The proximity was incredible, the gate was wide open, there were no noticeable signs, I was curious. Coasted right through on my bicycle, a black Trek Marlin 5. The Byron Nelson was coming to McKinney for the third year in a row. The golf stadium was being constructed, corporate luxury suites were all along the 16th and 18th fairways, it looked more like a studio than a stadium, with #17 being a fully enclosed 147 yard par-3. This place is the place to score.
All depends on the winds, but the TPC At Craig Ranch course could get man handled again. Lee won it at 25 under last year, maybe they added some length. Current 10-day forecasts call for several rainy days prior, the greens could be taking irons like velcro. The opening round is 12 days away, no way to tell if the clouds will clear, local weather professionals are notoriously bad predictors. I'll be reporting on-site for Thursday and Friday rounds, rain, shine, or hail.
As I was taking a few photos of the tournament preparation progress, a man in a blue Byron Nelson Logo shirt walked up and asked if I needed anything. At first I didn't hear what he said, Lou Reed's Vicious was blaring in my ear--
Vicious
Hey, you hit me with a flower
You do it every hour
Oh, baby you're so vicious
He asked again, aggressively and rhetorically. I answered, "No," to which he declared I was on private property. It was an odd conversation, but somehow we both understood; call it a draw for now, the Byron is going Gonzo.