Byron Nelson Championship Notes – 2014

Dates: May 12-18, 2014
Where: TPC Four Seasons Resort; Irving, Texas
Par/Yards: 35-35—70/7,166
Format: 72-hole stroke play; Field: 156
FedExCup: 500 points to winner
Purse: $6.9 million ($1,242,000 to the winner)
Defending Champion: Sang-Moon Bae
Twitter: @hpbnc; Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hpbnc

A look back at the 2013 HP Byron Nelson Championship

• Keegan Bradley entered the final round of the 2013 HP Byron Nelson Championship with a one-stroke lead over Sang-Moon Bae, but a final-round 3-under 69 for Bae led to a two-stroke win over the 2011 PGA Championship winner.
• The win was the first of his career.More on Bae and the HP Byron Nelson Championship
• Bae’s victory came at the age of 26 years, 10 months and 29 days.
• Bae won in his first career start at the event. Three of the last four champions of the HP Byron Nelson Championship won in their first start (Jason Day/2010, Keegan Bradley/2011, Sang-Moon Bae/2013).
• Bae became the fourth of five Korean-born players to win on TOUR, joining K.J. Choi (8), Y.E. Yang (2), Kevin Na and most recently Zurich Classic of New Orleans winner Seung-Yul Noh. He became the sixth of seven players of Korean descent to win, joining Choi, Yang, Na, Anthony Kim, John Huh and Noh.
• Bae became the first Korean to win the HP Byron Nelson Championship and the second Asian-born player (Shigeki Maruyama/2002).
• Notched the fifth come-from-behind victory in the last six years at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
• Became the 13th (out of the last 19 winners at the event) champion to record all four rounds in the 60s.
• Bae will attempt to become the first repeat winner of the HP Byron Nelson Championship since Tom Watson won three in a row from 1978-80.A glance at the field
• The Jordan Spieth story comes full circle, as the Dallas native returns to play in the event where he made his PGA TOUR debut at the age of 16 in 2010, finishing T16.
• The 20-year-old will be playing the HP Byron Nelson Championship for the fourth time (2010, 2011, 2013) and the first time since:
  • Becoming youngest PGA TOUR winner since 1931 at the 2013 John Deere Classic
  • Qualifying for the FedExCup Playoff finale, the TOUR Championship
  • Earning a Captain’s Pick for the U.S. 2013 Presidents Cup Team
  • Being voted 2013 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year
• Spieth is enjoying a prolific second season on TOUR as he has notched six top-10 finishes in 14 starts including a tie for second in his Masters Tournament debut and a tie for fourth at THE PLAYERS, playing in the final pairing with eventual champion Martin Kaymer.
• Martin Kaymer, winner of last week’s PLAYERS Championship, will be making his second start at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. A year ago, four rounds in the 60s (68-67-69-68) led to a T5 finish. Kaymer is just the fourth player to have a major championship (2010 PGA Championship), a World Golf Championship (2011 HSBC Champions) and THE PLAYERS (2014) on his resume.
• Six of the top 10 in the FedExCup standings, including top-ranked Jimmy Walker, #3 Matt Kuchar, #4 Patrick Reed, #5 Dustin Johnson, #6 Jordan Spieth, #7 Harris English.
• Ten of top 30 in the Official World Golf Ranking, including #5 Matt Kuchar, #8 Jordan Spieth, #14 Dustin Johnson, #17 Jimmy Walker, #18 Charl Schwartzel, #20 Jason Dufner, #21 Keegan Bradley, #24 Patrick Reed, #27 Brandt Snedeker, #28 Martin Kaymer.
• Nine TOUR winners this season, accounting for 12 wins: Jimmy Walker (3), Patrick Reed (2), Ryan Moore, Dustin Johnson, Harris English, John Senden, Steven Bowditch, Matt Kuchar, Martin Kaymer.
• 15 major champions: Padraig Harrington (3), Vijay Singh (3), Angel Cabrera (2), Retief Goosen (2), Keegan Bradley, Ben Curtis, Jason Dufner, David Duval, Trevor Immelman, Martin Kaymer, Justin Leonard, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, David Toms, Mike Weir.
  Neal Lancaster (1994), Robert Damron (2001), Ted Purdy (2005), Brett Wetterich (2006), Jason Day (2010), Keegan Bradley (2011), Sang-Moon Bae (2013).
• The current course record of 60 was set by Keegan Bradley in 2013. Arron Oberholser also shot 60 when the tournament was contested at Cottonwood Valley in 2006.
• The tournament scoring record of 261 was set by Rory Sabbatini in 2009.
• Only two have won the event in wire-to-wire fashion – Mark Hayes/1976 and Tom Watson/1980. (Note: Complete first-round scores are not available for the inaugural event in 1944, won by Byron Nelson).
• Dating to 2000, there have been eight international-born winners of the championship (2000-Jesper Parnevik, 2002-Shigeki Maruyama, 2003-Vijay Singh, 2004-Sergio Garcia, 2008-Adam Scott, 2009-Rory Sabbatini, 2010-Jason Day, 2013-Sang-Moon Bae).
• Just seven players (eight total wins) have carried the opening-day lead on to victory: Jason Day (2010), Scott Simpson (1993), Tom Watson (1979, 1980), Mark Hayes (1976), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1972), Earl Stewart (1961) and Don January (1956).Five past HP Byron Nelson Championship winners: Sang-Moon Bae (2013), Jason Dufner (2012), Keegan Bradley (2011), Rory Sabbatini (2009), Vijay Singh (2003).
• Miscellaneous Tournament Notes
  • Just six past winners of the HP Byron Nelson Championship in the last 18 years were unable to record all four rounds in the 60s (Keegan Bradley-2011, Jason Day-2010, Adam Scott-2008, Brett Wetterich-2006, Sergio Garcia-2004 and Jesper Parnevik-2000).
  • There have been 11 players that have claimed their first TOUR win at the HP Byron Nelson Championship: Don January (1956), Johnny Pott (1960), Charles Coody (1964), Mark Hayes (1976), Neal Lancaster (1994), Robert Damron (2001), Ted Purdy (2005), Brett Wetterich (2006), Jason Day (2010), Keegan Bradley (2011), Sang-Moon Bae (2013).
  • The current course record of 60 was set by Keegan Bradley in 2013. Arron Oberholser also shot 60 when the tournament was contested at Cottonwood Valley in 2006.
  • The tournament scoring record of 261 was set by Rory Sabbatini in 2009.
  • Only two have won the event in wire-to-wire fashion – Mark Hayes/1976 and Tom Watson/1980. (Note: Complete first-round scores are not available for the inaugural event in 1944, won by Byron Nelson).
  • Dating to 2000, there have been eight international-born winners of the championship (2000-Jesper Parnevik, 2002-Shigeki Maruyama, 2003-Vijay Singh, 2004-Sergio Garcia, 2008-Adam Scott, 2009-Rory Sabbatini, 2010-Jason Day, 2013-Sang-Moon Bae).
  • Just seven players (eight total wins) have carried the opening-day lead on to victory: Jason Day (2010), Scott Simpson (1993), Tom Watson (1979, 1980), Mark Hayes (1976), Chi Chi Rodriguez (1972), Earl Stewart (1961) and Don January (1956).Third of Four-Leg Texas Swing
  • The HP Byron Nelson Championship is the third of four legs of the Texas Swing on the PGA TOUR, with Matt Jones winning the Shell Houston Open and Steven Bowditch winning the Valero Texas Open.
  • No player has ever won the Texas Grand Slam, but a number of players, many of them Hall of Famers, have won three titles.
  • Here are the players who have won three of the four Texas events along with the missing link:
    

    Player	Missing Tournament Victory
    Bruce Crampton	HP Byron Nelson Championship
    Ben Crenshaw	Shell Houston Open
    Roberto De Vicenzo	Valero Texas Open
    Bruce Devlin	Valero Texas Open
    Ben Hogan	Shell Houston Open
    Gene Littler	HP Byron Nelson Championship
    Phil Mickelson	Valero Texas Open
    Byron Nelson	Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
    Corey Pavin	HP Byron Nelson Championship
    Arnold Palmer	HP Byron Nelson Championship
    Nick Price	Shell Houston Open
    Sam Snead	Shell Houston Open
    Mike Souchak	HP Byron Nelson Championship
    Adam Scott	Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial

    Remembering Byron Nelson
    The HP Byron Nelson Championship celebrates the life and legacy of Byron Nelson. Above and beyond his accomplishments on the golf course, Nelson (who passed away in 2006) is universally regarded as one of the game’s most respected and revered individuals.

  • Nelson reached the pinnacle of his golfing career in 1945, winning 18 tournaments, including a record 11-tournament winning streak that will likely stand the test of time.
  • Throughout his relatively brief career, he won 54 times, including the 1939 U.S. Open, 1937 and 1942 Masters Tournaments, and the 1940 and 1945 PGA Championships.
  • The tournament has several ways of honoring Nelson:
    • The Byron Nelson Prize sponsored by the T. Boone Pickens Foundation, awarded each year to a person or organization in the golf world who exemplifies the ideals of sportsmanship, integrity and philanthropy. Past winners of the Byron Nelson Prize include Tom Lehman (2007), Ken Venturi (2008), Arnold Palmer (2009), Tom Watson (2010), Deane Beman (2011), Nancy Lopez (2012).
  • The Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Award recognizes the achievements of junior golfers around the world, with 2014 recipients including George Cunningham, Doug Ghim, Matthew Perrine, Scottie Scheffler, Austen Truslow.
    

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

    Miscellaneous 2013-14 Notes

  • Jimmy Walker (3), Patrick Reed (2) and Bubba Watson (2) are the only multiple winners, with Chesson Hadley the lone rookie to win.
  • Through THE PLAYERS, 20 of the 26 PGA TOUR wins have come from U.S.-born players, with the five international winners hailing from South Korea (Seung-Yul Noh) and Australia (Jason Day/World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, John Senden/Valspar Championship, Steven Bowditch/Valero Texas Open, Matt Jones/Shell Houston Open, Martin Kaymer/THE PLAYERS).
  • First-time winners include Jimmy Walker, Kevin Stadler, Chesson Hadley, Matt Every, Steven Bowditch, Matt Jones and Seung-Yul Noh.
  • Low final rounds for winners this year have included a 63 (Jimmy Walker/Sony Open in Hawaii), a 64 (Bubba Watson/Northern Trust Open; Matt Kuchar/RBC Heritage) and a 65 (Harris English/OHL Classic at Mayakoba).
  • Through THE PLAYERS, 11 of the 22 different winners in 2013-14 have been under the age of 30: Webb Simpson/Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, Chris Kirk/The McGladrey Classic, Dustin Johnson/WGC-HSBC Champions, Harris English/ OHL Classic at Mayakoba, Patrick Reed/Humana Challenge and WGC-Cadillac Championship, Scott Stallings/Farmers Insurance Open, Jason Day/World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, Russell Henley/The Honda Classic, Chesson Hadley/Puerto Rico Open, Seung-Yul Noh (Zurich Classic of New Orleans), Martin Kaymer/THE PLAYERS.
  • Seven players currently under the age of 30 have at least three PGA TOUR wins: Dustin Johnson (8), Rory McIlroy (6), Webb Simpson (4), Keegan Bradley (3), Anthony Kim (3), Scott Stallings (3) and Patrick Reed (3).