Major appetizer in Texas (USA) where from 13 to 16 May the AT&T Byron Nelson will be staged, the PGA Tour golf tournament that precedes the PGA Championship (20-23 May in Kiawah Island, South Carolina), the second men's event of the Grand Slam 2021.
In McKinney (32 miles north of Dallas) absences and important returns. Dustin Johnson, number 1 in the world, was canceled from the field in extremis with a knee discomfort. While Francesco Molinari has decided to desert the appointment to better prepare for the PGA Championship.
Hideki Matsuyama, AT&T Byron Nelson
After having triumphed at The Masters - the first Japanese to do it - Hideki Matsuyama returns. And with him also Jordan Spieth (positive result at Covid-19 ten days after the Masters Tournament) and Brooks Koepka (he played in Augusta in less than optimal physical condition due to a knee operation).
Among the big names in the race there are Jon Rahm (debut in the competition), world number 3, and Bryson DeChambeau (fourth in the world ranking and leader of the FedEx Cup). South Korean Sung Kang will defend the title won in 2019 (the competition in 2020 was canceled for Covid).
An important opportunity also for some players who have already distinguished themselves this year on the European Tour such as John Catlin and Antoine Rozner. But above all for Ryan Lumsden, winner of the Byron Nelson Collegiate Golf Award 2019 and who scored this year in Vernole, Lecce, in the Mira Golf Experience Acaya Open, stage of the Alps Tour).
The tournament will offer a total prize pool of $ 8,100,000 (with first coin of 1,458,000). "For The Open we expect to be able to host a significant number of spectators". With these words Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A explained that the intention, for the fourth and last male Major of 2021, scheduled from 15 to 18 July in Sandwich, Kent (England), is to have as much public as possible.
The situation regarding the cases of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, in clear improvement also thanks to the vaccination campaign that is proceeding quickly, gives hope to the organizers of the oldest Grand Slam tournament in the world (the first edition was played in 1860 ), canceled in 2020 due to the health emergency.
"Our goal - concluded Slumbers - is to organize a fantastic event and see enthusiastic players and spectators. We are really impatient and we can't wait for the show to start".