AT&T Byron Nelson: Who to back and how to watch

The PGA Tour heads to Trinity Forest in Dallas this week for the AT&T Byron Nelson, a new venue for 2018. Here’s who to back, and how to watch this week. 

Jordan Spieth headlines the field at Trinity Forest this week as just six players inside the World’s top 50 week head to the course hosting its first professional tournament. The World No.3 has already said he feels he holds an advantage over everybody else in the field this week – most likely because his coach Cameron McCormick is based at the course playing host to the AT&T Byron Nelson.

“I feel as good about my golf game right now as I have in two plus years,” he said on Sunday night after a disappointing final hole at The Players dropped him to T41.

“I’m going to a few places in a row that I really love. I have a significant advantage next week, an advantage over anybody else in the field… I’m ready to win golf tournaments.“

The 7380 yard par-71 opened in 2016, but the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw design shouldn’t fool anyone with its name. Despite being surrounded by a forest, the course has very few trees and describes itself as resembling “many of the great old courses of the Northeast and Great Britain, featuring a links style course on a rolling meadow with tall native grasses and dramatic bunkering and green complexes.” 

With that in mind, expect players who perform well around the greens to do well here. So who should you back?

AT&T Byron Nelson: How To Watch

Thursday & Friday 
Featured Groups: Live PGA Tour, Sky Sports Golf (17:00)
Live Coverage: Sky Sports Golf (21:00), Sky Sports Main Event (22:30)

Saturday 
Sky Sports Golf (18:00), Sky Sports Main Event (21:30)

Sunday 
Sky Sports Golf (18:00), Sky Sports Main Event (19:30)

AT&T Byron Nelson: Who To Back

Jordan Spieth: 
The highest ranked player in the field, Spieth is coming in hot, and is probably one of the only players in the field with any knowledge of the course. If it hadn’t been for a quadruple bogey on the 72nd hole of the Players he would have finished a lot higher than T41, and his previous two results were back-to-back 3rd place finishes at The Masters and Houston Open. Providing his putter cooperates, he’ll be hard to beat. Ranks 2nd on Tour for SG: Tee to Green, 3rd for GIR, and inside the top 10 for Scoring Average, Birdie Average, SG: Around the green and SG: Approach to green. 

Jimmy Walker: 
The 2016 PGA Championship finished in 2nd place at last week’s Players Championships, which followed an impressive 4th place showing at the Valero Texas Open so he could be a big factor this week. No particular stand-out stats, but is ranked 4th in overall putting average and is a collective 40-under-par for his last 12 rounds. Finished 2nd here in 2015.

Billy Horschel:
Defending champion Billy Horschel comes in to the Texas event in solid form, having followed up a T5 at the RBC Heritage with T11 at the Valero Texas Open, a win at the Zurich Classic with partner Scott Piercy and a T35 finish at last week’s Players Championship.  

Charles Howell III:
His T17 finish at the Players Champion last week was his fifth finish inside the top 21 in his last six starts, which includes a T9 at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play. Ranked 14th for GIR, 15th for total birdies and 19th for Scoring Average (actual). 

Matt Kuchar: 
T17 at the Players Championship was his best result since T8 in Houston, but Kuchar has been a consistent performer (as always) this season, having not missed a cut since the Houston Open in 2017. A good record here, having had three top 10s in his last four starts (T9 last year). Ranks 22nd in proximity to the hole stats and 13th for approaches inside 100 yards. 

Adam Scott:
A good outing at last weeks Players Championship saw Adam Scott finish T11, his third T15 in his last seven starts. The former major and 2008 Byron Nelson champion has slipped to No.65 in the World Rankings, but is still ranked inside the top 20 on tour for GIR, SG: Tee to Green and SG: Approach to Green. 

Sergio Garcia: 
Has struggled with form since missing the cut at The Masters with two MC and a 70th place at last week’s Players, but prior to that had three consecutive top 10s and won this event both in 2004 and 2016. Ranks 4th SG: Approach to Green and 13th SG: Tee to Green.

Chez Reavie:
T30 at the Players was his best result since T29 at WGC Matchplay and back-to-back runner-up finishes early in the year at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and at&t Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Standout stat is 3rd rank in Driving Accuracy, and is inside the top 22 on Tour for GIR, Scoring Average (actual) and SG: Approach to Green.

Branden Grace: 
Two top 10s this season across PGA and European Tours, which includes a T8 at the Valspar Championship in March. Debut at the Byron Nelson, but hasn’t missed a cut on any tour since the Northern Trust in August, and ranks 6th SG:Putting. 

Beau Hossler: 
Nearly won in Houston and has since gone T16-T51-T34-T46. Ranks 4th for total birdies and 32nd in SG: Putting.