Byron Nelson Tournament
Yesterday, I went to the Byron Nelson Tournament for a few hours to enjoy the golf and the stellar weather. I arrived at the course at about 9:30, watched some groups tee off on the first hole of the TPC. Byron Nelson himself pulled up while Jerry Kelly’s group was teeing off and he chatted with the players while they waited to tee off. After that, I went to our pavillion, grabbed a bottle of water, and headed over to Cottonwood to watch Adam Scott (one of the leaders) tee off on the first hole. I arrived a bit early and watched a group or two tee off before Adam Scott, Sean O’Hair and another player who’s name I’ve forgotten, arrived at the hole. All three players hit good tee shots into the fairway. Adam hit a nearly perfect iron shot from about 190 yds to about 8 ft (and made birdie from there); Sean O’Hair and the other player hit good shots, but more toward the center of the green. The way Adam was hitting the ball, I’m thinking he’s going to be hard to beat at this tournament.
Next group had Chris DiMarco in it; he hit his tee shot into the fairway but his iron approach was just short of the green and rolled back down into the rough.
I watched a few more groups on the first hole, (at least two players putting shots into the water) and went back to TPC to catch up with Camilo Villegas’ group. I caught up with him on the 2nd hole and followed his group to the 4th hole. Villegas hit a long fade off the tee into the water on the right of the fairway, proceeded to chunk his approach shot into the rough short of the hole and make double. He recovered nicely on the 4th hole, hitting a very long tee shot within easy sand wedge distance, but his sand wedge was long and ended up in the rough just over the green. I was a bit concerned that Camilo wasn’t playing particularly well this day, and indeed, he didn’t make the cut.
I headed back to the 18th hole pavillion to get some lunch, watching a few groups along the way. I saw Charles Howell III make a fine approach shot to about 25 ft on the 3rd hole and then knock it in for birdie. There were some other very nice putts on that hole as well, but don’t remember the players.
I grabbed some lunch and watched players coming home on the 18th at TPC, before I had to head out to run some errands with my wife.
The day was fine, the golf was good, and fun was had by all.