 21-under-par. The previous tournament record was set by Kenny Perry, who shot 261 in both his victories in 2003 and 2005.
• The Colonial CC course record is 61, set by Chad Campbell (2004), Justin Leonard (2003), Kenny Perry (2003), Greg Kraft (1999), Keith Clearwater (1993) and Lee Janzen (1993).
• Jordan Spieth’s victory in 2016 snapped a streak of seven straight come-from-behind winners: Steve Stricker (2009), Zach Johnson (2010 & 2012), David Toms (2011), Boo Weekley (2013), Adam Scott (2014) and Chris Kirk (2015). Prior to those, the last comeback winner was Sergio Garcia in 2001, who came back from five to beat Phil Mickelson and Brett Quigley.
• In the 70 playings of the Fort Worth Invitational, the third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to claim victory 35 times, most recently Jordan Spieth in 2016.
• In 2012, Zach Johnson became the 12^th multiple winner of the Fort Worth Invitational. Ben Hogan leads with five wins, while Johnson joined two-time winners Billy Casper, Julius Boros, Al Geiberger, Ben Crenshaw, Bruce Lietzke, Lee Trevino, Corey Pavin, Nick Price, Kenny Perry and Phil Mickelson.
• The last player to win the event in his first start at Colonial was Sergio Garcia in 2001. The others who have performed the feat are Keith Clearwater (1987), Dave Stockton (1967), Clayton Heafner (1948) and Ben Hogan (1946).
• Here’s a list of players who recorded their first PGA TOUR victory at the Fort Worth Invitational: Roberto De Vicenzo (1957), Dave Stockton (1967), Rod Curl (1974), Dan Pohl (1986), Keith Clearwater (1987), Ian Baker-Finch (1989), Sergio Garcia (2001).

 

“DFW Double”

• Ben Hogan, in 1946, is the only player to win the AT&T Byron Nelson and Fort Worth Invitational in the same year. No player has performed the feat in back-to-back weeks.
• Fifteen players have won the “DFW Double” during their careers: Ben Crenshaw, Roberto De Vicenzo, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Bruce Devlin, Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Tom Watson, Bruce Lietzke, Nick Price, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Rory Sabbatini, Julius Boros and Adam Scott.

 

Texas Grand Slam

The Fort Worth Invitational is the final event of four legs of the Texas Swing on the PGA TOUR (annual stops not counting WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play), with Ian Poulter winning the Houston Open and Andrew Landry winning the Valero Texas Open. Adam Scott is the only player to win the Texas Grand Slam (2007 Houston Open, 2008 AT&T Byron Nelson, 2009 Valero Texas Open, 2014 Fort Worth Invitational). A number of other players, many of them Hall of Famers, have won three titles. Here are the players who have won three of the four events along with the missing link:

 

Player	Missing Tournament Victory
Bruce Crampton	AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Ben Crenshaw	Houston Open
Roberto De Vicenzo	Valero Texas Open
Bruce Devlin	Valero Texas Open
Ben Hogan	Houston Open
Gene Littler	AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Phil Mickelson	Valero Texas Open
Byron Nelson	Fort Worth Invitational
Corey Pavin	AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Arnold Palmer	AT&T Byron Nelson Championship
Nick Price	Houston Open
Sam Snead	Houston Open
Mike Souchak	AT&T Byron Nelson Championship

 

Champions’ Choice Invitations

• Every year, past champions of the Fort Worth Invitational select two deserving young players to compete in the event, who otherwise would not have been eligible.
• It’s a unique TOUR tradition known as the Champions’ Choice invitation.
• Pros who made their first start at Colonial as a Champions’ Choice include Tom Weiskopf, Craig Stadler, Curtis Strange, Mark O’Meara, Paul Azinger and Davis Love III.
• Dave Stockton won the event as a Champions Choice in 1967 and six other choices have eventually won the event during their careers, most recently 2016 champion Jordan Spieth.
• This year’s recipients are Sam Burns and Joaquin Niemann.
• The former LSU All-America Burns is fifth on the Web.com Tour money list with a win at the Savannah Golf Championship while the 19-year-old Niemann finished sixth in his professional debut last month at the Valero Texas Open.
• Niemann, a native of Chile, is the former world No. 1-ranked amateur and competed in this year’s Masters Tournament after capturing the Latin American Amateur.

 

Fort Worth Invitational one of the TOUR’s longest running events

• The Fort Worth Invitational dates back to 1946 and holds the distinction of being the longest-run event on the PGA TOUR to be contested on the same layout, and the 10^th oldest overall. Since its inception in 1946, the Invitational has produced an impressive list of champions that few other events can match, with such legends as Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer having donned the Scottish royal tartan plaid jacket.
• The TOUR’s oldest events are as follows:

 

Rank	Event	Established
1.	BMW Championship (Western Open)	1899
2.	RBC Canadian Open	1904
3.	Valero Texas Open	1922
4.	Genesis Open	1926
5.	Waste Management Phoenix Open	1935
6.	AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am	1937
7.	Wyndham Championship	1938
	Zurich Classic of New Orleans	1938
9.	AT&T Byron Nelson	1944
10.	Fort Worth Invitational	1946
	Houston Open	1946

 

History Abounds at Colonial Country Club

Colonial Country Club is a traditional layout that was built in 1936. Its fame skyrocketed after hosting the 1941 U.S. Open, marking the first time the USGA had hosted their premier event south of the Mason-Dixon Line. That tournament, won by Craig Wood, was such a success that it spawned the creation of what is now the Fort Worth Invitational in 1946. Among the highlights of the famed club are:

• Colonial Country Club celebrated its jubilee 75^th anniversary in 2011.
• Hometown favorite Ben Hogan won the first two Invitationals on his way to a career-total five wins at the event, earning it the nickname “Hogan’s Alley.”
• No other course has hosted a U.S. Open (1941), PLAYERS Championship (1975) and annual PGA TOUR event (1946-present).
• The Wall of Champions, located on the first tee, honors the name and score of each champion dating back to the 1941 U.S. Open. The Wall was erected in 1975 prior to THE PLAYERS.

 

Charity and the Fort Worth Invitational

• The Fort Worth Invitational remains a leader in giving back to communities, generating a tournament-record $13 million in 2017 alone for Tarrant County charities.
• The Fort Worth Invitational has helped generate cash and services for more than 150 different organizations in the last 25 years totaling more than $100 million.
• The donations and activities focus on children and support a variety of programs, including camp scholarships for disabled, special needs or low-income children, residency programs/services for abused, neglected and at-risk children, cultural programs/field trips for underserved students, college scholarships, educational mentoring programs, medical diagnostic and treatment services for disabled and low-income children, afterschool programs, support services for homeless families and much more.

 

Ben Hogan Award Presentation

• The Fort Worth Invitational will once again host the Ben Hogan Award ceremony, a black-tie event on Monday, May 21, to recognize the top collegiate golfer of the year.
• The Heisman Trophy-like ceremony will honor three finalists (Doug Ghim, Collin Morikawa, Braden Thornberry), with the winner revealed at the end of the ceremony.
• Past recipients of the award include D.J. Trahan (Clemson, 2002), Ricky Barnes (Arizona, 2003), Hunter Mahan (Oklahoma State, 2003), Bill Haas (Wake Forest, 2004), Ryan Moore (UNLV, 2005), Matt Every (Florida, 2006), Chris Kirk (Georgia, 2007), Rickie Fowler (Oklahoma State, 2008), Kyle Stanley (Clemson, 2009), Nick Taylor (Washington, 2010), Peter Uihlein (Oklahoma State, 2011), Patrick Cantlay (UCLA, 2012), Chris Williams (Washington, 2013), Patrick Rodgers (Stanford, 2014), Jon Rahm (Arizona State, 2015 and 2016) and Maverick McNealy (Stanford, 2017).

via PGA TOUR