2019 Charles Schwab Challenge Preview

Dates: May 20-26, 2019 Where: Fort Worth, Texas Course: Colonial Country Club
Par/Yardage: 35-35—70/7,209 yards
Defending champion: Justin Rose
Purse: $7,300,000 ($1,314,000/winner);
FedExCup: 500 points to the winner
Field size: 122
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Twitter: @CSChallengeFW;
Facebook: CharlesSchwabChallenge;
Instagram: Charles_Schwab_Challenge

Things to Know

• Charles Schwab takes over sponsorship of the longest-run event on the PGA TOUR to be contested on the same layout
• Justin Rose bids to join Ben Hogan as the only back-to-back winners of the Charles Schwab Challenge
• Prior to T32 in 2018, 2016 champion Jordan Spieth finished no worse than T15 in five previous starts at Colonial
• Notables making first start at the event: Cameron Champ, Martin Kaymer, Francesco Molinari
• The Charles Schwab Challenge raised a record $14.8 million for local charities in 2018
• Tournament-week festivities include Monday night’s Ben Hogan Award ceremony, with the 2019 winner to be decided between California’s Collin Morikawa and Oklahoma State’s Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff

Notes on the Field

• Four of the top 10 in the FedExCup standings: Xander Schauffele (3), Paul Casey (6), Rickie Fowler (7), Jon Rahm (9)
• Six FedExCup champions: Jim Furyk (2010), Bill Haas (2011), Brandt Snedeker (2012), Billy Horschel (2014), Jordan Spieth (2014-15), Justin Rose (2017-18)
• Seven of the top 13 in the Official World Golf Ranking, led by defending champion Justin Rose (3), Francesco Molinari (7), Bryson DeChambeau (8), Xander Schauffele (9), Rickie Fowler (10), Jon Rahm (11), Paul Casey (13)
• Eleven past Charles Schwab Challenge champions: Justin Rose (2018), Kevin Kisner (2017), Jordan Spieth (2016), Boo Weekley (2013), Zach Johnson (2010, 2012), David Toms (2011), Rory Sabbatini (2007), Tim Herron (2006), Kenny Perry (2003, 2005), Tom Purtzer (1991), Keith Clearwater (1987)

A look back at Justin Rose’s victory at the 2018 Charles Schwab Challenge

Pos.	Player	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Justin Rose	66	64	66	64	260 (-20)
2	Brooks Koepka	70	63	67	63	263 (-17)
3	Emiliano Grillo	64	67	69	64	264 (-16)
4	Kevin Na	62	73	70	61	266 (-14)

• Reigning FedExCup champion in search of his 11^th PGA TOUR victory
• Wins (10): 2010 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide, 2010 The National, 2011 BMW Championship, 2012 WGC-Mexico Championship, 2013 U.S. Open, 2014 The National, 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2017 WGC-HSBC Champions, 2018 Charles Schwab Challenge, 2019 Farmers Insurance Open
• Tied career-low 72-hole score (260/2017 Sony Open in Hawaii) en route to victory in 2018
• Established the second-lowest 72-hole score in Charles Schwab Challenge history (Zach Johnson/259/2010)
• Tied Nick Faldo for the most PGA TOUR victories by an Englishman since 1983 (9), later adding his 10^th title at the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open
• Recorded the fifth win by an international player at the Charles Schwab Challenge since 2000 (Sergio Garcia/2001, Nick Price/2002, Rory Sabbatini/2007, Adam Scott/2014, Rose/2018)
• Became the 25^th champion of the Charles Schwab Challenge to have held the 36-hole lead/co-lead and 36^th to have held the 54-hole lead/co-lead
• Moved to 4/14 during his career with the 54-hole lead/co-lead (2010 The National, 2011 BMW Championship, 2015 Zurich Classic of New Orleans, 2018 Charles Schwab Challenge)
• Is seeking to join Ben Hogan as the only players to win back-to-back Charles Schwab Challenges, with Hogan performing the feat twice (1946-47 and 1952-53).

More On Justin Rose

The Charles Schwab Challenge and the FedExCup/Wyndham Rewards

• The Charles Schwab Challenge is the 31^st event in the 2018-19 FedExCup season
• Chris Kirk (2015) is the only past champion of the Charles Schwab Challenge during the FedExCup era (since 2007) who did not qualify for the season-ending TOUR Championship
• Justin Rose (2018) went on to win the FedExCup the same year he won the Charles Schwab Challenge

Wyndham Rewards Top 10

Current top 10 in the FedExCup standings

Position	Player	Points	Wins	Top-10s	Points Behind	Starts	Projected Bonus
1	Matt Kuchar	2,110	2	7	—	14	$2 million
2	Brooks Koepka	1,856	2	5	254	12	$1.5 million
3	Xander Schauffele	1,615	2	4	495	13	$1.2 million
4	Rory McIlroy	1,612	1	9	498	11	$1.1 million
5	Dustin Johnson	1,572	1	7	538	11	$1.0 million
6	Paul Casey	1,398	1	5	712	14	$850,000
7	Rickie Fowler	1,217	1	5	893	12	$700,000
8	Gary Woodland	1,182	0	7	928	16	$600,000
9	Jon Rahm	1,136	1	8	974	13	$550,000
10	Charles Howell III	1,100	1	4	1,010	18	$500,000

Additional Player Notes

• 12-time TOUR winner and two-time Charles Schwab Challenge champion (2010, 2012) Zach Johnson has finished outside the top 30 just three times in 13 starts at the event, including his first missed cut in 2018. Here’s a look at Johnson’s five top-10 finishes at the event: 3-2013, Won-2012, 4-2011, Won-2010, T9-2009.
• Ryan Palmer, who plays out of Colonial Country Club, has finished inside the top 15 four out of his last seven starts at the Charles Schwab Challenge (MC-2018, T70-2017, T3-2016, MC-2015, T5-2014, T14-2013, T5-2012).
• Two-time Hogan Award winner (given annually onsite Monday of the Charles Schwab Challenge) Jon Rahm owns two top-5 finishes in as many starts at the event (T5-2018, T2-2017).
• Jordan Spieth finished T32 at the 2018 Charles Schwab Challenge after not finishing worse than T14 in five previous starts at the event (T2/2017, Won/2016, T2/2015, T14/2014, T7/2013).

Miscellaneous Tournament Notes

• Adam Scott is the only player to win the Texas Grand Slam (traditional four events – 2007 Houston Open, 2008 AT&T Byron Nelson, 2010 Valero Texas Open, 2014 Charles Schwab Challenge).
• Zach Johnson set the 72-hole tournament (259) at the 2010 Charles Schwab Challenge 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 Kevin Na (2018), 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 71 playings of the Charles Schwab Challenge, the third-round leader/co-leader has gone on to claim victory 36 times, most recently Justin Rose in 2018.
• Multiple winners of the Charles Schwab Challenge: Five-time winner Ben Hogan and two-time winners Billy Casper, Julius Boros, Al Geiberger, Ben Crenshaw, Bruce Lietzke, Lee Trevino, Corey Pavin, Nick Price, Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson and Zach Johnson.
• Players to win the event in their first start at Colonial: Sergio Garcia (2001) Keith Clearwater (1987), Dave Stockton (1967), Clayton Heafner (1948) and Ben Hogan (1946).
• Players who recorded their first TOUR win at the Charles Schwab Challenge: Roberto De Vicenzo (1957), Dave Stockton (1967), Rod Curl (1974), Dan Pohl (1986), Keith Clearwater (1987), Ian Baker-Finch (1989), Sergio Garcia (2001).
• Ben Hogan, in 1946, is the only player to win the AT&T Byron Nelson and Charles Schwab Challenge in the same year.

Champions’ Choice Invitations

• Every year, past champions of the Charles Schwab Challenge 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 Tucker Wadkins and Dru Love.

Charles Schwab Challenge one of the TOUR’s longest running events

• The Charles Schwab Challenge 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 Challenge has produced a 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 non-major events are as follows:

Rank	Event	Established
1.	BMW Championship	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.	Charles Schwab Challenge	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 Charles Schwab Challenge 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 Challenges 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), THE 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 1941U.S. Open. The Wall was erected in 1975 prior to THE PLAYERS.

Charity and the Charles Schwab Challenge

• The Charles Schwab Challenge remains a leader in giving back to communities, generating $13.8 million alone for Tarrant County charities via the 2018 Birdies for Charity campaign.
• The amount earned from the Birdies campaign were a major aspect of the overall record total of $14.8 million generated overall from the Charles Schwab Challenge.

Ben Hogan Award Presentation

• The Charles Schwab Challenge will once again host the Ben Hogan Award ceremony, a black-tie event on Monday, May 20, to recognize the year’s top collegiate golfer.
• The Heisman Trophy-like ceremony will honor three finalists (California’s Collin Morikawa and Oklahoma State’s Viktor Hovland and Matthew Wolff), with the winner revealed at the end of the ceremony.
• Past award winners 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), Maverick McNealy (Stanford, 2017) and Doug Ghim (Texas, 2018).

The 2019 Charles Schwab Challenge Preview is via PGA TOUR.