This week's AT&T Byron Nelson marks the last edition of the event at TPC Four Seasons before it moves to Trinity Forest next year. I don't think there will be many tears from players over the move, but it does represent the end of an era -- the tournament has been played at TPC Four Seasons since 1994. Tiger Woods won here. So did Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. But there will be only one more in a long line of them, and he will raise the trophy on Sunday. The only question is who?
Let's take a look at this week's contest.
Event information
What: AT&T Byron Nelson | Where: Irving, Texas | When: May 18-21
Participants and odds
- Dustin Johnson: 9-2
- Jordan Spieth: 12-1
- Sergio Garcia: 12-1
- Brooks Koepka: 14-1
- Jason Day: 16-1
- Patrick Reed: 28-1
- Louis Oosthuizen: 33-1
- Tony Finau: 33-1
Field strength: B
This is a surprisingly impressive field boosted by the fact that Spieth is playing for his hometown and Garcia is playing because he's the defending champion (although he normally plays this course every year). No. 1-ranked Johnson being there helps as well. After that top tier, though, it drops off quite a bit. While we're talking about top tiers, when is the last time Jason Day was that low of a favorite in this type of field? Behind Brooks Koepka and Sergio Garcia? Wow.
Three stories to watch
1. Jordan Spieth's last chance: Spieth said on Tuesday that he wanted to win this tournament before it moves to Trinity Forest next year.
"I know this week being last time being here, that will strike some feels," Spieth said. "But it's still a really fun week that I've learned to enjoy more than put that pressure on myself. Even when I've been in contention, I've learned to enjoy having that with everybody around and it's helped me just have a better time this week. I (would) really like to get my name there by Byron's statue after coming out and looking at all those names for so many years."
2. Sergio Garcia's defense: Garcia has won at this course twice (including in a playoff last year against Brooks Koepka) so he's bummed to say so long to the tournament at this course.
"I'm going to be sad to leave here because it's a place, like I said before, not only because I won twice here and I've done well but it's where I started my PGA Tour career as a professional," Garcia said.
"It's always going to have something extra special in me, this golf course. "So, yeah, it will be a little bit sad, no doubt about it. I'm sure the new place we're moving to, it's going to be amazing, too. But there's always going to be like I said, you know, the opening ceremony of the tournament, a little piece of heart is always going to stay here no matter where we go. But we're excited about coming last week here and hope to make the most of it."
Garcia can join Sam Snead and Tom Watson as the only three-time winners of this tournament.
3. U.S. Open watch: The top 60 in the Official World Golf Rankings after this tournament get an automatic bid into the U.S. Open. Players can still get into the top 60 by June 12, but even if you drop out of the top 60 after this week, you're still in at Erin Hills.
Past winners
- 2016: Sergio Garcia
- 2015: Steven Bowditch
- 2014: Brendon Todd
- 2013: Sang Moon Bae
- 2012: Jason Dufner
Adam Scott, Scott Verplank, Keegan Bradley and Jason Day are all recent winners here as well. An interesting, and possibly a bit odd, list.
Let's look at the picks this week.
Winner: Tony Finau is somebody I'm all in on. Finau is top five on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee, is coming off a top 10 at the Texas Open and has two top 12s in two appearances here. Odds: 33-1
Top 10: Dustin Johnson is my pick every week for top 10, but how can you not pick him right now? He's never missed a cut here and has finished in the top 20 in five of the seven times he's played this event. There will be fireworks. Odds: 9-2
Sleeper: Kevin Tway has five consecutive top-five finishes, and he's barely a sleeper at 50-1. He was cut here in his only appearance back in 2014, but I expect another solid showing this time around. Odds: 50-1
