Five players to watch at this weekend’s HP Byron Nelson Championship:
Hunter Mahan
He’s overdue. The Dallas resident has played the Byron Nelson every year since 2004 but has never finished inside the top 40. Mahan (No. 17) and Y.E. Yang (No. 19) are the only players in the field ranked in the world top 20.
Dustin Johnson
He tied for fourth last year, although the 7,166-yard TPC Four Seasons is not particularly suited to his length. Johnson ranks No. 9 in both money and FedEx Cup points, the only top-10 player on either list in the field.
Vijay Singh
All players in the world top 50 following the Nelson will qualify for the U.S. Open. Among those in the field near the cutline are Michael Sim (49), Singh (51), J.B. Holmes (52) and Rickie Fowler (54).
Rory Sabbatini
He missed the cut in six of his last 10 stroke-play events, his worst stretch since 2005. Can the South African regain his mojo in his favorite state? His last two wins came in Texas: Colonial (2007) and Nelson (2009).
Justin Leonard
The Texan has never won the Nelson but matched the TPC Four Seasons course record in 2001 when he fired a third-round 61 on his way to a tie for sixth. Leonard has played Nelson 16 of the last 17 years and missed the cut just once.
