Everyone’s favorite high-level PGA Tour action switches from TPC Sawgrass over to TPC Four Seasons Resort at Las Colinas for the 2016 AT&T Byron Nelson. It’s going to be an interesting four days of golf action with the best players on the planet playing for a big-time prize. Below, we take a look at the best players to look out for heading into this week’s tournament.
For more on the AT&T Byron Nelson, check out our sleeper and long shot picks.
Jordan Spieth’s first taste of the PGA Tour came at this golf course, TPC Four Seasons Resort. He gets another shot at his first ever victory in his home state of Texas. Despite being comfortable at home, Spieth’s best finish has only been runner-up. He finished second at Colonial, Houston and San Antonio. He still hasn’t improved on his tie for 16th at Las Colinas as a teenager in his career.
Spieth (+625) hasn’t played well since the first round of the Masters. He shot a 66-under par but shot 74, 73 and 73 the rest of the way to finish second. He also missed the cut last week at the PLAYERS Championship. But if there’s a way to turn it all around, it may be here where he feels very much at home.
Dustin Johnson
Dustin Johnson (+800) owns four top 10 finishes in his past five visits to TPC Las Colinas. But he has never been close enough to actually claim the title in the final round. His best finish was fourth in 2009. Johnson could be up for a big performance at this tournament. He has finished in the top five in three of his last four tournaments.
Marc Leishman
Marc Leishman (+2,800) is another favorite who could go off for an AT&T Byron Nelson title. He has finished in the top 12 five times in six appearances at TPC Four Seasons, including tying for third in 2012 and 2014. He has finished in the top five once in 2016, fifth at the Northern Trust Open. He finished 64th at the PLAYERS after a pair of 75s in the final two rounds of the PLAYERS.
Leishman doesn’t need to be hot before playing a big tourney in TPC Four Seasons. He finished 37th and 21st at the Memorial Tournament and Crown Plaza Invitational in 2014 before finishing third at the HP Byron Nelson Championship. A return to the course he’s had plenty of success on should give him another favorable run this week.
Sleeper
Steven Bowditch
Steve Bowditch was spectacular at TPC Four Seasons last year. He opened with a 62 and closed with a 64 to win in his adopted hometown of Las Colinas. He made 27 birdies over four days despite a rain-altered layout. It was only his second PGA Tour title.
Bowditch needs to relive every bit of his spectacular win this week. He has missed the cut in his last four tournaments. The last time he finished in the top 10 was at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January.
Long Shot
Charley Hoffman
Charley Hoffman could be primed for a big performance. He finished 11th at the Zurich Classic and won the Valero Texas Open a week before. He also finished 14th at the RBC Heritage after shooting a pair of 68s in the first two rounds.
Hoffman missed the cut at the PLAYERS Championship last week. But he could recover at TPC Four Seasons, where he’s historically played well. He finished second at the tournament in 2014 and eighth in 2013.
Writer’s Prediction
Spieth (+625) recovers and wins the AT&T Byron Nelson. It’s only a matter of time before he has a big outing after his string of disappointments.
