The Byron Nelson

This article is about the golf tournament on the PGA Tour. For the LPGA Tour golf tournament, see Mary Kay Classic.

The Byron Nelson

Tournament information
Location	McKinney, Texas
Established	1944[1]
Course(s)	TPC Craig Ranch
Par	72
Length	7,468 yards (6,829 m)
Organized by	Salesmanship Club of Dallas
Tour(s)	PGA Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$9,500,000
Month played	May
Tournament record score
Aggregate	261 Rory Sabbatini (2009) 261 Aaron Wise (2018) 261 Kang Sung-hoon (2019) 261 Jason Day (2023)
To par	−26 Lee Kyoung-hoon (2022)
Current champion
Taylor Pendrith
Location map
TPC Craig Ranch Location in the United States Show map of the United States TPC Craig Ranch Location in Texas Show map of Texas

The Byron Nelson is a golf tournament in Texas on the PGA Tour, currently hosted by TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, northeast of Dallas. Held in May, it is one of two PGA Tour stops in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex – which until the 2020-21 PGA Tour, was the only metropolitan area to host two events on separate courses in the area (Las Vegas and Savannah have since hosted two events on two separate courses, both of which were pandemic-related changes). The tournament is the leading fundraiser for charity on the PGA Tour and has raised more than $143 million.[2] For much of its history, it was the only PGA Tour stop named after a professional golfer, and remains one of only two such events, along with the Arnold Palmer Invitational. As host, Byron Nelson (1912–2006) commonly made appearances during the tournament. It is hosted by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, a 600-member civic organization, and has benefited the club's nonprofit Momentous Institute since its inception.[3]^[citation needed]

For its first several decades, the tournament was played at various courses in Dallas. Nelson, a Texas native raised in Fort Worth, was the tournament's first winner in 1944,[4] when it was played at Lakewood Country Club. The following year it was played at Dallas Country Club, and then in 1946 moved to Brook Hollow Golf Club. For the better part of the next decade the event was not contested, until two iterations of it were held in 1956, both at Preston Hollow Country Club. In 1957, the event moved to Glen Lake Country Club before it began a decade-long relationship with Oak Cliff Country Club, from 1958 to 1967.

In 1968, the event was renamed the Byron Nelson Golf Classic[5][6] and its title, through a series of sponsors, has continuously included Nelson's name. That same year the event moved to Preston Trail Golf Club,[6] where it was played through 1982, then moved to venues in Irving: Las Colinas Sports Club (1983–1985) and TPC at Las Colinas (1986–1993).

Beginning in 1994, the tournament was played at two courses, the Tournament Players Course and the Cottonwood Valley Course, both located at the Four Seasons. Previously only the TPC was used, but since the tournament was played in May (during the height of the North Texas storm season), the weather played havoc with the tournament in some years, causing several delays and shortened tournaments. Therefore, the decision was made to add the Cottonwood Valley course in order to shorten the amount of time needed to complete the first two rounds. The first two rounds were played on both courses (each player played one round on each course); after the cut was determined, the TPC is used exclusively for the final two rounds. However, in 2008 the tournament reverted to using only the TPC course, which was significantly renovated.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) bought the previous title sponsor, Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in mid-2008.[7] The agreement ran through 2014, with AT&T becoming the title sponsor in 2015.[8] The tournament moved from the Four Seasons course in Irving to the new Trinity Forest Golf Club, southeast of downtown Dallas, in 2018.[9] Not played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it moved north to TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney in 2021. In 2024, CJ Group replaced AT&T as title sponsor under a ten-year agreement, rebranding it as the CJ Cup Byron Nelson (reusing a title previously used for a former early-season event hosted in South Korea).[10][11]

Tournament highlights

• 1956: Peter Thomson, a five-time winner of The Open Championship shoots a final round 63, then makes birdie on the first two holes of sudden death to defeat Gene Littler and Cary Middlecoff. It was his one and only PGA Tour victory in the United States.[12]
• 1976: Mark Hayes becomes the first wire to wire winner of the Nelson.[13]
• 1981: Bruce Lietzke defeated Tom Watson in a playoff spoiling Watson's bid for a 4th straight Nelson triumph.[14]
• 1985: Bob Eastwood defeated Payne Stewart in a playoff after coming to the 72nd hole trailing Stewart by three shots. Eastwood made birdie on the final hole while Stewart made double bogey. Stewart made yet another double bogey on the first hole of sudden death to give Eastwood the title.[15]
• 1994: Neal Lancaster won the first ever six-player sudden death playoff in PGA Tour history. He made a birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Tom Byrum, Mark Carnevale, David Edwards, Yoshi Mizumaki, and David Ogrin.[16]
• 2005: Tiger Woods' record streak of 142 cuts made came to an end at this tournament.
• 2006: After graduating from Q school, Brett Wetterich's win propels him to a surprise Ryder Cup appearance.
• 2008: Australian Adam Scott sank a 48-foot putt on the third playoff hole to clinch victory over American Ryan Moore.
• 2010: At age 16, Jordan Spieth (the defending U.S. Junior Amateur champion, and a student at nearby Jesuit College Preparatory School) became the youngest player to play in the tournament, courtesy of a sponsor's exemption (the first one granted since 1995). Spieth would make the cut (becoming the sixth-youngest person in PGA Tour history to make a professional tour event cut) and finish 16th overall. (In 2011 Spieth would again be granted a sponsor's exemption and would again make the cut, finishing 32nd overall.)
• 2013: Keegan Bradley hits a course-record 60 (−10) in the first round. Bradley leads the first three rounds, but Bae Sang-moon earned the win.[17]
• 2018: Aaron Wise sets the tournament record.
• 2019: Kang Sung-hoon won his first PGA Tour title in his 159th start. Scott Piercy went bogey-free for the entire tournament, becoming the first to do so in a 72-hole PGA Tour event since Charles Howell III at the 2010 Greenbrier Classic.

Winners

Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Purse (US$)	Winner's share ($)	Ref.
CJ Cup Byron Nelson
2024	Taylor Pendrith	261	−23	1 stroke	Ben Kohles	9,500,000	1,710,000
AT&T Byron Nelson
2023	Jason Day (2)	261	−23	1 stroke	Austin Eckroat Kim Si-woo	9,500,000	1,710,000
2022	Lee Kyoung-hoon (2)	262	−26	1 stroke	Jordan Spieth	9,100,000	1,638,000
2021	Lee Kyoung-hoon	263	−25	3 strokes	Sam Burns	8,100,000	1,458,000
2020	Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic							[18]
2019	Kang Sung-hoon	261	−23	2 strokes	Matt Every Scott Piercy	7,900,000	1,422,000
2018	Aaron Wise	261	−23	3 strokes	Marc Leishman	7,700,000	1,386,000
2017	Billy Horschel	268	−12	Playoff	Jason Day	7,500,000	1,350,000
2016	Sergio García (2)	265	−15	Playoff	Brooks Koepka	7,300,000	1,314,000
2015	Steven Bowditch	259[a]	−18	4 strokes	Charley Hoffman Scott Pinckney Jimmy Walker	7,100,000	1,278,000
HP Byron Nelson Championship
2014	Brendon Todd	266	−14	2 strokes	Mike Weir	6,900,000	1,242,000
2013	Bae Sang-moon	267	−13	2 strokes	Keegan Bradley	6,700,000	1,206,000
2012	Jason Dufner	269	−11	1 stroke	Dicky Pride	6,500,000	1,170,000
2011	Keegan Bradley	277	−3	Playoff	Ryan Palmer	6,500,000	1,170,000
2010	Jason Day	270	−10	2 strokes	Blake Adams Brian Gay Jeff Overton	6,500,000	1,170,000
2009	Rory Sabbatini	261	−19	2 strokes	Brian Davis	6,500,000	1,170,000
EDS Byron Nelson Championship
2008	Adam Scott	273	−7	Playoff	Ryan Moore	6,400,000	1,152,000
2007	Scott Verplank	267	−13	1 stroke	Luke Donald	6,300,000	1,134,000
2006	Brett Wetterich	268	−12	1 stroke	Trevor Immelman	6,200,000	1,116,000
2005	Ted Purdy	265	−15	1 stroke	Sean O'Hair	6,200,000	1,116,000
2004	Sergio García	270	−10	Playoff	Robert Damron Dudley Hart	5,800,000	1,044,000
2003	Vijay Singh	265	−15	2 strokes	Nick Price	5,600,000	1,008,000
Verizon Byron Nelson Classic
2002	Shigeki Maruyama	266	−14	2 strokes	Ben Crane	4,800,000	864,000
2001	Robert Damron	263	−17	Playoff	Scott Verplank	4,500,000	810,000
GTE Byron Nelson Classic
2000	Jesper Parnevik	269	−11	Playoff	Davis Love III Phil Mickelson	4,000,000	720,000
1999	Loren Roberts	262	−18	Playoff	Steve Pate	3,000,000	540,000
GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic
1998	John Cook	265	−15	3 strokes	Fred Couples Harrison Frazar Hal Sutton	2,500,000	450,000
1997	Tiger Woods	263	−17	2 strokes	Lee Rinker	1,800,000	324,000
1996	Phil Mickelson	265	−15	2 strokes	Craig Parry	1,500,000	270,000
1995	Ernie Els	263	−17	3 strokes	Robin Freeman Mike Heinen D. A. Weibring	1,300,000	234,000
1994	Neal Lancaster	132[b]	−9	Playoff	Tom Byrum Mark Carnevale David Edwards Yoshi Mizumaki David Ogrin	1,200,000	216,000
1993	Scott Simpson	270	−10	1 stroke	Billy Mayfair Corey Pavin D. A. Weibring	1,200,000	216,000
1992	Billy Ray Brown	199[c]	−11	Playoff	Ben Crenshaw Raymond Floyd Bruce Lietzke	1,100,000	198,000
1991	Nick Price	270	−10	1 stroke	Craig Stadler	1,100,000	198,000
1990	Payne Stewart	202[c]	−8	2 strokes	Lanny Wadkins	1,000,000	180,000
1989	Jodie Mudd	265	−15	Playoff	Larry Nelson	1,000,000	180,000
1988	Bruce Lietzke (2)	271	−9	Playoff	Clarence Rose	750,000	135,000
Byron Nelson Golf Classic
1987	Fred Couples	266	−14	Playoff	Mark Calcavecchia	600,000	108,000
1986	Andy Bean	269	−11	1 stroke	Mark Wiebe	600,000	108,000
1985	Bob Eastwood	272	−8	Playoff	Payne Stewart	500,000	90,000
1984	Craig Stadler	276	−8	1 stroke	David Edwards	500,000	90,000
1983	Ben Crenshaw	273	−7	1 stroke	Brad Bryant Hal Sutton	400,000	72,000
1982	Bob Gilder	266	−14	5 strokes	Curtis Strange	350,000	63,000
1981	Bruce Lietzke	281	+1	Playoff	Tom Watson	300,000	54,000
1980	Tom Watson (4)	274	−6	1 stroke	Bill Rogers	300,000	54,000
1979	Tom Watson (3)	275	−5	Playoff	Bill Rogers	300,000	54,000
1978	Tom Watson (2)	272	−8	1 stroke	Lee Trevino	200,000	40,000
1977	Raymond Floyd	276	−8	2 strokes	Ben Crenshaw	200,000	40,000
1976	Mark Hayes	273	−11	2 strokes	Don Bies	200,000	40,000
1975	Tom Watson	269	−15	2 strokes	Bob E. Smith	175,000	35,000
1974	Buddy Allin	269	−15	4 strokes	Homero Blancas Charles Coody Lee Trevino Tom Watson	150,000	30,000
1973	Lanny Wadkins	277	−3	Playoff	Dan Sikes	150,000	30,000
1972	Chi-Chi Rodríguez	273	−7	Playoff	Billy Casper	125,000	25,000
1971	Jack Nicklaus (2)	274	−6	2 strokes	Frank Beard Jerry McGee	125,000	25,000
1970	Jack Nicklaus	274	−6	Playoff	Arnold Palmer	100,000	20,000
1969	Bruce Devlin	277	−3	1 stroke	Frank Beard Bruce Crampton	100,000	20,000
1968	Miller Barber	270	−10	1 stroke	Kermit Zarley	100,000	20,000
Dallas Open Invitational
1967	Bert Yancey	274	−10	1 stroke	Roberto De Vicenzo Kermit Zarley	100,000	20,000
1966	Roberto De Vicenzo	276	−8	1 stroke	Joe Campbell Raymond Floyd Harold Henning	85,000	15,000
1965: No tournament
1964	Charles Coody	271	−13	1 stroke	Jerry Edwards	40,000	5,800
1963: No tournament
1962	Billy Maxwell	277	−3	4 strokes	Johnny Pott	35,000	5,300
1961	Earl Stewart	278	−6	1 stroke	Gay Brewer Arnold Palmer Doug Sanders	30,000	4,300
1960	Johnny Pott	275	−5	Playoff	Ted Kroll Bo Wininger	25,000	3,500
1959	Julius Boros	274	−10	1 stroke	Dow Finsterwald Earl Stewart Bo Wininger	25,000	3,500
1958	Sam Snead (3)	272	−8	Playoff	Julius Boros John McMullin Gary Player	25,000	3,500
1957	Sam Snead (2)	264	−20	10 strokes	Bob Inman Billy Maxwell Cary Middlecoff	40,000	8,000	[19]
Texas International Open
1956 (Jun)	Peter Thomson	267	−13	Playoff	Gene Littler Cary Middlecoff	70,000	13,478	[20]
Dallas Centennial Open
1956 (May)	Don January	268	−12	1 stroke	Dow Finsterwald Doug Ford	30,000	6,000	[21]
1947-1955: No tournament
Dallas Invitational
1946	Ben Hogan	284	+4	2 strokes	Herman Keiser Paul Runyan	10,000	2,000	[22]
Dallas Open
1945	Sam Snead	276	−12	4 strokes	Jug McSpaden	10,000	2,000	[23]
Texas Victory Open
1944	Byron Nelson	276	−8	10 strokes	Jug McSpaden	10,000	2,000	[24]

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[4][25][26][27]

Multiple winners

Seven players have won this tournament more than once through 2023.

• 4 wins
  • Tom Watson: 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980
• 3 wins
  • Sam Snead: 1945, 1957, 1958
• 2 wins
  • Jack Nicklaus: 1970, 1971
  • Bruce Lietzke: 1981, 1988
  • Sergio García: 2004, 2016
  • Lee Kyoung-hoon: 2021, 2022
  • Jason Day: 2010, 2023

See also

• Dallas Open (1926)

Notes

1. The par for the final three rounds was lowered to 69 due to course flooding; the 14th hole was converted to a par 3. Aggregate score not considered as an official record.
2. Shortened to 36 holes due to weather.
3. Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.

References

1. History Archived May 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
2. "Byron Nelson | Texas Golf Hall of Fame". www.texasgolfhof.org. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
3. Our Charity Archived October 17, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
4. 2012 HP Byron Nelson Championship Media Guide
5. "Tourney named for Lord Byron". Schenectady Gazette. New York. UPI. April 23, 1968. p. 22.
6. "Byron Nelson Classic in color from Dallas". Schenectady Gazette. New York. April 27, 1968. p. 7, TV.
7. "HP becomes new sponsor of Byron Nelson Championship". PGA Tour. October 2, 2008. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
8. Nichols, Bill (May 11, 2013). "Nichols: Byron Nelson's new home should be ready when the contract with TPC expires in 2018". Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
9. Durrett, Richard (May 15, 2013). "Byron Nelson plots 2019 move". ESPN. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
10. Schupak, Adam (May 3, 2024). "CJ Cup Byron Nelson's title sponsor brings new flavor to a beloved local institution". Golfweek. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
11. Jennings, Randy (April 28, 2024). "Byron Nelson tournament offers 'something for everybody' in new CJ Group sponsorship era". Dallas News. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
12. Australian Thomson Texas Open Champ
13. Wire To Wire, It's Hayes
14. Lietzke holds off Watson
15. Eastwood takes playoff victory
16. Journeyman golfer wins big playoff
17. Hawkins, Stephen (May 20, 2013). "Sang-Moon wins the HP Byron Nelson Championship". PGA of America. Associated Press. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
18. "PGA Tour statement regarding additional tournament cancellations". PGA Tour. March 17, 2020. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
19. "Sam Sneads Wins Dallas Tourney By 10 Strokes". Park City Daily News. Bowling Green, Kentucky. Associated Press. September 16, 1957. p. 9. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
20. "Peter Thomson Wins His First U.S. Golf Match". The Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 4, 1956. p. 5. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
21. "Don January Eyes Second Big Golf Prize". The Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. May 28, 1956. p. 4. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
22. "Little Ben Hogan Takes Dallas Open". The Lewiston Daily Sun. Lewiston, Maine. Associated Press. September 30, 1946. p. 12. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
23. "Sammy Snead Wins Dallas Open Golf". Lodi News-Sentinel. Lodi, California. United Press. September 10, 1945. p. 3. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
24. "Nelson Adda To Bankings". San Jose Evening News. San Jose, California. International News Service. September 11, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2010.
25. AT&T Byron Nelson – Winners Archived 2016-10-04 at the Wayback Machine – at www.pgatour.com
26. HP Byron Nelson Championship – Winners – at golfobserver.com (1970–2009)
27. Johnson, Sal; Seanor, Dave, eds. (2009). The USA Today Golfers Encyclopedia. New York, New York: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-302-8.

External links

• Official website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
• Media Guide

33.141°N 96.720°W / 33.141; -96.720