This is one of my favorite weeks of the year. I’m back home in North Texas for the 2017 AT&T Byron Nelson.
This tournament means a lot to me for many reasons. For starters, I get to sleep in my own bed all week! I grew up nearby and went as a spectator many times, watching some of the best in the game compete.
This event bears the name of a legend and fellow Texan, and while I never got to see him play, his legacy is huge. Just look at 1945, the year Byron won 18 tournaments, including 11 in a row. That’s absolutely unheard of.
Back in 2010, when I was just 16, I had the chance to compete in Byron’s tournament as an amateur. It was incredible. I finished 16th in a field with some of the biggest names in golf. It introduced me to competition at the highest level, and helped prepare me for what was to come and what still lies ahead.
The AT&T Byron Nelson honors Byron and his legacy by being the most successful charitable event on the PGA TOUR. It benefits Salesmanship Club’s Momentous Institute, which serves over 6,000 children and family members directly each year through therapeutic and educational programs, and countless more through its research and training efforts.
This is a bittersweet year. We’re playing the AT&T Byron Nelson for the final time at the TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas in Irving, Texas. Since moving to Irving in 1983, the AT&T Byron Nelson has raised over $150 million, helping Momentous Institute to improve the lives of over 100,000 kids and family members in North Texas. The community of Irving has had a lot to do with making this tournament what it is today.
Still, we’re excited about the future. In 2018, we’ll celebrate the AT&T Byron Nelson’s 50th anniversary at its new home, Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas. I can’t wait until this course gets its turn on the national stage. As a member, I have had the chance to play it many times and it’s already become one of my favorite courses. If you tune in to the tournament this week, you will likely catch a sneak peek of Trinity Forest.
Speaking of tuning in, AT&T has you covered with the AT&T Byron Nelson Mosaic Experience for DIRECTV subscribers on channel 701. You’ll see multiple screens of enhanced coverage on Saturday and Sunday, including an interactive leaderboard, scorecard, player info and more. Have 4K? Catch all the action from holes 16, 17 and 18 in 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) on DIRECTV channel 106.
Attending the tournament in person? AT&T is providing live 360-degree video of holes 1 and 17. You can only experience this exclusive VR broadcast at the all-new AT&T FanDome on Champions Way.
Inside the AT&T FanDome, you can learn more about my story by watching Jordan Spieth: The Course of Life project across the curved ceiling. You can also pose as the “I” amongst giant letters spelling out my last name and pick up a koozie AT&T modeled after my AT&T golf bag.
Wherever you’re watching the AT&T Byron Nelson, stay safe. It’s never OK to drive distracted. It Can Wait.
Jordan Spieth - Professional Golfer