By Greg Robertson
ESPN Golf Online
Sunday, May 14

Details
When	Thursday-Sunday
Courses	TPC Four Seasons Resort Las Colinas, Irving, Texas Cottonwood Valley Golf Club, Irving, Texas
Par/Yardage	Par 70; 6,994 yards (Las Colinas) Par 70; 6,846 yards (Cottonwood)
Purse	$4 million (Winner: $720,000)
1999 champion	Loren Roberts
Tournament record	18-under 262 (Loren Roberts, 1999; Steve Pate, 1999)
Television	Thursday-Friday: 3:30-6 p.m. ET (TGC) Saturday: 4-6 p.m. ET (CBS) Sunday: 3-6 p.m. ET (CBS)

The tournament

	Hole by hole (TPC Las Colinas)
	Hole	Par	Yards
	1	4	385
	2	3	176
	3	4	490
	4	4	425
	5	3	176
	6	4	436
	7	5	533
	8	4	457
	9	4	439
	Out	35	3517
	10	4	447
	11	4	347
	12	4	426
	13	3	183
	14	4	409
	15	4	475
	16	5	554
	17	3	196
	18	4	440
	In	35	3477
	Total	70	6994
	Key holes: The 14th and 15th are the two most difficult holes on the course, and both should be even tougher this year with water moved closer to the fairway on No. 14 and length added to No. 15. The 14th is a dogleg right where an accurate tee shot is vital to set up a difficult approach over water, with more water to the left and a huge tree blocking entrance on the right. No. 15 is 30 yards longer and features a sloping fairway. Long irons must be hit to a narrow green.

Just where the Byron Nelson Classic stands in status on the PGA Tour requires no further evidence than a look at the tournament's first three champions: Byron Nelson, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan.

One of the oldest events on the PGA Tour is also one of the best, and the trio of Hall of Famers that won the first three tournaments in the 1940s are just part of the rich tradition of the tournament. Most of golf's biggest names have won this event at some point, and recent years show veterans fare well at the tournament.

Loren Roberts, John Cook, Nick Price, Scott Simpson and Payne Stewart all won in the last decade, along with some of the best young players: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.

The Byron Nelson Classic is a true thinking-player's event. Played on two courses -- the TPC at Las Colinas and Cottonwood Valley -- which each play as par-70s. Only two par-5s are found on each layout, meaning execution and putting are the keys, not just bombing away off the tee.

That was particularly true last year, when two of the game's shortest players off the tee broke the tournament scoring record. Roberts and Steve Pate finished at 18-under 262 thanks to great short games. Roberts won on the first playoff hole, picking up the win in his 17th attempt at the event, setting a record for the most years before victory.

At 43, Roberts also became the oldest winner since Nelson added his name to the tournament in 1968.

Players will split time on Thursday and Friday on the two courses, then play exclusively at the TPC at Las Colinas on the weekend. It's a course where mental toughness is essential, with four of the five toughest holes coming over the final five holes.

This year's tournament features one of the best fields of the season for a regular tour stop, with Woods and David Duval both playing for the first time since The Masters. Three of the biggest draws -- and three past champions -- were forced out of the tournament by injury, however. Both Els and Fred Couples withdrew Monday with back pain, while Craig Stadler pulled out Tuesday with sore ribs.

After this event, players will remain in the area next week for the Colonial in neighboring Fort Worth. This begins the countdown to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach in just five weeks.

A dozen players to watch
Robert Allenby: A 10-time winner around the world, Allenby won the Houston Open two weeks ago for his first PGA Tour victory. After a week off to celebrate the win, Allenby returns to the course brimming with confidence.

David Duval: The last time Duval was seen, he was congratulating Vijay Singh for a Masters win he thought would be his. Has Duval shaken off the devastating loss? Can he get his first win in 13 months? Only if he putts well.

Steve Flesch: The 1998 rookie of the year still doesn't have a win on the PGA Tour, but he keeps getting close. A tie for sixth last week in New Orleans was his sixth top-10 finish this year, just one shy of the leaders on the tour.

Harrison Frazar: Frazar got his first taste of PGA Tour success at this event in 1998, tying for second with Fred Couples and Hal Sutton. Not surprising for a University of Texas alum. Last week, his first victory was in view until a double-bogey on the 17th left him one stroke out of a playoff.

Bruce Lietzke: The tour's best part-time player is nearing the end to his season at a tournament where he's had great success. Lietzke has two wins and a runnerup finish here.

Phil Mickelson: The 1996 champion of this event, Mickelson joins Hal Sutton and Tiger Woods as the only multiple winners on the tour this season. The 15-time winner turns 30 next month.

Jesper Parnevik: Parnevik won the Bob Hope Classic earlier this year and hasn't slowed down. He shares the lead on the PGA Tour with seven top-10 finishes and has flirted with the top 10 in the World Rankings.

Steve Pate: It's been an extremely disappointing year for Pate, who has no top-10 finishes in 12 starts this year. Maybe a spark will come at this event, where he matched Loren Roberts with the a tournament scoring record last year.

Loren Roberts: The Boss of the Moss was never better than he was at this event last year, when he broke the tournament scoring record and beat Steve Pate in sudden death. The highlight was a third-round 62, sandwiched around a pair of 66s and a 68.

Hal Sutton: It's been a career year for Sutton, and it's only May. He won both the Players Championship and Greater Greensboro Classic, has seven top-10 finishes and is second only to Tiger Woods on the money list.

Kirk Triplett: A tie for sixth last week at New Orleans was his sixth top-10 finish this year in just 11 tournaments. That includes his first career win at Riviera and more than $1.1 million in earnings.

Tiger Woods: The most dominant player in the game has seven top-five finishes in eight starts this year, including three wins and three seconds. He won here in 1997 and has won all five tournaments he's played in the past nine months after a three-week break.