Featured Groups: AT&T Byron Nelson

Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed are among the big names in the 156-player field for the AT&T Byron Nelson, which is in year two at the unique Coore/Crenshaw-designed Trinity Forest Golf Club.

Eight of the top 30 in the FedExCup will tee it up in Dallas, including defending champion Aaron Wise, who at 21 years, 10 months was younger than every previous AT&T Byron Nelson winner besides Tiger Woods (21 years, 4 months in 1997).

Reed will make his first start at Trinity, while FedExCup No. 8 Koepka will look to build early momentum for his PGA Championship title defense next week. This will mark Spieth’s ninth start in his hometown event; his best finish remains the T16 he recorded in his first appearance in 2010, when he was a sponsor exemption.

This time around the most notable exemption is Dallas Cowboys quarterback turned CBS broadcaster Tony Romo.

Here’s a look at some of the Featured Groups (FedExCup ranking in parenthesis). Please note that there will be a fan vote on Twitter to determine the second Featured Group on Friday. We will provide the final results near the end of Thursday’s first round.

HOW TO FOLLOW

GOLF CHANNEL, CBS: Thursday-Friday, 3:30-6:30 p.m. ET (Golf Channel). Saturday-Sunday, 1-2:45 p.m. (GC), 3-6 p.m. (CBS).

PGA TOUR LIVE: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Featured Groups). Saturday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. (Featured Groups). International subscribers (via GOLF.tv): Thursday-Friday, 12:00 to 22:30 GMT. Saturday-Sunday, 14:30 to 22:00.

TWITTER WINDOW: 8 a.m. to approximately 9:15 a.m. Thursday and Friday.

RADIO: Thursday-Friday, 1-6:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-6 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM and PGATOUR.COM).

THURSDAY

Keith Mitchell (21) – The Honda Classic champion is coming off a T8 at the Wells Fargo, his sixth top-25 finish this season, and may be just starting to grasp how good he is.
C.T. Pan (30) – Diminutive pro broke through with maiden victory at the recent RBC Heritage, finished T32 at Trinity Forest last year.
Kevin Tway (28) – It’s been a feast-or-famine season for Tway, who won the season-opening Safeway Open in Napa, Calif., but later racked up six straight missed cuts.
Tee time: 8:20 a.m. ET

Brooks Koepka (8) – The highest ranked player in the field, he has six top-25 finishes, including a win at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES, this season.
Aaron Wise (89) – Reigning Rookie of the Year has fallen off slightly in his sophomore season, with just one top-10 finish in 12 starts. Coming off a T18 at the Wells Fargo.
Ryan Palmer (19) – Enjoying rare home game after recently breaking nine-year win drought with partner Jon Rahm at Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Tee time: 8:30 a.m. ET

FRIDAY

Jordan Spieth (153) – Some home cooking might help Spieth, whose form is a far cry from his FedExCup winning season in 2015. He’s fallen to 39th in the world, and at Trinity will play alongside Stenson, another former FedExCup winner who has slipped to 40th.
Henrik Stenson (117) – The 43-year-old is coming off a T28 at the Wells Fargo Championship, and has one top-10 finish in eight starts this season.
Hideki Matsuyama (43) – Has rebounded since last season, with seven top-25 finishes in 12 starts, including a T9 at the Genesis Open and T8 at THE PLAYERS Championship.
Tee time: 8:30 a.m. ET

Fan vote choices:

Patrick Reed (62) – Has dropped off slightly on the heels of his Masters-winning season, with just one top-10 finish in 13 starts. Coming off a T28 at the Wells Fargo.
Marc Leishman (13) – Opened the tournament with a sizzling 61 last year, which remains the Trinity Forest tournament course record. Already a winner this season at the CIMB Classic.
Charles Howell III (10) – Enjoying a banner season at 39, Howell has racked up nine top-25 finishes, including a win at The RSM Classic.
Tee time: 8:20 a.m. ET

Dylan Frittelli (136) – The consummate world traveler, South Africa’s Frittelli has made nine cuts in 13 starts this season, with three top-25s.
Scott Scheffler (NA) – In the midst of a solid season on the Web.com Tour with two runner-up finishes and six top-10s in 10 starts. This will be his third TOUR start of the season.
Tony Romo (NA) – Sponsor exemption Romo, an amateur, will be a favorite amongst the locals after playing 14 seasons as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys.
Tee time: 9:30 a.m. ET