HP Byron Nelson Championship Notes

image2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship Notes

Dates: May 14-20, 2012
Where: TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas; Irving, TX
Par/Yards: 35-35—70/7,166
Field: 156;
Format: 72-hole stroke play
Defending Champion: Keegan Bradley
FedExCup: 500 points to winner;
Purse: $6,500,000;
Winner’s Share: $1,170,000
Twitter: @hpbnc
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hpbnc

How the HP Byron Nelson Championship was won in 2011
After entering the final round trailing Ryan Palmer by four strokes, Keegan Bradley carded a 2-under 68 to finish regulation tied with Palmer at 3-under 277. He then two-putted for par from 54’ 6” to defeat Palmer on the first hole of a playoff to win the 2011 HP Byron Nelson Championship, winning his first-career playoff and becoming the first rookie winner of the event.

More on Keegan Bradley and the HP Byron Nelson Championship

  • Bradley’s score of 3-under-par was the highest in relation to par at the event since Bruce Lietzke’s 1¬over-par score in 1981. His winning score was the highest in relation to par in a “non-major” since David Duval’s 3-under winning score at the 1999 PLAYERS Championship.
  • Bradley’s win was the seventh consecutive on TOUR in 2011 decided in a playoff or by one stroke (dating to the Valero Texas Open). It was the 20th playoff at the HP Byron Nelson Championship.
  • Bradley notched his first-career win at the age of 24 years, 11 months and 22 days. He later added the PGA Championship at the age of 25 years, 2 months and 7 days.
  • Bradley became the second consecutive player to win the event in his first start (Jason Day-2010) and the event’s first-ever rookie winner.
  • In 2012, Bradley 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.

FedExCup and the HP Byron Nelson Championship

Twelve players inside the top 30 in the FedExCup standings are in the field. Phil Mickelson (4) leads a group of four players inside the top 10, including Carl Pettersson (5), Johnson Wagner (6) and Jason Dufner (9). Last year, Keegan Bradley carried his win at the event to an eventual 20th place finish in the FedExCup.

Together, Anything’s Possible at the HP Byron Nelson Championship

As the PGA TOUR nears the $2 billion mark in charitable giving, the HP Byron Nelson Championship remains a leader in giving back to communities, raising $5.15 million in 2011 alone. Over the last 44 years, the HP Byron Nelson Championship has raised more than $121 million to help children & families in the area. Net proceeds from the event support the work of Salesmanship Club Youth and Family Centers.

A glance at the field (as of May 11 at 5 p.m.)

  • Seven of the top 25 players in the Official World Golf Rankings are in the field: Phil Mickelson (10), Adam Scott (12), Louis Oosthuizen (13), Jason Day (15), Matt Kuchar (16), Jason Dufner (20) and Keegan Bradley (22).
  • Nine former HP Byron Nelson Championship winners: Keegan Bradley (2011), Jason Day (2010), Rory Sabbatini (2009), Adam Scott (2008), Scott Verplank (2007), Brett Wetterich (2006), Vijay Singh (2003), Phil Mickelson (1996) and Ernie Els (1995).
  • Seven PGA TOUR winners in 2012: Johnson Wagner (Sony Open in Hawaii), Phil Mickelson (AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am), John Huh (Mayakoba Golf Classic), Carl Pettersson (RBC Heritage), Ben Curtis (Valero Texas Open), Jason Dufner (Zurich Classic of New Orleans), Matt Kuchar (THE PLAYERS).
  • 2007 HP Byron Nelson Championship winner Scott Verplank will be making his 26th start at the event. Just three players have more starts (28-Lanny Wadkins and Tom Watson; 27–Ben Crenshaw).
  • 1995 HP Byron Nelson Championship winner Ernie Els will make his first visit to the event since a T13 in 2006. He owns four top-10 finishes in eight starts (1-1995, T4-2002, T7-2004, T10-2005).
  • Phil Mickelson will be making his 14th start at the HP Byron Nelson Championship and first since a T3 finish in 2007. His win in 1996 is one of four top-10 finishes at the event (1-1996, T6-1998, T2-2000, T3-2007).

Miscellaneous Tournament Notes

  • The 2007 win for Dallas resident Scott Verplank came in his 21st appearance in the event, the most starts by a winner claiming his first HP Byron Nelson Championship. Loren Roberts won in his 17th start in 1999.
  • 2011 champion Keegan Bradley is one of just six past winners of the HP Byron Nelson Championship in the last 17 years who failed to record all four rounds in the 60s (Bradley-2011, Jason Day-2010, Adam Scott-2008, Brett Wetterich-2006, Sergio Garcia-2004 and Jesper Parnevik-2000.
  • The course record of 61 has been posted on four occasions: Billy Mayfair (1993), Charlie Rymer (1996), Justin Leonard (2001) and Cameron Beckman (2010).
  • The tournament scoring record of 261 was set by Rory Sabbatini in 2009.
  • Only two have won the tournament in wire-to-wire fashion – Mark Hayes in 1976 and Tom Watson in 1980. (Note: Complete first-round scores are not available for the inaugural event in 1944, which was won by Byron Nelson).
  • Dating to 2000, there have been seven 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).
  • 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).

Remembering Byron Nelson
The HP Byron Nelson Championship celebrates the life and legacy of Byron Nelson, 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.
  • Above and beyond his accomplishments on the golf course, Nelson (who passed away in 2006) is universally regarded as one of the game’s true gentlemen.
  • The tournament has several ways of honoring Nelson:
    • The Byron Nelson International Junior Golf Awards, which recognizes the achievements of junior golfers around the world.
    • 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) and this year’s recipient Nancy Lopez. Lopez is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and has been named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year twice. She owns 48 career wins on the LPGA Tour.
    • Each year the Salesmanship Club makes a $100,000 contribution to the charity of the Prize recipient’s choice. Lopez has chosen AIM for the Handicapped to receive the charitable contribution.

Source: PGA TOUR

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